Viruses and Health

Protestors demonstrate against Covid vaccine mandates outside the New York State Capitol in Albany, New York, on January 5, 2022. Mike Segar | Reuters Skepticism toward Covid-19 vaccines could be fueling a "worrisome" rise in broader anti-vax sentiment, doctors have said. Professor Liam Smeeth, a physician and director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told CNBC he was concerned that vaccine hesitancy around Covid was "creeping into" sentiment toward other vaccines. "I'm concerned it's making people think: 'oh, well, maybe the measles vaccine isn't great either, and maybe these other vaccines aren't great,'" Smeeth said in a phone call. "And we don't have to see much of a drop in measles vaccine coverage in the U.K. to get measles outbreaks." He noted that there had been outbreaks of the disease when vaccination rates dropped in Britain in the 1990s and early 2000s. In the late 1990s, claims that v...

Share on Pinterest Scientists have found some metabolites in the human microbiome that could possibly slow down SARS-CoV-2 infection. undefined/Getty Images All humans have a microbiome comprising thousands of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which co-exist naturally in the body. A team of scientists decided to study whether bacteria from the human microbiome could inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 virus . They identified three bacterial metabolites from the human microbiome that inhibited SARS-CoV-2 viral infection . Remarkably, these natural bacterial metabolites resemble drugs that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved and that clinical research is exploring as treatments for COVID-19, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or both. Humans co-exist with diverse microbes that live on and thrive in the body but do not cause harm. In fact, in some cases, people may even derive benefit from their presence. The body harbors these microorganisms on the skin, in the ...

Ocular manifestations of lichenoid dermatoses, such as lichen planus (LP), lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP), and lichen planopilaris (LPL), are rare and often overlooked by dermatologists, but lead to serious complications. An up-to-date review for dermatologists on ocular manifestations of LP, LPP and LPL, as well as guidelines on when to refer patients to the ophthalmologist, was published in Dermatologic Therapy . Lichen planus (LP) Overview. LP is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disease that predominantly affects the skin, followed by the oral and genital mucosa, as well as the esophagus, scalp, and nails. LP is most common in adult women between the 3 rd and 6 th decade of life. Diagnosis is confirmed via skin biopsy, which reveals a triad of band-like infiltrates, irregular acanthosis, and vacuolation of basal cells. Ocular manifestations. This is rare and usually occurs with oral or cutaneous manifestations. Extraocular disease usually precedes eye invol...

Lower-limb lymphorrhoea poses medical and practical challenges for patients and nurses, but can be avoided if lower-limb oedema is treated early. This article comes with a self-assessment enabling you to test your knowledge after reading it Abstract The management of lower-limb lymphovenous disease and lymphorrhoea ('leaky legs') is challenging. The root cause of the disease must be addressed and the risk of infection minimised while symptoms are treated with compression, dressings, topical agents and barrier products. Lymphorrhoea causes significant medical and practical issues for patients and nurses, but can be avoided if lower-limb oedema is treated early. This article describes the pathophysiology, management strategies, and clinical and practical issues associated with the condition; it updates an article published in 2003. Citation: Anderson I (2016) 'Leaky legs': strategies for the treatment and management of lower-limb lymphorrhoea. Nursin...

WARNING: Distressing content With a stethoscope gently resting on her newborn's chest, Presley Trejo listened to her little girl's heart beat for the very last time. At just 12 days old, baby Emerson passed away in her mother's arms. For Presley, her heart still aches over the loss of her baby girl whose death was entirely preventable. "Picking out a tiny baby casket is the most gut-wrenching thing," Presley tells 7Life . Emerson was born happy and healthy Credit: Supplied On July 25 2018, Presley and her husband Elias welcomed Emerson into the world. With two big brothers and a loving mum and dad, the Trejo family was complete. Happy and healthy, both mum and baby were discharged from hospital two days after the birth. A few days later at Emerson's newborn checkup, the pediatrician noticed a small blister inside her mouth. "He told us that this was very common in newborns and not to worry about it," the US mum explains. But four days later, Emerson...

Protestors demonstrate against Covid vaccine mandates outside the New York State Capitol in Albany, New York, on January 5, 2022. Mike Segar | Reuters Skepticism toward Covid-19 vaccines could be fueling a "worrisome" rise in broader anti-vax sentiment, doctors have said. Professor Liam Smeeth, a physician and director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told CNBC he was concerned that vaccine hesitancy around Covid was "creeping into" sentiment toward other vaccines. "I'm concerned it's making people think: 'oh, well, maybe the measles vaccine isn't great either, and maybe these other vaccines aren't great,'" Smeeth said in a phone call. "And we don't have to see much of a drop in measles vaccine coverage in the U.K. to get measles outbreaks." He noted that there had been outbreaks of the disease when vaccination rates dropped in Britain in the 1990s and early 2000s. In the late 1990s, claims that v...

Pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which stomach acid flows into the esophagus of an infant or child, causing what is commonly known as heartburn. Without treatment, this backflow of acid can irritate and damage the esophageal lining. It is common for stomach acid to flow up into the esophagus of infants, resulting in frequent spitting and throwing up. However, if the frequency exceeds the amount that doctors consider normal or there are other side effects, this may be a symptom of GERD. If it goes untreated, GERD can have long-term effects on growth and development. Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms of pediatric GERD, the treatment options, and when to seek help from a medical professional. GERD is a very common digestive disorder in which the contents of the stomach flow into the esophagus, irritating the esophageal lining and causing pain that people typically refer to as heartburn. The esophagus is part of the digestive tract. It is a tu...

Following discussions with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Applied Therapeutics announced that it would hold on submitting the New Drug Application for AT-007 for the treatment of galactosemia until more data could be provided.  The Company had hoped to submit the application for accelerated approval based on a surrogate endpoint (reduction in galactitol); however, the agency has now indicated that clinical outcomes data would be needed for approval. Galactosemia is a rare genetic metabolic disease caused by an inability to metabolize galactose. AT-007 is an investigational compound that inhibits the enzyme aldose reductase. Inhibition of aldose reductase leads to a reduction in the formation of galactitol, a toxic metabolite that accumulates in tissues and organs. In a phase 2 registrational trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04117711), AT-007 was found to significantly reduce plasma galactitol levels vs placebo in adults with galacto...