Viruses and Health

"Make education violent again" seems to be the slogan for a public school district in Missouri. The Cassville School District decided on June 16, 2022, to bring back spanking after parents requested for the schools to spank their kids. Merlyn Johnson In a scene reminiscent of Pontius Pilate washing his hands and blaming the people, Superintendent Merlyn Johnson told the  Springfield News-Leader , "Parents have said, 'Why can't you paddle my student?' And we're like 'We can't paddle your student,' our policy does not support that.'" Yet the superintendent went along with the parents' desire to change the policy, allowing school officials to hit kids by "swatting the buttocks with a paddle" with up to three swings. "It is something that has happened on my watch and I'm OK with it." Johnson said: "My plan, when I came to Cassville, wasn't to be known as the guy who brought ...

Abstract Genomic sequencing is a powerful diagnostic tool in critically ill infants, but performing exome or genome sequencing (ES/GS) in the context of a research study is different from implementing these tests clinically. We investigated the integration of rapid ES into routine clinical care after a pilot research study in a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of infants admitted with suspected genetic disorders to the NICU from December 1, 2018 to March 31, 2021 and compared results to those obtained from a previous research study cohort (March 1, 2017 to November 30, 2018). Clinical rapid ES was performed in 80/230 infants (35%) with a suspected genetic disorder and identified a genetic diagnosis in 22/80 infants (28%). The majority of diagnoses acutely impacted clinical management (14/22 (64%)). Compared to the previous research study, clinically integrated rapid ES had a significantly lower diagnostic yield and increased tim...

The experimental drug, a form of gene therapy, consists of an injection of millions of laboratory-modified viruses that have been hollowed out to carry inside them two different enzymes — tiny proteins that work like molecular scissors. The therapy employs three different species of these transporter viruses. Known as adeno-associated viruses, or AAVs, they are used routinely in gene therapies to ferry genes or gene editing proteins to target sites. In the Hutch herpes experiments, the AAVs home in on clusters of nerves harboring inactive, or latent, herpesvirus, and then the scissors go to work, targeting and cutting up certain segments of viral genes. For their latest experiments, the Hutch team selected a different mix of AAVs, and improved their results. Previously, Jerome and Aubert reported that the drug can eliminate more than 90% of the latent herpesvirus in nerve clusters near the faces of the mice injected with the enzyme-carrying AAVs. In this new study, they describe ho...

A multipronged international effort has begun to pull out all the stops to launch trials of experimental Ebola vaccines in Uganda, which declared an outbreak of the deadly disease on 20 September. According to the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) update, Uganda has had 18 confirmed and 18 suspected cases of Ebola, including 23 deaths—an unusually high case fatality rate of 64%. A trial of a vaccine candidate that's farthest along in development could launch before the end of next month. Proven vaccines exist for Zaire ebolavirus, which has led to a dozen outbreaks in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and was responsible for the massive Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014. But those vaccines cannot control this outbreak because it's being driven by a distant viral relative known as Sudan ebolavirus, which last caused an outbreak, also in Uganda, in 2012. The Zaire and Sudan ebolaviruses "are not variants and they're not strains—they...

SEATTLE , June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Coherent Market Insights , the global acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) market is estimated to be valued at US$ 10,263.5 million in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period (2022-2030). Key Trends and Analysis of the Global Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections (ABSSSI) Market: Key trends in market include widespread presence of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI); increasing approval of novel drugs for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI), and increasing collaborations, acquisitions, and partnerships among key players. These key trends are expected to aid in growth of the global acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) market. According to an article published in the PLOS One journal, a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal in July 2020 , the lifetime prevalence of sk...

Are you looking for a primary care provider? Confused about the difference between having "M.D." or "D.O." after the doctor's name? We've got you covered. M.D. vs. D.O. M.D. is an abbreviation used after the name of someone who has a doctor of medicine degree. D.O. is an abbreviation for a doctor of osteopathic medicine's degree. Both types of doctors are fully trained and licensed, but there are some differences that may make a difference for you as a patient. Similarities Both paths to becoming a physician require students to graduate from an accredited medical school. A tool used to accept students to medical school is the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Students must pass a national medical licensing examination and graduate from medical school. Next, students start a residency program and get a general medical license. From there, doctors can become board certified in their chosen specialty or subspecialty. All...