Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
One year since the emergence of COVID-19 virus variant Omicron
International Conference on Infectious Diseases
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One year since the emergence of COVID-19 virus variant Omicron
It was 26 November 2021 that WHO declared that the world was facing a new variant of concern: Omicron. It would go on to change the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emerging evidence was quickly shared by scientists from Botswana, Hong Kong and South Africa and discussed in a special meeting of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group for Virus Evolution (TAG-VE).
Experts at the meeting worried about the large number of mutations present in this variant, which differed greatly from the other variants that had been detected so far. Early data showed Omicron’s rapid spread in some provinces in South Africa and an increased risk of reinfection compared to the previously circulating variants.
Just hours later, WHO declared this new variant a variant of concern: we were dealing with something new, something different, and something that the world had to quickly prepare for.
Wednesday, November 23, 2022
Diphtheria vaccination
Causes:
Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make a toxin. It is the toxin that can cause people to get very sick.
Spread to others:
Diphtheria bacteria spread from person to person, usually through respiratory droplets, like from coughing or sneezing. People can also get sick from touching infected open sores or ulcers. Those at increased risk of getting sick include:People in the same household
People with a history of frequent, close contact with the patient
People directly exposed to secretions from the suspected infection site (e.g., mouth, skin) of the patient.
Signs and Symptoms:
The bacteria most commonly infect the respiratory system, which includes parts of the body involved in breathing. When the bacteria get into and attach to the lining of the respiratory system, it can cause:
Sore throat
Mild fever
Swollen glands in the neck
The bacteria make a toxin that kills healthy tissues in the respiratory system. Within two to three days, the dead tissue forms a thick, gray coating that can build up in the throat or nose. Medical experts call this thick, gray coating a “pseudomembrane.” It can cover tissues in the nose, tonsils, voice box, and throat, making it very hard to breathe and swallow.
If the toxin gets into the blood stream, it can cause heart, nerve, and kidney damage.
Diagnosis:
Doctors usually decide if a person has diphtheria by looking for common signs and symptoms. They can swab the back of the throat or nose and test it for the bacteria that cause diphtheria. A doctor can also take a sample from an open sore or ulcer and try and grow the bacteria. If the bacteria grow and make the diphtheria toxin, the doctor can be sure a patient has diphtheria. However, it takes time to grow the bacteria, so it is important to start treatment right away if a doctor suspects respiratory diphtheria.
Treatment:
Diphtheria treatment involves:Using diphtheria antitoxin to stop the bacteria toxin from damaging the body. This treatment is very important for respiratory diphtheria infections, but it is rarely used for diphtheria skin infections.
Using antibiotics to kill and get rid of the bacteria. This is important for diphtheria infections in the respiratory system and on the skin and other parts of the body (e.g., eyes, blood).
People with diphtheria are usually no longer able to infect others 48 hours after they begin taking antibiotics. However, it is important to finish taking the full course of antibiotics to make sure the bacteria are completely removed from the body. After the patient finishes the full treatment, the doctor will run tests to make sure the bacteria are not in the patient’s body anymore.
Complications:
Complications from respiratory diphtheria may include:Airway blockage
Myocarditis (damage to the heart muscle)
Polyneuropathy (nerve damage)
Kidney failure
For some people, respiratory diphtheria can lead to death. Even with treatment, about 1 in 10 patients with respiratory diphtheria die. Without treatment, up to half of patients can die from the disease.
In the United States, there are four vaccines used to prevent diphtheria: DTaP, Tdap, DT, and Td. Each of these vaccines prevents diphtheria and tetanus; DTaP and Tdap also help prevent pertussis (whooping cough).
Thursday, November 17, 2022
Monday, November 14, 2022
Experimental mAbs show promise against Epstein-Barr virus
International Conference on Infectious Diseases
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Researchers find monoclonal antibodies provided nearly complete protection against EBV infection and lymphoma when tested in mice.
Researchers from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), in collaboration with researchers from Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, US, investigated a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting different sites of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). They were tested in human cells in a laboratory setting, with the results published in the journal Immunity.
The mAbs blocked infection in the human cells, and even one of the experimental mAbs provided nearly complete protection against EBV infection and lymphoma when tested in mice.
EBV is one of the most common human viruses. After an infection, the virus becomes dormant in the body but may reactivate in some cases.
It is the primary cause of infectious mononucleosis and is associated with certain cancers, including Hodgkin lymphoma, and autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. People with weakened immune systems are more likely than immunocompetent people, to develop severe symptoms and complications from EBV infection.
The researchers developed several investigational mAbs that targeted two key proteins: gH and gL. The two proteins facilitate EBV fusion with human cells and cause infection. When tested in the laboratory setting, the investigational mAbs prevented EBV infection of human B cells and epithelial cells,which line the throat at the initial site of EBV infection.
By analysing the structure of the mAbs and their two surface proteins using X-ray crystallography and advanced microscopy, the researchers identified multiple sites of vulnerability on the virus to target. When tested in mice, one of the experimental mAbs (mAb 769B10) provided almost complete protection against EBV infection when given. The mAb also protected all mice tested from EBV lymphoma.
Currently, there is no licensed vaccine to protect against the virus. Yet, the findings highlight viable EBV vaccine targets and the potential for experimental mAbs to be used alone or in combination to treat EBV infection in immunocompromised patients. The researchers note that they have planned further research with mAb 769B10.
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Thursday, November 3, 2022
Covid-19 reshaped the way we buy, prepare and consume food
International Conference on Infectious Diseases
News: Covid-19 reshaped the way we buy, prepare and consume food
In early 2020, as province after province in Canada declared public health emergencies, and pandemic restrictions came into force, routine grocery runs changed dramatically.
Faced with the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, many people across Canada and around the world began to stockpile food and other products.
This was the beginning of a series of impacts that the pandemic had on our experiences with food.
To better understand food-related decisions during the pandemic, our research team conducted an online survey among a sample of adults from the province of Québec.
This survey spanned three different time points between the initial lockdown in the spring of 2020 and the curfew period in Québec in the winter of 2021.
Our study showed that people reduced their frequency of shopping for food in store at the beginning of the pandemic.
This reduction occurred in tandem with a rise in curbside pick-up and delivery. The general rise in popularity of no-contact grocery methods was not unique to Canada, and was likely due to people seeking to limit their exposure to the virus.
Our survey suggests that in-store shopping frequency had returned to its pre-pandemic level by mid-2020. However, the use of no-contact grocery methods is expected to persist among a considerable portion of the population.
The pandemic not only changed the way we purchased food, but also the motivations behind those purchases. As shown in our upcoming research, more than three-quarters of our survey respondents expressed an increased desire to support local food retailers compared to 2019.
Furthermore, 68 per cent of them placed increased importance on the country of origin of food products.
Respondents also stated that their purchasing decisions were motivated by the safety and price of food products as well as the environmental and ethical impact.
Major societal changes like restaurant closures, home schooling and teleworking came with an increase in frequency of cooking at home and improved food-related skills like cooking and meal planning. Many Canadians have learned new recipes, and the much-reported rise in the popularity of baking is corroborated by a drastic increase in online searches for bread recipes in the first weeks of the pandemic (which remained higher than pre-pandemic until well into 2021).
Improved food-related skills were most pronounced among families, which is likely due to an increase in children’s participation in cooking activities during lockdowns.
In addition, more than one-third of survey respondents in our upcoming study identified increased time and motivation to cook, comfort and enjoyment derived from food, and interest in food as reasons for enhanced skills in their household.
While better cooking skills and more frequent home cooking may be considered beneficial, they came with a downside. Some people seemed to become fatigued of preparing meals over the course of the pandemic, which was reflected in an increase in take-out or delivery orders for prepared foods in early 2021 compared with 2020.
The effect of the pandemic on eating behaviours varied across individuals. On the one hand, food appears to have been used as a source of comfort and a way to avoid boredom during the pandemic lockdowns.
More than one-quarter of our respondents reported an increased desire to eat during the pandemic compared to before, as (in their own words) they were at home and around food all the time.
On the other hand, a small proportion of respondents reported that their desire to eat had decreased. The main reasons for this change were feelings of stress and anxiety as well as decreased motivation to cook.
Lockdowns also had mixed effects on the healthiness of food choices. A study summarizing data collected worldwide found that, overall, people reported consuming more unhealthy foods like snacks and sweets during pandemic lockdowns.
However, some individuals also seem to have taken advantage of the pandemic lockdowns to make healthier food choices.
Unhealthy changes might have been offset by increased consumption of healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables, legumes, and cereals.
The wide variability in diet-related changes may in part be explained by the varied impacts of the pandemic on individuals’ personal circumstances. More changes in eating behaviours were likely observed in those whose regular work conditions were disrupted by the pandemic, such as losing a job or transitioning to teleworking.
Moreover, given the unexpected occurrence of COVID-19, most studies had to compare participants’ food habits during lockdowns with their memories of their pre-pandemic habits. However, these recollections may not always correspond perfectly to reality.
Vulnerable groups were likely underrepresented in most studies on the food-related impacts of the pandemic. Future research is needed to understand how pandemic-induced changes in eating habits will evolve over time across age groups, socioeconomic statuses, and household structures.
Time will tell whether the changes in our food-related values and skills will be permanent or will dissipate as we return to our pre-pandemic lives.
The pandemic might have brought some positive changes to our relationships and skills with food. Continued support for local food products could help promote healthy eating and the sustainability of our food system.