TWiV 552: Delta and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat
Team TWiV reveals DNA polymerases that do not require a primer, and packaging of hepatitis delta virus by the envelope glycoproteins of diverse viruses. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 552 (70 MB .mp3, 116 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - June 16, 2019 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology bacteriophage de novo synthesis dengue virus DNA polymerase envelope glycoprotein hepatitis b virus hepatitis C virus hepatitis delta virus herlper virus mobile genetic element pipolin primer viral viruses Source Type: blogs
A risky vaccine
by Gertrud U. Rey Dengue fever, caused by dengue virus (DENV), is of substantial public health significance in the tropics, where the virus is spread by Aedes mosquitoes. Last week the FDA announced its approval of a first vaccine for the prevention of dengue disease in endemic areas. The vaccine approved by the FDA is Dengvaxia, a […] (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - May 9, 2019 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Commentary Gertrud Rey Information aedes aegypti antibody dependent enhancement dengue hemorrhagic fever dengue virus Dengvaxia vaccine viral viruses Source Type: blogs
Beyond Vaccination: New Measures Needed to Protect Hospitals and the Public Against the Flu
By MARC M. BEUTTLER, MD
Every year at this time, you hear warnings that flu season has arrived. New data from the CDC indicates the season is far from over. So, you are urged by health authorities to get a flu shot. What you may not realize is how the flu can affect the hospitals you and your loved ones rely on for care.
In January, the large urban hospital where I am an intern faced the worst flu outbreak it has ever seen. Nearly 100 staff members tested positive for the flu. Residents assigned to back-up coverage were called to work daily to supplement the dwindling ranks of the sick. Every hospital vis...
Source: The Health Care Blog - March 22, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Christina Liu Tags: Hospitals Medical Practice Marc Beuttler Vaccination Source Type: blogs
TWiV 535: Miles to go before I leak
The TWiV team discuss the use of quantum dots to study uncoating of influenza virus in real time, and induction of endothelial dysfunction by flavivirus NS1 proteins in a tissue-specific manner. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 534 (58 MB .mp3, 96 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - February 17, 2019 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology dengue virus endocytosis flavivirus glycocalyx influenza virus NS1 nuclear import pathogenesis quantum dot ribonucleoprotein vascular leak viral viremia viruses West Nile virus yellow fever virus zik Source Type: blogs
Inter-kingdom interactions in the mosquito gut
The gut tracts of many animals are inhabited by a microbial community composed of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses. The interplay among these inhabitants can have an impact on health and disease. Mosquitoes are no exception – replication of dengue virus in the gut tract is modulated by a fungus and a bacterium. When female […] (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - February 7, 2019 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information aedes aegyptii dengue virus gut epithelium gut microbiome mosquito mucin Serratia marcescens viral viruses Source Type: blogs
TWiV 528: Our annual recapsidation
In the first episode for 2019, the TWiV team reviews the amazing virology stories of the past year. <span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span><span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span>&lt;span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-...
Source: virology blog - January 6, 2019 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology alzheimer's disease Dengue Ebola herpesvirus horsepox influenza virus insect rna virus vaccine viral viruses wolbachia Source Type: blogs
Health Technologies To Eradicate Insects Transmitting Deadly Diseases
Drones transporting sterilized male mosquitos, cybernetic dragonflies, genetically modified insects with malaria-resisting traits, supersensitive radars or digital maps: the most innovative methods are deployed in the war on the tiniest but most murderous beasts out there: mosquitos, fleas, ticks carrying infectious diseases. Here’s the latest arsenal of digital technologies to eradicate insects and reduce deadly epidemics.
Unusual suspects: mosquitos, fleas, and ticks
Sharks, bears, tigers, the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog in association with sharp teeth and claws represent the traditional image of deadly animals. Howeve...
Source: The Medical Futurist - December 4, 2018 Category: Information Technology Authors: nora Tags: Biotechnology Future of Medicine Medical Professionals Policy Makers Researchers AI big data CRISRP digital health digital maps disease disease awareness epidemics gene editing Healthcare Innovation insect mosquito prev Source Type: blogs
Glow-In-The-Dark Paper Test Rapidly Detects Infectious Diseases
Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands and Keio University in Japan have developed a paper-based diagnostic test, which can be used to rapidly and inexpensively test for a variety of infectious diseases. A clinician can apply a drop of blood to the paper strip and detect the color of the emitted light using a smartphone camera, revealing if a patient has a specific infection, such as flu, HIV, or dengue fever.
This paper strip (extremely zoomed in) contains two copies of the test. The three glowing dots per test indicate that you can check on three different antibodies within one test.
In low-...
Source: Medgadget - October 5, 2018 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Diagnostics Materials Medicine Pathology Public Health Source Type: blogs
Travel tips: What you need to know before, during, and after you go abroad
Summer may be winding down, but travel isn’t! Getting ready for a big trip abroad can be a lot of work — especially for people with health concerns. This travel tips checklist can pave the way for a smooth journey.
Before your trip
Check for travel advisories
You should be aware of health or political circumstances relevant to your destination(s). The US Department of State has a number of resources for the traveler, including postings on health and security alerts for specific countries.
Check the CDC’s traveler health information
There is a wealth of information here, including general advice for travelers...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - August 27, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Wynne Armand, MD Tags: Health Source Type: blogs
TWiV 506: A Cafeteria full of jelly rolls
The TWiVniks explain how the three-dimensional structure of the giant Cafeteria roenbergensis virus suggests a new mode of assembly, and the apparent elimination of dengue fever in an Australian city by release of mosquitoes harboring Wolbachia. <span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_SELRES_start”></span><span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” […] (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - August 12, 2018 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology aedes aegypti bacteriovore Cafeteria roenbergensis virus cryoEM dengue fever giant virus spiral assembly vaccines viral virus structure viruses wolbachia Source Type: blogs
Tropical Travel Trouble 010 Fever, Arthralgia and Rash
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog - Emergency medicine and critical care medical education blog
aka Tropical Travel Trouble 010
Peer Reviewer: Dr Jennifer Ho, ID physician QLD, Australia
You are an ED doc working in Perth over schoolies week. An 18 yo man comes into ED complaining of fever, rash a “cracking headache” and body aches. He has just hopped off the plane from Bali where he spent the last 2 weeks partying, boozing and running amok. He got bitten by “loads” of mosquitoes because he forgot to take insect repellent.
On examination he looks miserable,...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - July 16, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Amanda McConnell Tags: Clinical Cases Tropical Medicine arthralgia dengue fever rash Source Type: blogs
Ticked off: America ’s quiet epidemic of tickborne diseases
For most of us, springtime marks the return of life to a dreary landscape, bringing birdsong, trees in bud, and daffodils in bloom. But if you work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the coming of spring means the return of nasty diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes.
The killjoys at CDC celebrated the end of winter with a bummer of a paper showing that infections spread by ticks doubled in the United States from 2004 to 2016. (Tick populations have exploded in recent decades, perhaps due to climate change and loss of biodiversity.)
Lyme disease
The most common infection spread by ticks in the US i...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 25, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: John Ross, MD, FIDSA Tags: Health Infectious diseases Source Type: blogs
Mayaro Virus Disease and Travel
As of April, 2018 eleven cases of travel-associated Mayaro virus infection have been reported (see chart below). [1,2] The current report on ProMED is the third to have originated in Peru. A user-generated Gideon chart comparing the clinical features of several mosquito-borne viral diseases of Peru (Dengue, Chikungunya, Oropouche, Mayaro, Group C viruses and Zika) is also displayed.
Note: Group C zoonotic viruses of Peru include Ataqui, Iataya, Murutucu, Caraparu and Apeu
References:
Berger SA. Gideon Guide to Cros...
Source: GIDEON blog - May 19, 2018 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Dr. Stephen Berger Tags: Ebooks Epidemiology ProMED Travel Source Type: blogs
Malaria Rates in Central America
Although CDC declared that there is no risk for malaria to American travelers in Costa Rica as of 2014, six of eleven cases reported by the latter in 2017 were classified as “autochthonous”. [1] For much of the past fifty years, Costa Rica has reported the lowest rates of malaria in Central America; and rates for the entire region have decreased dramatically since 2000 [2,3]
References:
https://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/index.php/vigilancia-de-la-salud/boletines/enfermedades-de-transmision-vectorial-2017/3443-boletin-epidemiologico-no-31-2017-zika-chikungunya-y-dengue/file
Berger SA. Malaria: Global Statu...
Source: GIDEON blog - May 14, 2018 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Dr. Stephen Berger Tags: Ebooks Epidemiology Graphs ProMED Source Type: blogs
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 236
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog - Emergency medicine and critical care medical education blog
Just when you thought your brain could unwind on a Friday, you realise that it would rather be challenged with some good old fashioned medical trivia FFFF…introducing Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 236.
Readers can subscribe to FFFF RSS or subscribe to the FFFF weekly EMAIL
Question 1:
You see a patient who has returned from Uganda complaining of pain in his arm whenever he turns the key. What is the diagnosis?
+ Reveal the Funtabulous Answer
expand(document.g...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - May 11, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Neil Long Tags: Frivolous Friday Five African Trypanosomiasis amblygeusia Cabot's rings Darwin award dengue fever Jean Francois Kerandel Kerandel's sign Kerandel's symptom male idiot theory MIT sleeping sickness Tourniquet test Source Type: blogs
