CRISPR-Cas13 System for Quick and Sensitive SARS-CoV-2 Detection
Scientists at Rice University created a rapid COVID-19 test that is based on the gene editing CRISPR-Cas system. The researchers modified the Cas-13 protein to increase its activity and to light up with fluorescence when it encounters RNA from the virus. The system does not require the expensive lab equipment and technical expertise of PCR, the current gold standard COVID-19 testing technique. The researchers even hope to adapt it to create a paper strip test, similar to the ubiquitous antigen tests, allowing people in remote or low-resource regions to obtain accurate COVID-19 testing without the need for a fully equipped ...
Source: Medgadget - October 11, 2022 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Genetics Medicine Public Health covid riceuniversity Source Type: blogs
TWiV 943: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses high points of the multi-national monkeypox outbreaks, monkeypox virus genome mutations, possible occupational infection of healthcare workers with monkeypox virus, rates of monkeypox cases by vaccination status, protection of SARS-CoV-2 infection against reinfection, Paxlovid significantly reduces COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, and rebound in COVID19 with and without Paxlovid treatment. (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - October 8, 2022 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology antiviral coronavirus COVID-19 delta inflammation influenza Long Covid marburg virus monkeypox monoclonal antibody Omicron pandemic poliovirus SARS-CoV-2 vaccine vaccine booster variant of concern Source Type: blogs
Weekly Overseas Health IT Links – 8th October, 2022.
This report aligns with the reality that healthcare organizations are facing in terms of the effects to patient safety, " said Anahi Santiago, chief information security officer at Delaware-based ChristianaCare.She and other healthcare cybersecurity leaders spoke withHealthcare IT News about the connection between cyber hygiene and patient safety and how to prepare for healthcare cyber attacks. -----https://ehrintelligence.com/news/meaningful-use-ehrs-may-be-key-to-improved-quality-of-care‘Meaningful Use’ EHRs May Be Key to Improved Quality of CareHospitals that meet the “Meaningful Use” EHR requirements were ...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - October 8, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs
Why do Some People Develop Long COVID?
by Gertrud U. Rey Long COVID is a chronic manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and it is most commonly characterized by lingering fatigue, brain fog, memory impairment, and confusion. Although it is unclear how the viral infection leads to long COVID, experts speculate that one or more of the following factors may contribute: an inability to […] (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - October 6, 2022 Category: Virology Authors: Gertrud U. Rey Tags: Basic virology Gertrud Rey Akiko Iwasaki autoimmune disease autoimmunity biomarker chronic fatigue syndrome cortisol COVD-19 cytotoxic T cells diagnostic test EBV Epstein-Barr virus exhausted T cells inflammation latent Lon Source Type: blogs
Trial By Error: Mt Sinai ’ s David Putrino on Long Covid, Post-Exertional Malaise, and Lazy Doctors – Text Version!
By David Tuller, DrPH David Putrino is a neuroscientist and physical therapist at Mt Sinai Hospital in New York. He runs a research lab and rehabilitation center that became a magnet for people grappling with what became known as long Covid–or what the US National Institutes of Health called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). A […] (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - October 5, 2022 Category: Virology Authors: David Tuller Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
DNA Nets Capture Sars-CoV-2 for Detection and Inhibition
A team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a DNA net system that can ensnare Sars-CoV-2 and bind to the notorious spike protein. The nets contain aptamers that bind the spike protein and emit an intense fluorescent signal once they’re bound together to the protein. This signal can be easily measured using a handheld fluorimeter. The technology provides a rapid and accurate way to test for the presence of the virus, and the researchers report that it has similar sensitivity as the current gold-standard test, PCR. However, the technology is not just envisaged as diagnostic. The nets can bind...
Source: Medgadget - October 3, 2022 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Genetics Materials Medicine Nanomedicine Public Health covid SARS-CoV-2 UIC UICnews uiuc Source Type: blogs
TWiV 932: Omicron boosters with Paul Offit
Paul Offit returns to TWiV for a discussion of SARS-CoV-2 bivalent boosters containing ancestral and Omicron spike mRNAs, including their composition, why they are being recommended by CDC, and who would benefit the most from them. (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - October 2, 2022 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology bivalent booster coronavirus COVID-19 Omicron pandemic SARS-CoV-2 vaccine viral viruses Source Type: blogs
TWiV 931: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses increased acute respiratory illnesses among children and adolescents, estimates of monkeypox incubation period, generation time, and reproduction number, rapid increase in suspected SARS-CoV-2 reinfections, interim infection prevention and control recommendations for healthcare personnel during COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 secondary attack rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated household contacts during replacement of delta with omicron variant, breakthrough infection by SARS-CoV-2 delta and omicron variants elicited immune response comparable to mRNA booster vaccination, inter...
Source: virology blog - October 1, 2022 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology antiviral coronavirus COVID-19 delta inflammation influenza Long Covid marburg virus monkeypox monoclonal antibody Omicron pandemic poliovirus SARS-CoV-2 vaccine vaccine booster variant of concern Source Type: blogs
Truth and Trust in Science: Are They Negotiable?
BY MIKE MAGEE
“The key is trust. It is when people feel totally alienated and isolated that the society breaks down. Telling the truth is what held society together.”
Those words were voiced sixteen years ago in Washington, D.C. It was October 17, 2006. The HHS/CDC sponsored workshop that day was titled “Pandemic Influenza – Past, Present, Future: Communicating Today Based on the Lessons from the 1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic.”
The speaker responsible for the quote above was writer/historian and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health adviser, John M. Barry. His opening quote from George Bernard Shaw se...
Source: The Health Care Blog - September 30, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Health Policy Public Health Flu Epidemic HHS/CDC John Barry Source Type: blogs
TWiV 940: Eddie Holmes in on viral origins
Eddie Holmes joins TWiV to discuss his role in the first release of the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence, what really happened during the infamous Fauci teleconference, and evidence that the virus came from Nature and not from a lab. (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - September 28, 2022 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology coronavirus COVID-19 furin cleavage site pandemic RaTG13 SARS-CoV-2 spillover viral viruses Wuhan Institute of Virology Source Type: blogs
TWiV 938: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin reviews the public health response to poliovirus in New York, impact of mandatory influenza vaccination, monkeypox in a young infant, health care worker exposure to monkeypox virus, monkeypox testing delays, transmission potential of monkeypox virus, TPOXX trial for monkeypox, detection of SARS-CoV-2 subgenomic mRNA, mucosal IgA against SARS-CoV-2, BNT262b2 against Omicron, awareness and use of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals, comparable outcomes for Bebtelovimab and Nirmatrelvir, and COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease. (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - September 24, 2022 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology antiviral coronavirus COVID-19 delta inflammation influenza Long Covid marburg virus monkeypox monoclonal antibody Omicron pandemic poliovirus SARS-CoV-2 vaccine vaccine booster variant of concern Source Type: blogs
TWiV 936: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses detection of a highly divergent type 3 vaccine-derived poliovirus in a child with a severe primary immunodeficiency disorder, severe respiratory illnesses associated with rhinoviruses and/or enteroviruses including EV-D68, effects of vaccination and previous infection on Omicron infections in children, COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among vaccinated and unvaccinated adults 18 years or older in 13 US states, effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines over time prior to Omicron emergence in Ontario, Canada, nasal IgA wanes 9 months after hospitalization with COVID-19 an...
Source: virology blog - September 17, 2022 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology antiviral coronavirus COVID-19 delta inflammation influenza Long Covid marburg virus monkeypox monoclonal antibody Omicron pandemic poliovirus SARS-CoV-2 vaccine vaccine booster variant of concern Source Type: blogs
Why mandating boosters for college kids is a no good, very bad, dumb idea 
This study reinforced prior research that measured these responses up to 12 months. The stimulation of an immune response after a mild infection can even be demonstrated in the absence of actual seroconversion (detectable prior infection by antibodies) at the level of T-cells. The presence of effective immune memory, both humoral (antibody) and cellular components, after even a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection is no longer a matter of debate. One might be tempted to argue that repeated boosting can permanently suppress infection. Unfortunately, all available evidence suggests that this increased protection from infection is ...
Source: The Health Care Blog - September 14, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Christina Liu Tags: COVID-19 Health Policy Anish Koka COVID-19 vaccine Viral Myalgia Source Type: blogs
The Macro View – Health, Economics, and Politics and the Big Picture. What I Am Watching Here And Abroad.
September 08, 2022 Edition-----In the US we are seeing the outcomes of Climate Change really of and running with droughts and fires etc. Biden amped up the partisan divide with a fiery anti-Republican speech!In Russia the last leader of Soviet Russia died.In the UK we have a new PM while in Europe the energy crisis is just getting worse.In OZ we have survived the Jobs and Skills Summit with 36 prearranged outcomes. Stage management +++ in action. The GP crisis is not being addressed fully and worries regarding the Global Economy - esp. China - worsen.-----Major Issues.-----https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/educati...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - September 8, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs
Surface Coating Rapidly Kills Pathogens, Lasts Months
A team at the University of Michigan has developed a coating for frequently touched surfaces that can rapidly kill a wide array of pathogens, including MRSA and SARS-CoV-2. The technology incorporates polyurethane that contains crosslinked compounds from essential oils with wide-spectrum anti-microbial action. The researchers fine-tuned the crosslinking process so that the oils were available to kill microbes but not sufficiently free to evaporate rapidly. Unlike anti-microbial surface coatings that are based on metals, such as copper or zinc, the new coating can kill microbes quite fast, in as little as two minutes. Howev...
Source: Medgadget - September 6, 2022 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Materials Medicine Public Health umich Source Type: blogs
