Kermit ’ s urumi
Frogs don’t get flu (as far as I know) but their skin contains a peptide that inhibits the replication of influenza virus (link to paper).
Frog skin contains host defense peptides (HDPs), part of the innate immune defenses of many species. They were first found in amphibians by Michael Zasloff, who, as part of his research, performed surgery on frogs and then returned them to an aquarium – which was not sterile. He wondered why the frogs always healed without signs of infection, which lead him to discover the antimicrobial peptides, called magainins, in frog skin. HDPs had been first discovered years earlier i...
Source: virology blog - July 27, 2017 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information amphibian antiviral compound defensin HDP host defense peptide influenza virus magainin urumin viruses Source Type: blogs
Trust and Medical Science
Concerned citizens will march this weekend to defend science.
Standing up for science is a worthy cause. Look at what medical science has accomplished in recent times: serious diseases, HIV, heart attack, many forms of cancer, have been tamed by the advance of science.
We need more not less science. It’s nuts to cut funding to the NIH.
But science, especially medical science, has a trust problem.
My editor at theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology asked me to write a piece exploring the broken trust.
The title of the essay is: Want More Trust in Medical Science? Embrace Uncertainty and Cut the Hype
The essay has three se...
Source: Dr John M - April 21, 2017 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr John Source Type: blogs
Nobody wants the flu. But what happens if you get it and you ’ re pregnant?
First…
It’s strongly recommended that pregnant women get the flu shot. The flu vaccine is safe throughout pregnancy and is the first step to protecting you and your baby from it.
Of course even if you get the vaccine it is still possible to get the flu so make sure to get plenty of rest and use your frequent trips to the bathroom to wash your hands often throughout the day.
Second…
If you think you have the flu contact your doctor right away. Most healthy adults with the flu become mildly ill, and start to feel better in 7 to 10 days. However, if you catch the flu early, your doctor can prescribe an an...
Source: Cord Blood News - February 15, 2017 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Maze Cord Blood Tags: babies pregnancy flu pregnancy health Source Type: blogs
TWiV 296: Influenza viruses with Peter Palese
Vincent speaks with Peter Palese about his illustrious career in virology, from early work on neuraminidases to universal influenza virus vaccines, on episode #396 of the science show This Week in Virology.
You can find TWiV #396 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below.
Click arrow to play
Download TWiV 396 (54 MB .mp3, 74 min)
Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - July 3, 2016 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology aerosol transmission ferret Flu gain of function H5N1 influenza influenza virus neuraminidase relenza swine flu tamiflu universal vaccine viral viruses Source Type: blogs
TWiV 396: Influenza viruses with Peter Palese
Vincent speaks with Peter Palese about his illustrious career in virology, from early work on neuraminidases to universal influenza virus vaccines, on episode #396 of the science show This Week in Virology.
You can find TWiV #396 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below.
Click arrow to play
Download TWiV 396 (54 MB .mp3, 74 min)
Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - July 3, 2016 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology aerosol transmission ferret Flu gain of function H5N1 influenza influenza virus neuraminidase relenza swine flu tamiflu universal vaccine viral viruses Source Type: blogs
The Latest Health Wonk Review
Jaan Sidorov’s latest A Presidential Politics-Free edition of the Health Wonk Review on The Population Health Blog includes the Health Affairs Blog post by Peter Doshi, Kenneth Mandl, and Florence Bourgeois on Tamiflu For All? Evidence Of Morbidity In CDC’s Antiviral Guidelines.
Peggy Salvatore hosts the next edition at Health System Ed on April 21. (Source: Health Affairs Blog)
Source: Health Affairs Blog - April 8, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Tracy Gnadinger Tags: Elsewhere@ Health Affairs Health Wonk Review Source Type: blogs
Tamiflu For All? Evidence Of Morbidity In CDC’s Antiviral Guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has boiled down its public health campaign against influenza to a single slogan: “Take 3.” Vaccines, everyday preventive actions like handwashing, and influenza antivirals.
Last year, because of a mismatch between the vaccine and circulating virus, the message was reduced to—essentially—“Take 1,” as the CDC emphatically promoted oseltamivir (Tamiflu) for treating disease. The agency has stated: “Antiviral flu medicines are underutilized. If you get them early, they could keep you out of the hospital and might even save your life.”
The CDC is one ...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - March 31, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Peter Doshi, Kenneth Mandl and Florence Bourgeois Tags: Drugs and Medical Technology Featured Global Health Health Professionals Public Health Quality CDC clinical trials drug safety FDA influenza Physicians Prevention Research vaccines Source Type: blogs
Data Sharing Should Be In Everyone’s Interest
One of the most important developments in medicine has been an increasing push for transparency about clinical trials and their underlying data. Among many examples, the National Institutes of Health are about to issue a new rule mandating greater disclosure of clinical trial results, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering ways to allow greater access to the clinical trial data it possesses. And in a surprise announcement on January 20, 2016, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors—representing all the top medical journals in the world—issued a joint proposal to require any aut...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - March 10, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Stuart Buck Tags: Drugs and Medical Technology Featured Health Professionals clinical trials data sharing Research Source Type: blogs
An ounce of influenza vaccine is worth at least a few tons of Tamiflu
It’s still flu season, although the flu gods have shown a bit more mercy than in years past. So many variables determine whether each winter brings a relatively mild flu season, a “flunami,” or something in between. I’m a country boy doing primary care in the city, and I have only a modest understanding of which influenza strain is circulating, the concepts of antigenic drift and shift, and how the big brains decide which antigens to include in the yearly vaccine.
It sure seems that scientists have done a great job this year predicting which strains to vaccinate against, and for this I am eternally grateful. ...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - March 6, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Keith Pochick, MD Tags: Conditions Infectious disease Source Type: blogs
Ben Goldacre writes in the BMJ - How medicine is broken, and how we can fix it
The chief medical officer ’s review on statins and oseltamivir may look for answers in the wrong placesLast week there was extensive news coverage of a leaked letter written by the chief medical officer to the Academy of Medical Sciences. This letter focused especially on concerns around statins and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and asked the academy for an “authoritative independent report looking at how society should judge the safety and efficacy of drugs.”1 The academy has since announced that it is convening a working group on the subject.With any such report there are two major risks. The first is a focus on “trust...
Source: PharmaGossip - June 23, 2015 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
Ben Goldacre writes in the BMJ - How medicine is broken, and how we can fix it
The chief medical officer’s review on statins and oseltamivir may look for answers in the wrong placesLast week there was extensive news coverage of a leaked letter written by the chief medical officer to the Academy of Medical Sciences. This letter focused especially on concerns around statins and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and asked the academy for an “authoritative independent report looking at how society should judge the safety and efficacy of drugs.”1 The academy has since announced that it is convening a working group on the subject.With any such report there are two major risks. The first is a focus on “trust”...
Source: PharmaGossip - June 22, 2015 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: insider Source Type: blogs
Research and Reviews in the Fastlane 079
This article is a meta-analysis looking at a relatively new technique: POC Ultrasound. This review found that for ED intubations, US had a sensitivity of 98% and a specificity of 94%. The question, however, should be whether this technique is faster than End Tidal CO2, which is extremely reliable.Recommended by: Anand SwaminathanRead More: Ultrasound for Verification of Endotracheal Tube Location (ALiEM)The R&R iconoclastic sneak peek icon keyThe list of contributorsThe R&R ARCHIVER&R Hall of famer You simply MUST READ this!R&R Hot stuff! Everyone’s going to be talking about thisR&R Landmark pap...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - April 16, 2015 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Anand Swaminathan Tags: Airway Emergency Medicine Infectious Disease Intensive Care Pediatrics Respiratory Toxicology and Toxinology Trauma critical care Education literature R&R in the FASTLANE recommendations research and reviews Source Type: blogs
Dad Has the Flu and There’s a Baby at Home
By PHILIP LEDERER, MD At 6:30 AM, I kissed my 14-week-old son Joe on the forehead and headed off to work at the hospital. By 3 PM I was back in bed with a hacking cough and a fever. I had influenza. As a doctor training in infectious diseases, I knew that the flu can be […] (Source: The Health Care Blog)
Source: The Health Care Blog - March 4, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: THCB CDC CDC Foundation infectious diseases Lenzer Pediatrics Philip Lederer Tamiflu Source Type: blogs
LITFL Review 171
Welcome to the 171th LITFL Review. Your regular and reliable source for the highest highlights, sneakiest sneak peeks and loudest shout-outs from the webbed world of emergency medicine and critical care. Each week the LITFL team casts the spotlight on the blogosphere’s best and brightest and deliver a bite-sized chuck of FOAM.The Most Fair Dinkum Ripper Beauts of the WeekInterested in Free Ultrasound Ebooks? Not sure where to find them? Kasia Hampton from Sonokids has an entire list for you right here! [SO]The Best of #FOAMed Emergency MedicineShould we treat all sore throats with antibiotics in fear of Fusobacterium...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - March 1, 2015 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Marjorie Lazoff, MD Tags: Education LITFL review Source Type: blogs
Does Tamiflu work and what are the side effects?
The flu season has really gotten into gear now with 46 of our 50 states reporting widespread influenza activity as of January 3, 2015. Influenza is a virus that infects the respiratory tract, causing sore throat, runny nose, fever, and cough. Rarely people with the flu will have nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but this is not “stomach flu” which is a term some of us use to describe any one of a number of viruses that give us intestinal symptoms. Influenza is the one where you hurt all over, you have a high fever and cold symptoms, then you start coughing and you can barely get out of bed for days. Sometimes it&#...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - February 20, 2015 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Janice Boughton, MD Tags: Meds Infectious disease Source Type: blogs
