“A doctor in Recife, Brazil, stimulated the sight of...
"A doctor in Recife, Brazil, stimulated the sight of 2-month-old Sophya Vitória da Silva, who was born with microcephaly, using a cellphone's flashlight inside a plastic cup. Nurses and doctors in Brazil find themselves overwhelmed by the brain damage found in hundreds of newborns. But reminding the world of what's at stake are the Brazilian mothers grasping their babies, gathering each day in the waiting rooms of hospitals here and in other cities. Their crisis has Brazil, Latin America's largest country, on edge over its vulnerability to a tiny but formidable foe: the mosquito. This #nytweekender, we're sharing photos b...
Source: Kidney Notes - March 12, 2016 Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Joshua Schwimmer Source Type: blogs
Zika virus infection of the nervous system
Evidence is mounting that Zika virus is neurotropic (able to infect cells of the nervous system) and neurovirulent (causes disease of the nervous system) in humans.
The most recent evidence comes from a case report of an 81 year old French man who developed meninogoencephalitis 10 days after returning from a 4 week cruise to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and New Zealand (meningoencephalitis is infection of the meninges – the membranes that cover the brain – and the brain). His symptoms included fever, coma, paralysis, and a transient rash. A PCR test revealed Zika virus genomes in the cerebrospin...
Source: virology blog - March 10, 2016 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information central nervous system flavivirus meningoencephalitis myelitis neurotropic neurotropism neurovirulent paralysis viral viruses West Nile virus Zika zika virus Source Type: blogs
What you don’t know about anal sex. A gastroenterologist explains.
This study sheds light onto a rarely talked about and somewhat taboo area of human sexual behavior: anal sex.
The authors analyzed participants in the NHANES database, which is basically a large diverse group of people who agreed to answer questions about all aspects of their health and behaviors. The data is then extracted, and studies can be generated. The study group comprised of 4,170 adult men and women who answered questions regarding anal sex and fecal incontinence. Here are a few key points from this study (for the socially awkward, all of these are good “ice-breakers” at your next cocktail party … you c...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - March 10, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Frederick Gandolfo, MD Tags: Conditions GI Source Type: blogs
Congenital Zika Syndrome
This study was done with women who live in Rio de Janeiro, in the southeast of Brazil, showing that the association is not geographically limited.
It has been suggested that fetal defects might be partly due to the presence of antibodies to dengue virus that cross-react with Zika virus and cause immune-mediated enhancement of disease. Thirty-one percent of the Zika virus positive women in this study were also positive for antibodies to dengue virus, but the paper does not report how these correlate with fetal defects.
These findings, together with results of previous studies showing recovery of the entire Zika virus g...
Source: virology blog - March 9, 2016 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information Brazil congenital zika syndrome fetal flavivirus microcephaly mosquito outbreak rubella virus viral viruses Source Type: blogs
Zika: An opportunity to improve pre-conception care.
by Andrea L. Kalfoglou, Ph.D.
The Zika virus is spreading rapidly throughout parts of South and Central America. Public health officials are concerned because there is a correlation between the emergence of the Zika virus and a dramatic increase in number of babies born in Brazil with a severe birth defect called microcephaly.
The CDC has warned women from the U.S. who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant not to travel to certain areas in Central and South America. Additionally, infectious disease specialists are concerned that Zika may adapt to transmission by a type of mosquito common in 32 states in the U.S....
Source: blog.bioethics.net - March 8, 2016 Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Andrea Kalfoglou Tags: Featured Posts Public Health Reproductive Medicine pre-conception care Zika Source Type: blogs
US Vaccine Officials Weigh In At The Midpoint Of The Decade Of Vaccines
We’re at the midpoint of the Decade of Vaccines — an intense period marked by efforts to ramp up and extend the benefits of immunization to all people, everywhere. Unfortunately, despite much progress, the world has fallen short. But there is still time to re-think our strategy.
It was with this goal in mind that PATH recently joined Health Affairs at the launch of its February issue on Vaccines, which includes a series of articles on global immunization. I moderated a thought-provoking panel of experts from various US agencies to discuss how the US government—as a leader in global immunization—can help...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - March 7, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: David Fleming Tags: Featured Population Health Quality Decade of Vaccines Global Vaccine Action Program Source Type: blogs
Webinar March 10, 2016 at 2:00 pm ET: Zika Virus Response and Information Resources
The National Library of Medicine’s Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) is offering a webinar on “Zika Virus Response and Information Resources.”
From DIMRC:
WHEN: Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 2:00 PM ET
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE: The Disaster Information Specialist monthly webinar is free and open to everyone – please spread the word and invite others in your organizations, send to your email lists, and post to your social media accounts.
TOPIC: “Zika Virus Response and Information Resources”
Dr. Sonja Rasmussen will discuss how information resources are pulled together and dissem...
Source: BHIC - March 7, 2016 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Kate Flewelling Tags: Emergency Preparedness National Library of Medicine News Public Health Source Type: blogs
“They won’t bite. A biotech company called Intrexon hopes...
"They won't bite. A biotech company called Intrexon hopes these genetically engineered #mosquitoes can help stop the spread of the Zika virus. The insects were developed mainly to fight dengue fever, but Zika is spread by the same type of insect. When the male mosquitoes are released to mate with wild females, the offspring die before reaching adulthood. Now Intrexon — which has ventures ranging from potential cancer cures to cloned kittens — needs to persuade federal agencies, foreign governments and nonprofit health organizations to place orders. It must also counter caution from the @worldhealthorganization and fede...
Source: Kidney Notes - March 7, 2016 Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Joshua Schwimmer Source Type: blogs
TWiV 379: A mouse divided
On episode #379 of the science show This Week in Virology, Scott Tibbetts joins the TWiVirate to describe his work on the role of a herpesviral nocoding RNA in establishment of peripheral latency, and then we visit two last minute additions to the Zika virus literature.
You can find TWiV #379 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below.
Click arrow to play
Download TWiV 379 (85 MB .mp3, 115 min)
Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - March 6, 2016 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology gammaherpesvirus hematogenous latency MHV68 microcephaly miRNA murine gammaherpesvirus 68 noncoding RNA pathogenesis tRNA viral viremia viruses zika virus Source Type: blogs
Zika Pandemic - Early 2016
(Source: EverythingHealth)
Source: EverythingHealth - March 5, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: blogs
February blogs digest: Zika virus, getting published, sepsis, cancer, and more
Zika virus – investigating the outbreak
Zika virus has recently been declared a global health emergency following an outbreak detected in Brazil last year. The virus has now moved into more than 20 countries in Latin America, becoming a huge threat, particularly with pregnant women whereby the virus has been linked to microcephaly.
We asked Dr Claudia Nunes Duarte dos Santos, whose laboratory is responsible for confirming Zika virus in Brazil, more about the virus. In addition, we explored the genetic control methods that are ready to be used to control the Zika outbreak.
How to get published: top tips from our editors
W...
Source: BioMed Central Blog - March 4, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Sophie Marchant Tags: Biology Health Medicine blogs digest Source Type: blogs
A promising Ebolavirus antiviral compound
A small molecule antiviral compound has been shown to protect rhesus monkeys against lethal Ebolavirus disease, even when given up to three days after virus inoculation.
The compound, called GS-5734, is a nucleoside analog. After uptake into cells, GS-5734 is converted to a nucleoside triphosphate (illustrated, bottom panel) which is incorporated by the viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase as it copies the viral genome. However, the nucleoside is chemically different from ATP (illustrated, top) and no further nucleotides can be incorporated into the growing RNA strand. RNA synthesis ceases, blocking production of infect...
Source: virology blog - March 3, 2016 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information antiviral compound chain terminator ebolavirus nucleoside analog RNA polymerase rna synthesis viruses Source Type: blogs
The future of Zika virus? How rubella provides clues.
The Zika virus in the news these days reminds us of another microcephaly-causing virus which scourged our world in the not-so-distant past. In the years right before we were born (the late 1960s), the virus rubella routinely swept through the United States and the rest of the world. The airborne germ rubella, just like the Zika virus, caused most people just a mild illness that they usually never even knew that they had. After they were sick, they became immune to the virus. But when pregnant women contracted rubella early in pregnancy, their unborn children sometimes ended up with microcephaly.
Microcephaly is a conditi...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - March 1, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Naline Lai, MD and Julie Kardos, MD Tags: Conditions Infectious disease Source Type: blogs
The Zika Virus — Bioethical Implications
The recent appearance of the Zika virus has justly concerned many. With scientists evaluating its relationship to microcephaly in newborns, important ethical issues arise. The Washington Post notes that the CDC has reported that in the United States two recently Zika infected women had abortions, two suffered miscarriages, two delivered healthy babies, another gave birth to a baby with serious birth effects, and two are... // Read More » (Source: blog.bioethics.net)
Source: blog.bioethics.net - February 29, 2016 Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Neil Skjoldal Tags: Health Care bioethics syndicated Zika Source Type: blogs
TWiV 378: Herpes plays DUBstep
On episode #378 of the science show This Week in Virology, Greg Smith joins the TWiVirate to reveal how his lab discovered a switch that controls herpesvirus neuroinvasion, and then we visit the week’s news about Zika virus.
You can find TWiV #378 at microbe.tv/twiv, or you may listen below.
Click arrow to play
Download TWiV 378 (87 MB .mp3, 119 min)
Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - February 28, 2016 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology de-ubiquitination DUB fetal demise ganglion herpes simplex virus herpesvirus latency microcephaly mosquito nervous system neuroinvasion neuron pseudorabies virus sexual transmission viral viruses zik Source Type: blogs
