A study of more than 700 people has shown that those with long Covid have distinct differences in the mix of bacteria that live in their mouths and lungs, according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal [1]. The research also shows that these differences in the lung microbiome are linked to respiratory […]
Category: Infectious diseases
Blood test shows whether newborns with fever have bacterial or viral infection
Paris, France: A test that compares the levels of two molecules in the blood is able to accurately distinguish between bacterial and viral infections in newborn babies with fever in a small study presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress [1]. A fever in a baby under three months of age is considered a medical […]
High-dose flu vaccine beneficial for older people with lung disease
The risk of being hospitalised for flu or pneumonia can be reduced with a high-dose flu vaccine for older people with chronic lung disease, according to the combined results of two large clinical trials presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain [1]. The research was presented by Dr Lisa Steen Duus […]
Covid infection ages blood vessels, especially in women
A Covid infection, particularly in women, may lead to blood vessels aging around five years, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Blood vessels gradually become stiffer with age, but the new study suggests that Covid could accelerate this process. Researchers say this is important since people with stiffer blood vessels face […]
Genetic investigations reveal reason for severe neuropathy after infection
Milan, Italy: Neuropathy, a disorder in which damage to nerves can impair sensation and movement, has many causes, including infection1. Now, researchers from the UK have identified distinct genetic changes in a newly-discovered neuropathy and believe that their work will provide insights into the causal mechanism and why some previously healthy people develop neuropathies after […]
Shingles vaccine lowers the risk of heart disease for up to eight years
People who are given a vaccine for shingles have a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events, including stroke, heart failure, and coronary heart disease, according to a study of more than a million people published in the European Heart Journal. The protective effect of the vaccine lasts for up to eight years and is particularly […]
New biomarkers will enable personalised influenza vaccination schedule
Berlin, Germany: While influenza infection is a significant public health threat, causing serious illness in between three and five million people worldwide per year and leading to about up to 650,000 deaths, the effectiveness of influenza vaccines varies considerably between individuals depending on vaccine types and individual circumstances. A person’s ability to resist infection (host […]
Women with human papillomavirus infection face higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Women have a four times higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease if they have an infection with a high-risk strain of the human papillomavirus (HPV), according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. HPV is a very common infection and high-risk strains are known to cause cervical cancer. Previous research has suggested […]
Cochrane review of COVID-19 vaccines shows they are effective
A comprehensive review of all the evidence available from randomised controlled trials of COVID 19 vaccines up to November 2021 has concluded that most protect against infection and severe or critical illness caused by the virus. The review, a collaboration of independent, international experts [1], also found there was little or no difference between the […]
Fourteen per cent decrease in live births in Europe nine months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and first lockdowns
Europe saw a 14% decrease in live births in January 2021, just nine to ten months after the first peak of the COVID-19 epidemic and the first lockdowns, compared to the average numbers of live births in January 2018 and 2019. The researchers of the study, which is published in Human Reproduction [1], one of […]