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 […]
Category: Infectious diseases
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 […]
Long COVID patients show signs of autoimmune disease a year after infection
Blood samples from patients with long COVID who are still suffering from fatigue and shortness of breath after a year show signs of autoimmune disease, according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal [1]. Autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the body, instead of defending the body […]
PCOS in mothers is linked to increased risk of health problems in their children
Children born to mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have an increased risk of developing infections, allergies and other childhood illnesses by the age of 13, according to the largest study to investigate this. The study, which is published in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, looked at 1,038,375 children […]
Fewer cases of children’s cancer picked up during COVID pandemic
But cancer diagnosis following admission to intensive care was higher A study of cancer in children and young adults in England has found that fewer patients were diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research, presented at the NCRI Festival [1], also shows that children who were diagnosed with cancer during the first wave of the […]
COVID-19 infections were high among hospital staff but re-infection rates are very low
A study of healthcare workers shows they were three times more likely to become infected during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the general population. Around one in five of workers who were infected were asymptomatic and unaware they had COVID-19. The study published in ERJ Open Research [1] also shows that it was not only […]