‘We are on fire’: Five U.S. states set new records for Covid cases as hospitalizations rise


PUBLISHED MON, AUG 16 20213:54 PM EDTUPDATED MON, AUG 16 20214:49 PM EDT KEY POINTS Nationwide, less than 11% of all hospital beds are being used by Covid patients. In Oregon, it’s 11.4%, Hawaii is at 12.1%, followed by Louisiana at 20.4%, Mississippi at 18.7% and Florida at 28.2%. The states with higher vaccination rates […]

Inflammasome activation at the crux of severe COVID-19


Authors: Setu M. Vora,1,2Judy Lieberman,2,3 and Hao Wu1,2 Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), results in life-threatening disease in a minority of patients, especially elderly people and those with co-morbidities such as obesity and diabetes. Severe disease is characterized by dysregulated cytokine release, pneumonia and acute lung injury, which can […]

No point vaccinating those who’ve had COVID-19: Cleveland Clinic study suggests


Authors: By Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, Ph.D.Jun 8 2021 Scientists from the Cleveland Clinic, USA, have recently evaluated the effectiveness of coronavirus disease 2019 COVID-19) vaccination among individuals with or without a history of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The study findings reveal that individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection do not get additional […]

Mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19


COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, Nature (2021) Abstract The genetic makeup of an individual contributes to susceptibility and response to viral infection. While environmental, clinical and social factors play a role in exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 disease severity1,2, host genetics may also be important. Identifying host-specific genetic factors may reveal biological mechanisms of therapeutic relevance and […]

COVID-19 false dichotomies and a comprehensive review of the evidence regarding public health, COVID-19 symptomatology, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, mask wearing, and reinfection


Authors: Kevin Escandón, Angela L. Rasmussen, Isaac I. Bogoch, Eleanor J. Murray, Karina Escandón, Saskia V. Popescu & Jason Kindrachuk BMC Infectious Diseases volume 21, Article number: 710 (2021)  Abstract Scientists across disciplines, policymakers, and journalists have voiced frustration at the unprecedented polarization and misinformation around coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Several false dichotomies have been used to polarize debates while oversimplifying complex issues. In this comprehensive narrative […]

Body mass index and severity/fatality from coronavirus disease 2019: A nationwide epidemiological study in Korea


Authors: In Sook Kang , Kyoung Ae Kong Published: June 22, 2021 Abstract Obesity has been reported as a risk factor for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in recent studies. However, the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and COVID-19 severity and fatality are unclear. Research design and methods This study included 4,141 COVID-19 patients who […]

Simple blood test can tell whether patients will suffer from ‘long COVID’


Authors: by Study Finds AUGUST 15, 2021 CAMBRIDGE, England — A simple blood test for long COVID is on the horizon. Biological “fingerprints” can identify individuals with the debilitating syndrome, according to new research. This opens the door to the first accurate diagnosis of the mysterious condition. Sufferers complain it is hard to convince doctors of […]

Associations between body-mass index and COVID-19 severity in 6·9 million people in England: a prospective, community-based, cohort study


Authors: Min Gao, MSc *, Carmen Piernas, PhD  , Nerys M Astbury, PhD, Prof Julia Hippisley-Cox, FRCPProf Stephen O’Rahilly, FRS, Prof Paul Aveyard, FRCGP † Summary Background Obesity is a major risk factor for adverse outcomes after infection with SARS-CoV-2. We aimed to examine this association, including interactions with demographic and behavioural characteristics, type 2 diabetes, and other […]

Histopathological observations in COVID-19: a systematic review


Authors: Vishwajit Deshmukh1, Rohini Motwani, Ashutosh Kumar3, Chiman Kumari4, Khursheed Raza5 Correspondence to Dr Rohini Motwani, Department of Anatomy, ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Sanathnagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, India; rohinimotwani@gmail.com Abstract Background Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has caused a great global threat to public health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 disease as a pandemic, affecting the human respiratory and other […]

Age-dependent appearance of SARS-CoV-2 entry sites in mouse chemosensory systems reflects COVID-19 anosmia-ageusia symptoms


Authors: Julien Brechbühl,Ana Catarina Lopes,Dean Wood,Sofiane Bouteiller,Aurélie de Vallière,Chantal Verdumo, and Marie-Christine Broillet Abstract COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a collective scientific effort to study its viral causing agent SARS-CoV-2. Research is focusing in particular on its infection mechanisms and on the associated-disease symptoms. Interestingly, this environmental pathogen directly affects the human chemosensory systems leading to […]