By Sara Ryding, B.Sc. Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc. Viral load refers to the amount of virus in an infected person’s blood. This is expressed as the number of viral particles in each milliliter of blood. Higher viral load can have different implications for different viruses but typically means the infection is progressing. Viral load...
Tag: <span>infections</span>
Nanofiber masks can be sterilized multiple times without filter performance deterioration
CREDIT: COPYRIGHT ©2020 AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY With the global spread of coronavirus infections, personal protective equipments especially hygeine face masks are receiving much attention. Masks are essential items for the primary protection of the respiratory tract from viruses and bacteria that are transmitted through the air as droplets. N95 masks are currently difficult to obtain,...
Are Patients Dying ‘From’ COVID or ‘With’ COVID?
George D. Lundberg, MD DISCLOSURES June 05, 2020 Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. Death is usually fairly easy to diagnose; cause of death, not so much. In fact, death certificates in the United States and around the world are notoriously wrong. How does this happen? Death certificates are...
Muscles support a strong immune system
GERMAN CANCER RESEARCH CENTER (DEUTSCHES KREBSFORSCHUNGSZENTRUM, DKFZ) PRINT E-MAIL In the fight against cancer or chronic infections, the immune system must be active over long periods of time. However, in the long run, the immune defence system often becomes exhausted. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now found initial evidence in mice...
Existing drugs may limit damage caused by HIV
by Yale University Yale researchers have identified four drugs that may help minimize the long-term health effects of HIV infection, they report June 23 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Antiretroviral therapy has proved to be a life-saving treatment for those infected with HIV. Yet even after treatment, most patients still harbor latent HIV in...
Coronavirus antibodies may last only two to three months after infection, study suggests
Berkeley Lovelace Jr. @BERKELEYJR Coronavirus antibodies may last only two to three months after a person becomes infected with Covid-19, according to a new study published Thursday in Nature Medicine. Researchers in the Wanzhou District of China compared the antibody response of 37 asymptomatic people with that of 37 symptomatic people. The researchers found people...
Detecting antibodies with glowing proteins, thread and a smartphone
o defend the body, the immune system makes proteins known as antibodies that latch onto the perceived threat, be it HIV, the new coronavirus or, as is the case in autoimmune disease, part of the body itself. In a new proof-of-concept study in ACS Sensors, researchers describe a new system for detecting antibodies within a...
Why is the corner of my eye itchy?
Many people experience itching in the corner of the eye, where the tear duct is. In most cases, this is uncomfortable but harmless. This article will look at the main causes of itching in the corner of the eye, explore different treatment options, and discuss when to see a doctor. Causes, symptoms, and treatments Depending...
How targeting killer T cells in the lungs could lead to immunity against respiratory viruses
by Salk Institute A significant site of damage during COVID-19 infection is the lungs. Understanding how the lungs’ immune cells are responding to viral infections could help scientists develop a vaccine. Now, a team of researchers led by Salk Professor Susan Kaech has discovered that the cellsresponsible for long-term immunity in the lungs can be...
Immune cell discovery could improve the fight against hepatitis B
by Westmead Institute for Medical Research PhD student Ratna Wijaya, Professor Golo Ahlenstiel and Dr Scott Read. Credit: The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) For the first time, researchers at The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) have identified and described a new and unique subset of human cells that are involved in the...