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☆ STIs are on the rise in the US. A pill taken after sex could help slow them down
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Yet recent research suggests that one pill of the drug can be effective in preventing such infections among men who have sex with men if taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex. He added that any guidance from the CDC will help “fill gaps,” provide direction to clinics and offer a framework for using doxyPEP for STI prevention. “Drug resistance when taking doxyPEP is currently being studied in people using this treatment for STI prevention. “There are still many STI prevention and treatment gaps left to fill. “In STI prevention, we’ve been relying on tools that are decades, sometimes centuries old.

Persons: Dr, Jonathan Mermin, ”, doxyPEP, Stephanie Cohen, “, “ We’re, ” Cohen, ” David C, Harvey, ” Harvey, DoxyPEP, someone’s, Annie Luetkemeyer, gonorrhea, ” Luetkemeyer, Connie Celum, Kenya Medical Research Institute —, Jenell Stewart, Stewart, ” Stewart, Suneer Chander, Wisp, ” Chander, Sanjay Gupta, Mermin, Deidre McPhillips Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC’s National Center, HIV, CDC, San Francisco Department of Public Health, California Department of Public Health, San Francisco Department of Public, National Coalition, STD, “, New England, of Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, UCSF, University of Washington, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Hennepin Healthcare, University of Minnesota, PEP, Food and Drug Administration, CNN Health Locations: United States, San Francisco, Seattle, King County, Washington, Kenya, Hennepin

☆ Vaccines for flu and RSV now available ahead of fall virus season
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Amanda Musa | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —With the fall respiratory virus season just around the corner, major US pharmacy chains have begun rolling out flu and RSV vaccine appointments. CVS is now scheduling flu vaccinations, as well as allowing walk-in vaccinations at certain pharmacies, spokesperson Amy Thibault said. Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens say they will also offer the new Covid-19 vaccines once they’re available. The US Food and Drug Administration approved the world’s first RSV vaccines, from GSK and Pfizer, this year. Those who want all three vaccines should get their RSV vaccine well before or after their flu and Covid-19 shots, Schaffner says.

Persons: Catherine Carter, Amy Thibault, Xavier Becerra, Becerra, Albert Bourla, William Schaffner, it’s, ” Schaffner, Schaffner, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, “ We’re, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Walgreens, Aid, CVS, Walmart, Publix, Kroger, Rite, FDA, US Centers for Disease Control, US Department of Health, Human Services, Pfizer, Moderna, Food and Drug Administration, GSK, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, CDC, CNN Health

☆ FDA approves AstraZeneca, Sanofi shot that protects infants and toddlers against RSV
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The FDA approval of nirsevimab, sold under the brand name Beyfortus, comes ahead of RSV season this fall. This is a major advantage over palivizumab, which is administered monthly throughout RSV season. Nirsevimab is administered either before or during an infant's first RSV season. Toddlers up to two years old who remain vulnerable can also receive the shot during their second RSV season. Pfizer has developed a vaccine that protects infants by administering the shot to the mother while she is pregnant.

Persons: Biden, Nirsevimab Organizations: Drug Administration, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, FDA, Disease Control, Children, CDC, Pfizer Locations: U.S, Nirsevimab

☆ After years of decline, norovirus outbreaks surge on cruise ships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Giri Viswanathan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Whether from Miami, New York, Seattle or more, millions of Americans pack aboard cruise ships on vacation. That’s the highest number of norovirus outbreaks on cruises recorded since 2012, with almost half of the calendar year left to go. Still, to prevent the spread of norovirus, Schaffner recommends that cruise passengers take extra precautions and wash their hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. According to data from the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, the number of norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships docking at U.S. ports had years of steady decline after 2015. Overall rates of acute gastroenteritis on cruise ships in the U.S. also decreased from 2006 to 2019.

Persons: it’s, ”, norovirus, William Schaffner, who’s, Schaffner, we’ve, Jeffrey Fisher, there’ve, we’re, Kathleen Conley, ” Schaffner, Fisher, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, “, “ They’re, they’re, “ Don’t Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, Viking Cruises, Viking, CDC, Vanderbilt University, Central Michigan University, “, Sanitation, Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean International, CNN Health Locations: Miami , New York, Seattle, Iceland, New York City, norovirus, U.S

☆ Study reveals how immune system of astronauts breaks down
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] The International Space Station (ISS) is photographed by Expedition 66 crew member Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov from the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft, in this image released April 20, 2022. "A weaker immunity increases the risk of infectious diseases limiting astronauts' ability to perform their very demanding work in space. Gene expression in 247 genes in leukocytes was at about one third the normal levels while in space, the study found. Before this paper, we knew of immune dysfunction but not of the mechanisms," said study co-author Guy Trudel, an Ottawa Hospital rehabilitation medicine specialist. Discovering altered gene behavior in leukocytes is "a significant step toward understanding human immune dysregulation in space," Trudel added.

Persons: Pyotr Dubrov, Odette Laneuville, Guy Trudel, Trudel, Epstein, Barr, Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Space, Expedition, Soyuz, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, University of Ottawa, Canadian Space Agency, NASA, Ottawa Hospital, Thomson Locations: Handout, Canada, Ottawa

☆ The cult of Emily Oster
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Sarah Todd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +30 min

Emily Oster is sitting in the back of a car, checking her Garmin watch as we lurch through rush-hour traffic toward the Holland Tunnel. A self-described expert in data, Oster uses her economics training to dig into studies on things like circumcision and screen time and translate them for popular consumption. There doesn't seem to be much of a gap between the way Oster presents herself in her books and newsletters and the way she conducts her life. Unsurprisingly, economics informs every aspect of the way Oster sees the world. When Oster was a toddler, her mother told a Yale colleague that Oster often talked to herself before falling asleep.

Persons: Emily Oster, doesn't, Oster, Taylor Swift, Spock, —, Mandy Moore, Emily DiDonato, Amy Schumer, " Oster, Emily, Aisha McAdams, Claudia Goldin, who's, Lori Feldman, " Feldman, Winter, It's, reopenings, Timothy Caulfield, Oster's Brown, OSTER, She's, Sheryl Sandberg's, Brown, Denis Tangney Jr, graham, Eminem, Sharon Oster, Ray Fair, Jesse Shapiro, Katherine Nelson, Carl, Choate Rosemary Hall, John F, Kennedy, Glenn Close, Ivanka Trump, Goldin, Steven Levitt —, Oster —, Paul Farmer, Steven Levitt, Oster's, Levitt, Robert Barro, demographer Monica Das Gupta, Joseph Delaney, she'd, I've, Matt Notowidigdo, Chicago Booth, hadn't, Udo Salters, Patrick McMullan, Shapiro, Jessica Calarco, Dr, Anthony Fauci, Donald Trump, Calarco, Rochelle Walensky, Delaney, University of Manitoba epidemiologist, Abigail Cartus, Justin Feldman, Delivette Castor, they're, COVID, Castor, Notowidigdo, Carter, you'd, she's, there's Organizations: Garmin, Brown University, New York Times, American Academy of Pediatrics, Yorker, Yale School of Management, Yale, Harvard, Connecticut, Choate, University of Chicago, Forbes, Wall, Publicly, University of Manitoba, Getty, Oster, Centers for Disease Control, Columbia University, Harvard Business School Locations: Holland, Montclair , New Jersey, Montclair, Harvard, Providence , Rhode Island, New Haven , Connecticut, China, Canada, Chicago, Ohio, New Jersey

☆ Longevity pioneer Peter Attia explains why the quest to live longer is constrained by the US healthcare system
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Blake Dodge | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The ultra-wealthy are betting on tech and science breakthroughs to live longer. Longevity expert Dr. Peter Attia explained why preventative care like that still isn't widespread. The ultra wealthy have been shelling out to live longer for some time. In his view, there's a key obstacle standing in the way of your long-term health, ironically: the U.S. healthcare system. Attia's definition of longevity is a function of lifespan, the number of years you live, and healthspan, how well you can live them.

Persons: Peter Attia, There's, podcaster Rich, Attia, Rich —, Bryan Johnson's, Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, OpenAI's Sam Altman, we'll, it's, Rich Roll, Stefanie Keenan, Roll Organizations: Morning, Aetna, Tech, IWC Schaffhausen, behemoth Locations: U.S, Los Angeles, Canada

☆ Bill Gates visits China, hot on the heels of Elon Musk, and meets with President Xi
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, during the EEI 2023 event in Austin, Texas, US, on Monday, June 12, 2023. Microsoft 's co-founder Bill Gates met President Xi Jinping on Friday, state media reported without offering any details. Their meeting comes a day after the billionaire philanthropist met Beijing's mayor to discuss a drug discovery partnership with China. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — which Gates is the co chair of — announced Thursday a $50 million donation over the next five years into the Global Health Drug Discovery Institute established by his foundation. China can play an even bigger role in addressing the current challenges, particularly those facing African countries," Gates said.

Persons: Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Xi Jinping, Gates, —, Elon Musk, Jamie Dimon, Tim Cook, Antony Blinken, Biden Organizations: Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft, Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, SpaceX, JPMorgan, Apple Locations: Austin , Texas, China, Beijing

☆ Australia’s having an intense flu season, and it could be a signal of what’s to come in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —It’s only June, but scientists in the US are already thinking about flu season. As always at this time of year, they’re keeping a close eye on Australia, which saw an early start to its flu season. “We closely monitor what happens in countries throughout the Southern Hemisphere this time of year, just to see what’s happening during their flu season. If many people opt out of the flu vaccine, cases could rise. So while Reed and her colleagues will be watching Australia’s flu numbers and running their calculations, it’s still not totally clear what 2023’s flu season will bring for the US.

Persons: CNN — It’s, don’t, Care, It’s, ”, Carrie Reed, Reed, “ We’ve, Thomas McAndrew, “, Taylor Swift, ” McAndrew, William Schaffner, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, –, it’s, ” Reed Organizations: CNN, Australian Department of Health, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Department of Community, Population Health, Lehigh University . “, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, CNN Health, World Health Organization, agency’s Department of Health, Care Locations: Australia, Southern, Chicago, agency’s

☆ Fact Check-False claim of COVID vaccine link to AIDS-related illnesses recirculates
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The Expose article says that its central claim is based on a “cherry-picked” list of conditions associated with AIDS and HIV infection. Any increase in the incidence of the listed conditions “would not necessarily be proof that the COVID-19 vaccines cause weakened immune systems,” Mimiaga noted. The claim that COVID vaccines can cause “vaccine-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome” or “VAIDS” has been shared since 2021. Similar claims that COVID vaccines cause HIV infections, AIDS or AIDS-like immune weakening have also been debunked (here), (here). The posts stem from a story that uses unreliable data to falsely suggest a link between COVID vaccines and AIDS-associated diseases and cancers, according to independent health experts.

Persons: ”, VAERS, Matthew Mimiaga, Mimiaga, Thomas Russo, ” Mimiaga, ” Russo, Read Organizations: Reuters, U.S, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Facebook, Food and Drug Administration, University of California, Fielding School of Public Health, ”, myocarditis, University, Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine, Biomedical Sciences Locations: United States, Los Angeles, COVID

☆ Plague: Oldest known cases in Britain uncovered in mass burial
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A team of researchers excavating mass burial sites in England have detected the DNA of the bacteria that caused the plague in human skeletal remains — and they are the oldest known cases of the disease in Great Britain. The bacterial DNA is thousands of years more ancient than the oldest strain uncovered prior to this latest finding. When it comes to the disease, there is a lot that scientists still don’t know — including how it spread, Swali said. And science may never truly know the severity of the plague 4,000 years ago when it came to humans, Roberts said. And while there are historical records of plague outbreaks, ancient DNA could potentially give us a look even further back, Swali said.

Persons: CNN —, Pooja Swali, Francis Crick, Swali, ”, Benjamin Roberts, ” Swali, Lee Mordechai, pestis, Roberts, ” Roberts, paleogeneticists, Mordechai, ” Mordechai Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, Francis, Francis Crick Institute, Durham University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Locations: England, Great Britain, Cambridgeshire, London, Somerset, Cumbria, Scotland, United Kingdom, Britain, Europe

☆ HPV vaccine: Some studies say one and done might be better
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The HPV vaccine protects against the strains that cause most HPV-related cancers. But not every country has the same vaccination options, which is part of the reason WHO has been pushing to change the way doctors give the HPV vaccine. A one-and-done approach to the HPV vaccine could be a huge help around the world, experts say. But she’d also like more people to get the HPV vaccine. So I think that’s really, really important,” Abraham said.

☆ Here’s what Pfizer and Moderna say is next for their Covid vaccines
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Scott Olson | Getty ImagesThree years and billions of Covid vaccinations into the pandemic, Pfizer and Moderna say their work is far from over. Here's what Moderna and Pfizer say is next for their Covid shots. Annual Covid shotsPfizer and Moderna aim to keep up with a shift in the U.S. toward annual Covid shots rather than frequent booster doses. Miller, who helped lead the development of Moderna's Covid shot in 2020, said the advantages of using mRNA became evident earlier on in the pandemic. 'Next-generation' Covid shotsPfizer's and Moderna's Covid vaccines both deliver robust protection against the virus, but that immunity can start to fade after four to six months.

☆ How Reuters pinpointed bat-virus risk zones worldwide
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

Areas where conditions are similar are more prone to spillover, scientists say. The Reuters analysis, which assessed spillover risk through 2020, has proven to have some predictive power. Similar statistical models are used widely to analyze data in ecology, and researchers use them to understand spillover risk. More than one of every five people on the planet is living in areas where the risk is highest for spillover. Using epidemic modeling software called GLEAMviz, the news agency simulated a worldwide pandemic originating from the spillover of a theoretical novel virus.

☆ Opinion: Why I’m not reassured by our victory over Covid-19
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Opinion Kent Sepkowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s note: Kent Sepkowitz is a physician and infectious disease expert at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. CNN —At long last, the Covid-19 pandemic has entered its whimper phase. Last week, the World Health Organization decided to end the Covid-19 global health emergency. The US public health emergency is scheduled to end on Thursday, and beginning the following day, vaccination against Covid-19 will no longer be required for non-US travelers entering the States. Infectious diseases don’t ever really go away; they just change a little, then change some more till one day, they return bigger and fiercer than ever.

☆ C.D.C. to Scale Back Covid Tracking Efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Apoorva Mandavilli | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

still plans to collect will not provide enough actionable information at the state and local level, said Sam Scarpino, a public health expert at Northeastern University. As with other pathogens like influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, state and local health officials will need to make decisions based on limited data, he said. to require health data from state agencies. Collecting and reporting Covid data to the C.D.C. doesn’t have a choice” but to narrow its surveillance efforts, said Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency room physician and deputy dean of Brown’s School of Public Health.

☆ Covid-sniffing dogs can help detect infections in K-12 schools, new study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Months prior, Glaser and her team were implementing the school’s Covid-19 testing program, using antigen nasal swab tests. It’s not as simple as just handing those things out at school and having the kids do them,” said Glaser, who oversaw antigen testing programs at some California public schools. For now, Glaser and her colleagues described in a new study the lessons they learned from the Covid-19 dog screening pilot program that they launched in some California K-12 public schools. In comparison, Covid-19 BinaxNOW antigen tests have been shown in one real-world study to demonstrate 93.3% sensitivity and 99.9% specificity. The pilot program within California public schools also has left Edwards with hope for future opportunities in which canines can help detect disease in humans.

☆ Most Americans are not confident in how China's Xi will handle world affairs, Pew survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Meanwhile, Xi has consolidated his power in China and is seeking to to bolster China's global influence. It is unclear how aware Pew survey respondents were of such world events and developments. Economic cooperationU.S.-China cooperation on economic matters was one of two areas in which Pew survey respondents remained more optimistic. General pessimismPew survey respondents mostly did not see areas of potential cooperation between the U.S. and China. Certainly not the climate," the Pew report said, citing a 25-year-old unnamed woman who participated in a focus group.

☆ Candida auris is just one infection fueled by rising temperatures. See how extreme climate helps spread disease, in 3 simple charts.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Climate change may be driving the rapid spread of Candida auris, a deadly fungus, across the US. Three charts show how extreme weather and environmental changes help spread disease. Nicolas Armer/picture alliance via Getty ImagesA leading theory on this fungus's sudden emergence and wide spread is that it's fueled by climate change. Whatever survives, however, is adapted to extreme heat — including the fever our bodies produce to kill off pathogens. David Ryder/Getty ImagesHumans and their infrastructure are more vulnerable to the devastating impacts of disease when they're compromised by extreme weather.

☆ Bill Gates says 'we need a fire department for pandemics' as he worries we're unprepared for the next one
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bill Gates wrote a New York Times op-ed Sunday warning about future pandemics. He supported the WHO's global health emergency corps, calling it a "fire department for pandemics." "We can't afford to get caught flat-footed again," Gates wrote. But he added he was "optimistic" about the global health emergency corps – a network of health leaders around the world designed to promote collaboration between different countries. "The Global Health Emergency Corps will represent massive progress toward a pandemic-free future," Gates wrote in the Times.

☆ Vaccine makers prep bird flu shot for humans 'just in case'; rich nations lock in supplies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Jennifer Rigby | Thomson Reuters | Jen Reports On Health Issues Affecting People Around The World | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

There has also been a push among companies to develop a bird flu vaccine for poultry, a market potentially far larger than that for humans. Many countries' pandemic plans say flu shots should go first to the most vulnerable while supply is limited. The agreements include six of the largest seasonal flu manufacturers, such as GSK, Sanofi and CSL Seqirus, the WHO said. NEW APPROACHESIn a pandemic, vaccine manufacturers would shift production of seasonal flu vaccines and instead make shots tailored to the new outbreak when needed. The results will be closely watched, as the data on Moderna’s seasonal flu candidate was mixed.

☆ FDA advisors recommend full approval of Pfizer Covid treatment Paxlovid for adults 50 and over and other high-risk people
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Food and Drug Administration's independent panel of advisors recommended full approval of Pfizer's Covid-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid for high-risk adults 16-1 on Thursday, but flagged potentially harmful drug interactions. The FDA first made Paxlovid available in December 2021 for emergency use in high-risk individuals ages 12 and up. More than half of Paxlovid-eligible Medicare and Veterans Affairs patients are on medications that have drug interactions with Paxlovid, according to an FDA review of safety surveillance data. Roughly 74% of Paxlovid prescriptions were from adult primary care practitioners who may not be experienced with managing the possible adverse drug interactions, the FDA review added. To complete a full course of the drug, patients must take three Paxlovid pills twice a day for five days.

☆ An elite Bronze Age man who underwent brain surgery 3,500 years ago may have suffered from leprosy, archaeologists believe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Archaeologists discovered the remains of a man from the Bronze Age who had a rare brain surgery. The two brothers discovered were likely elite or even royal members of their society. "It's hard to overstate Megiddo's cultural and economic importance in the late Bronze Age," he said in a statement. Rachel Kalisher, a Ph.D. student, analyzed the bones of two upper-class brothers who were buried beneath the ancient city of Megiddo. Evidence of brain surgery — angular notched trephination — was discovered in the older brother.

ANTAKYA, Turkey—Two weeks after earthquakes devastated swaths of Turkey, the government and aid groups are rushing to bolster the area’s heavily damaged health system, which is struggling to treat tens of thousands of injured and those who require routine care. The death toll from the Feb. 6 quakes has risen to more than 48,200—about 42,300 in Turkey and at least 5,900 in Syria. In Turkey, some 108,000 were injured and at least two million lost their homes, authorities and experts estimate. Health professionals are also warning of a heightened risk of infectious disease outbreaks in the disaster zone.

More than 105,000 people were injured in the quake, he said, with more than 13,000 still being treated in hospital. Afterwards, Gungor's relatives hugged the rescue team, made up of military personnel and members of the disaster management authority AFAD. Families in both Turkey and Syria said they and their children were dealing with the psychological aftermath of the quake. A first convoy of U.N. aid entered rebel-held northwest Syria from Turkey via the newly-opened Bab al-Salam crossing. Russia also said it was wrapping up its search and rescue work in Turkey and Syria and preparing to withdraw.

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