People With HIV Had Only a Modest Reduction in Death During Omicron Wave
BRISBANE, Australia — While Omicron was generally considered to be a milder strain of SARS-CoV-2 that led to fewer deaths, there was scant relief for people living with HIV who were hospitalized during this wave of COVID-19, researchers reported here. Overall death rates were 19.6% for people with HIV compared with 9.8% for those without […]
Next COVID Vaccine Should Only Target XBB Strains, FDA Staff Says
The next COVID vaccines should exclude the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and exclusively target the Omicron XBB subvariants, according to FDA staff members. They unveiled their recommendation in a briefing document ahead of Thursday’s meeting of the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), stating that “the totality of available evidence suggests that […]
What Is COVID Variant XBB?
The latest strain of coronavirus might be less severe, but it’s more contagious than ever.
Yellow Fever Vaccine Potency Wanes Over Time
SEATTLE — A single-dose of vaccine for yellow fever (YF-VAX strain 17D-204) is touted as offering lifelong protection, but the jab’s potency was reduced over time, researchers reported. In blood samples from 22 flavivirus-naïve individuals that were vaccinated for yellow fever within the last 10 years, 9% were 17D seronegative, and almost all (n=21/22) were […]
Antibiotic-Resistant ‘Superbug’ Now Widespread in Pigs, Can Jump to Humans
Latest Infectious Disease News WEDNESDAY, June 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) – A strain of the superbug MRSA has emerged in pigs that is highly resistant to antibiotics and a growing cause of human infections. University of Cambridge researchers said this particular strain of MRSA, short for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, has shown up in livestock over […]
Monkeypox Outbreak Strain Has Far More Mutations Than Expected
The strain of monkeypox involved in the current global outbreak differs from its parent strain by about 50 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) — far more than would be expected for an orthopoxvirus, researchers reported. There’s also evidence of continued evolution and adaptation during human-to-human transmission that’s occurring faster than expected, which may account for its […]
COVID Isn’t Over
A new omicron subvariant, BA.2, is now the dominant COVID strain, however, doctors have seen it function like a bad cold.
Bacteria upcycle carbon waste into valuable chemicals: Engineered bacteria convert captured carbon dioxide into chemicals for fuels, fabric and cosmetics
Researchers engineered a strain of bacteria to break down carbon dioxide (CO2), converting it into commonly used, expensive industrial chemicals. The carbon-negative approach removes CO2 from the atmosphere and bypasses using fossil fuels to generate these chemicals. Bacteria are known for breaking down lactose to make yogurt and sugar to make beer. Now researchers led […]
Vaccinated patients less likely to need critical care during Omicron surge: New study compares hospitalizations during Omicron and Delta variant surges
The highly contagious omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 became the dominant strain in the United States in mid-December 2021, coinciding with a rise in hospitalizations of patients with COVID-19. Among those admitted during the omicron surge, vaccinated adults had less severe illness compared with unvaccinated adults and were less likely to land in intensive care, according […]
South Africa Finds New Variant Of COVID-19 With ‘Constellation Of Mutations’
A new variant of the coronavirus has been found in South Africa, troubling scientists who say the strain has a high number of mutations and is likely already sparking a jump in new cases around Johannesburg. The variant, which is being referred to as the B1.1.529 variant until the World Health Organization decides to assign […]