WHY in the latest @zalaly study the figures for long COVID (7.8% for the unvaccinated and 3.5% for vaccinated) SEEM SO LOW?
In all the research conducted on long COVID, it is important to consider three key factors:
▶️ 1. The definition of long COVID being used.
2) ▶️ 2. The duration of the study period.
▶️ 3. The characteristics of the reference sample.
If we have correctly understood the key points of this study (Ziyad will correct us if necessary), they are as follows.
3) DEFINITION of long COVID :
"An incident health outcome that first occurred between 30 days and 1 year after TO and had not been present before TO."
In most definitions, they use the value of 3 months after infection. Why here the value is from 1 month and stops at one year?🤔
4) DURATION of the STUDY PERIOD
The period is between March 1, 2020, and January 31, 2022.
So mainly until the first Omicron BA.1/2, the other Omicrons from BA.5 to XBB* and JN.1* were not taken into account in the study.
5) CHARACTERISTICS of the REFERENCE SAMPLE
This part is particularly interesting.
In this study, the % of people infected is 9%, which is considered a low but normal figure because the study concludes in March 2022. The % of long COVID seems to be calculated differently ...
6) ...compared to most studies. Instead of considering only the infected and symptomatic population or the hospitalized population, this study takes into account the uninfected population as well. This difference in calculation method explains why we may sometimes see ..
7) ..figures ranging from 3% to 60% for long COVID in other studies with different baselines. Therefore, the figures announced in this study are not low and are consistent with its methodology.
It's just important to examine the details to fully understand what we're discussing.
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2) This study looked at different ways to detect COVID-19 in a building. The researchers tested air, surfaces, and wastewater to see which methods could best detect the virus.
They placed air samplers in the lobby of a dorm where students with COVID-19 were isolating.
3) The air samples showed higher virus levels when students with COVID-19 were present.
The researchers also collected air samples from the building's rooftop exhaust, swabbed high-touch surfaces, and tested the building's wastewater.
2) The H5N1 bird flu virus has been spreading rapidly since 2020. An important change is that the neuraminidase (NA) protein on this virus now has a longer "stalk" region.
In the past, most H5N1 viruses had a shorter NA stalk.
3) But the current clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses mostly have the longer NA stalk.
The longer NA stalk may make these H5N1 viruses more able to spread between mammals, including potentially between humans.
What an UNFORTUNATE CHOICE of WORD it is to REFER to the term “VARIANT” in relation to SARS-CoV-2.
No one would think to call Prince William a "variant" or a mere variation of Queen Elizabeth; he shares the same family and lineage. That's all.
2) I wanted to use this analogy to highlight the significant differences in pathogenicity and transmission among the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants, as demonstrated by a recent study published in Nature. nature.com/articles/s4429…
3) By suggesting that the various lineages of SARS-CoV-2 consist of only minor mutations in the Spike protein—while overlooking the other proteins—and by using the term "soup of variants," which I consistently contest, we diminish the profound changes ...
2) Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 have proteins on their surface called spike proteins. These spike proteins help the virus attach to and enter human cells. The spike proteins are heavily coated with sugar molecules called glycans.
3) Researchers have developed a synthetic molecule called IDS060 that can bind to these glycans on the spike protein. This binding prevents the virus from attaching to human cells, blocking infection.
WHEN and WHERE was the H5N1 influenza A virus (genotype D1.1) DISCOVERED ?
A very interesting article from
@LouiseHMoncla @angie_rasmussen @MichaelWorobey @PeacockFlu and colleagues virological.org/t/timing-and-m…
2) The H5N1 influenza A virus (genotype D1.1) was discovered in dairy cattle in Churchill County, Nevada, on January 31, 2025. The detection followed a routine surveillance program, where bulk milk samples were collected from dairy processing plant silos on January 6 and 7, 2025.
3) These samples tested positive for the virus on January 10.
Investigations revealed that the virus likely jumped from birds to cattle sometime between late October 2024 and early January 2025 ...
What makes VIRUSES like Herpes, Epstein-Barr, Flu, H1N1, H5N1 and HIV so EFFECTIVE at INFECTING the BRAIN ?
Viruses can infect and damage the brain, leading to conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, and depression link.springer.com/article/10.100…
2) Some Viruses are able to successfully infect the brain for a few key reasons:
▶️ Direct Brain Entry: Some viruses can directly enter the brain through the nose or other pathways, allowing them to directly infect brain cells.
3) ▶️ Evading Immunity: Certain viruses can hide from or suppress the immune system, enabling them to persist in the brain undetected.
▶️ Breaching the Blood-Brain Barrier: Viruses can damage the protective barrier between the brain and bloodstream ...