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Los Angeles [US], February 27 (<keyword id="19904948" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ani" source="keywords">ANI</keyword>): According to a study, vapers are susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 and continues to infect people all over the world. The liquid used in electronic cigarettes, known as e-liquid, often contains nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and flavour compounds. The researchers discovered that propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin, either alone or in combination with nicotine, increased COVID-19 infection via various routes. The results of the study are published in the American Journal of Physiology. The researchers also found that the addition of benzoic acid to e-liquids prevents the infection caused by propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and nicotine. "Users who vape aerosols produced from propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin alone or e-liquids with a neutral to basic pH are more likely to be infected by the virus, while users who vape aerosols made from e-liquids with benzoic acid -- an acidic pH -- will have the same viral susceptibility as individuals who do not vape," said <keyword id="20741903" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rattapol-phandthong" source="keywords">Rattapol Phandthong</keyword>, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and the research paper's first author. The researchers obtained airway stem cells from human donors to produce a 3D tissue model of human bronchial epithelium. They then exposed the tissues to JUUL and <keyword id="20000547" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="blu" source="keywords">BLU</keyword> electronic cigarette aerosols to study the effect on SARS-CoV-2 infection. They found all tissues showed an increase in the amount of ACE2, a host cell receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Further, TMPRSS2, an enzyme essential for the virus to infect cells, was found to show increased activity in tissues exposed to aerosols with nicotine. <keyword id="20741904" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prue-talbot" source="keywords">Prue Talbot</keyword>, a professor of the graduate division and Phandthong's advisor, said e-cigarette users should be cautious about vaping as some products will increase their susceptibility to SARs-CoV-2 infection. "It would probably be best for vapers to quit vaping for the protection of their health and to stop nicotine dependency," she said. "If they cannot stop vaping, it is better to vape aerosols produced from an e-liquid with acidic pH or with benzoic acid to prevent the enhanced SARS-CoV-2 infection caused by nicotine, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin. However, inhalation of benzoic acid has its own risk, and data is still limited on this topic." The researchers acknowledge that the relationship between e-cigarettes and SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility is complex. "The complexity is attributed to a wide range of available e-liquids, the chemical composition of each e-liquid, and different models of e-cigarettes," Phandthong said. "Our study only used Classic Tobacco Flavor JUUL e-cigarette and BLU Classic Tobacco e-cigarette. Even with just these two e-cigarettes, we found the aerosols and individual ingredients produced different effects on SARS-CoV-2 infection." Phandthong and <keyword id="20266784" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="talbot" source="keywords">Talbot</keyword> hope the Food and Drug Administration will use their findings to implement regulatory laws on e-cigarette products. "Our findings could also help improve the design of clinical trials involving the use of tobacco products and SARS-CoV-2 infection," Phandthong said. "In the meantime, it is worth bearing in mind that the scientific literature has shown that a vaper who contracted SARS-CoV-2 has more complications during the recovery period and is more likely to develop long COVID-19, which can be serious and last many months post-infection. We hope our findings encourage vapers to stop vaping and discourage non-users from starting to vape." Phandthong acknowledged the team only investigated the initial stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection. "There are many later stages involved in infection, such as viral replication," he said. "Likely, these additional stages can also be affected by inhalation of e-cigarette aerosols." (ANI)

Vaping can enhance vulnerability to infection with SARS-CoV-2: Study

The <keyword id="8858345" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="sars-cov-2" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2</keyword> virus is found in the lungs of certain individuals for up to 18 months after the infection, according to a study. One to two weeks after contracting COVID, the SARS-CoV-2 virus generally becomes undetectable in the upper respiratory tract. A team from the Institut Pasteur in collaboration with a French public research institute, the Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), conducted the study on lung cells in an animal model. The results, published in the journal Nature Immunology, show not only that SARS-CoV-2 is found in the lungs of certain individuals for up to 18 months after infection, but also that its persistence appears to be linked to a failure of innate immunity, the first line of defense against pathogens. Some viruses persist in the body in a discreet and undetectable manner after causing an infection. They remain in what are known as 'viral reservoirs', the researchers said. This is the case for HIV, which remains latent in certain immune cells and can reactivate at any time. It could also be the case for the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="90" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword>, they said. "We observed that inflammation persisted for long periods in primates that had been infected by SARS-CoV-2. We therefore suspected that it could be due to the presence of the virus in the body," said Michaela Muller-Trutwin, Head of the Institut Pasteur's HIV, Inflammation and Persistence Unit. The study analysed biological samples from animal models that had been infected by the virus. Initial results from the study indicate that viruses were found in the lungs of some individuals six to 18 months after infection, even though the virus was undetectable in the upper respiratory tract or blood. The researchers also found that the amount of persistent virus in the lungs was lower for the Omicron strain than for the original SARS-CoV-2 strain. "We were really surprised to find viruses in certain immune cells - alveolar macrophages - after such a long period and when regular PCR tests were negative," said Nicolas Huot, first author of the study and researcher in the Institut Pasteur's HIV, Inflammation and Persistence Unit. "What's more, we cultured these viruses and were able to observe, using the tools we developed to study HIV, that they were still capable of replicating," Huot said. To understand the role of innate immunity in controlling these viral reservoirs, the scientists then turned their attention to NK (natural killer) cells. "The cellular response of innate immunity, which is the body's first line of defense, has been little studied in SARS-CoV-2 infections until now," said Muller-Trutwin. "Yet it has long been known that NK cells play an important role in controlling viral infections," the researcher said. The study shows that in some animals, macrophages infected with SARS-CoV-2 become resistant to destruction by NK cells, while in others, NK cells are able to adapt to infection (known as adaptive NK cells) and destroy resistant cells, in this case macrophages. The study sheds light on a mechanism that may explain the presence of viral reservoirs. While individuals with little or no long-term virus had adaptive NK cell production, individuals with higher levels of virus had not only an absence of adaptive NK cells, but also a reduction in NK cell activity, the researchers added.

Covid virus can persist in lungs for up to two years: Study

People with pre-existing allergic conditions are more vulnerable to experience long-term symptoms associated with Covid-19, or <keyword id="9814327" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="long-covid" source="Orion">long Covid</keyword>, according to a study. Although the data as a whole from the studies suggested that individuals with <keyword id="6465125" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="asthma" source="Orion">asthma</keyword> or rhinitis might be at increased risk of long Covid after <keyword id="8858345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sars-cov-2" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2</keyword> infection, the evidence for these associations was very uncertain. Therefore, more robust epidemiological research is needed to clarify the role of allergy in the development of long Covid, said researchers. The new findings, published in Clinical &amp; Experimental Allergy, were based an analysis of 13 studies, published between January 1, 2020 and January 19, 2023. The analysis included a total of 9,967 participants of all ages with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who were followed for at least 12 months. Four of the 13 studies provided estimates on the association between pre-existing allergic conditions such as asthma or hay fever and long Covid. Pre-existing asthma was associated with an increased risk of long Covid, but the evidence was very uncertain, the authors said. The odds ratio (OR) for preexisting asthma and long Covid was 1.94. In an analysis of three studies that included data on preexisting allergic rhinitis, the condition was significantly associated with an increased risk of long Covid. Only 3 of the 13 studies measured long Covid with physical examinations and comprehensive questionnaires, the authors cautioned. Moreover, among the 13 studies, the researchers found a high risk of bias due to patient selection (mostly hospitalised patients) and loss to follow-up. "We need a better, harmonised definition of what is considered long Covid for epidemiological studies of this sort. Regardless we will be updating our analysis once further studies have been published in the next few months," said corresponding author Christian Apfelbacher, from the Institute of Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, in Germany. <div type="image" title="Allergies and long Covid" agency="IANS" height="900" width="1200" msid="105090105" hostid="261" sizebytes="15652"></div>

Allergies may increase risk of developing long Covid: Study

Variation in genes encoding proteins involved in immune responses could be behind why some people remain asymptomatic following <keyword id="9003584" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sars-cov-2-infection" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2 infection</keyword>. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes encode these proteins used by the immune system in identifying and distinguishing healthy cells in the body from infected ones. Research has shown at least 20 % of Covid-infected do not develop symptoms, or remain asymptomatic. Critical to one's immunity and highly varied among individuals, the HLA system might have specific variants rendering them more protected against or vulnerable to Covid, the researchers in this US-Australia collaborative study wondered. Studying asymptomatic infection may improve our understanding of the features of the immune system that promote rapid clearance of the virus, the study published in the journal Nature said. To understand if an HLA variation might predispose some people to asymptomatic <keyword id="9114543" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-infection" source="Orion">Covid infection</keyword>, the researchers enrolled 29,947 individuals to participate in a smartphone-based study designed to track COVID-19 symptoms and outcomes. All of them were DNA sequenced for their HLA genetic profiling. A total of 1,428 unvaccinated individuals reported a positive test for infection with SARS-CoV-2 and 136 of them reported having no symptoms. One in five individuals who remained asymptomatic after infection were found to carry a common variant of HLA called HLA-B*15:01. People carrying two copies of this variant were more than eight times likely to remain asymptomatic than those carrying other versions of HLA, the study found. "We hypothesised that their immune system could react so fast and powerfully that the virus was eliminated before causing any symptoms. It's like having an army that already knows what to look for and can tell by the uniform that these are the bad guys," according to Jill Hollenbach, professor at the University of California San Francisco, US. In a separate arm of the study, the researchers found that individuals carrying HLA-B*15:01 with no prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 had T cells (a type of immune cell) that were reactive to SARS-CoV-2 protein fragments sharing some genetic sequences with other seasonal coronaviruses. This finding indicated that people carrying HLA-B*15:01 and previously exposed to seasonal cold viruses had pre-existing immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and could rapidly eliminate the virus before symptoms could present. The researchers analysed this to be because the T cells from pre-pandemic individuals, that could identify viral particles from past coronaviruses, created an immunological memory from the previous coronaviruses. These memory T cells recognise SARS-CoV-2, owing to its high similarities with those coronaviruses, and kill it very quickly. "So, even if the bad guys changed the uniform, the army would still be able to identify them by their boots or maybe a tattoo on their arms. That is how our immunological memory works to keep us healthy," said Danillo Augusto, assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, US.

Scientists may have found the reason behind asymptomatic Covid infections: Genetic variation in immune system

The chief of the <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> (WHO) has said that he hopes that Covid-19 will no longer be a global health emergency sometime next year. Addressing a press briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the WHO Covid-19 Emergency Committee will discuss next month the criteria for declaring an end to the Covid-19 emergency, Xinhua news agency reported. "We're hopeful that at some point next year, we will be able to say that Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency," he said. He added, however, that the <keyword id="8949905" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SARS-CoV-2-virus" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2 virus</keyword>, the culprit behind the Covid-19 pandemic, will not go away. "It's here to stay, and all countries will need to learn to manage it alongside other respiratory illnesses including influenza and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), both of which are now circulating intensely in many countries," he said. The WHO chief said one of the most important lessons from the pandemic is that all countries need to strengthen their public health systems to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond rapidly to outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics. Another key lesson is the need for much stronger cooperation in collaboration, rather than competition and confusion that marked the global response to Covid-19. Meanwhile, Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead of the WHO's Health Emergencies Program, warned waves of infection and re-infection would continue around the world, as the number of weekly new deaths reported by countries still hovers between 8,000 to 10,000. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, warned that the world still does not know how the SARS-CoV-2 virus will evolve in the future, and such uncertainties add to risks. Before the WHO chief ends the Covid-19 emergency, a balance needs to be stricken between the virus -- including its impact and unpredictability -- and "whether or not we have dealt with the vulnerabilities and the resilience issues in our health systems," Ryan said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/jio-launches-5g-services-with-unlimited-data-for-iphone-12-and-above/articleshow/96246810.cms" style="">Jio launches 5G services with unlimited data for iPhone 12 and above</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/doctors-giving-ineffective-superficial-weight-loss-advice-says-an-oxford-research/articleshow/96246841.cms">Doctors giving ineffective, superficial weight loss advice says an Oxford research</a>

Covid global health emergency hopefully ends next year: WHO chief

Women are twice as likely as men to experience the long-term symptoms of COVID-19, according to a study. Researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (<keyword id="2413749" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IHME" source="Orion">IHME</keyword>) at the University of Washington, US, estimate that globally 63 per cent of those with <keyword id="9814327" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Long-Covid" source="Orion">long COVID</keyword> during the first two years of the pandemic were female. The <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> (WHO) defines long <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID" source="Orion">COVID</keyword> as symptoms that are present three months after becoming infected with COVID-19 with a minimum duration of two months. The study, published recently in the journal JAMA, also found that the risk of developing long COVID increased dramatically for women who were hospitalised with the <keyword id="8858345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SARS-CoV-2" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2</keyword> virus compared to men who also faced hospitalisation. "Since SARS-CoV-2 first began to spread around the globe in 2020, three long COVID symptom clusters have prevented otherwise healthy people from fully recovering, keeping them from returning to work or school and even forcing them to seek further medical attention or other rehabilitative services," said Theo Vos, Professor of Health Metrics at IHME and the research paper's senior author. The team estimates that in 2020 and 2021, around 51 per cent of long COVID patients complained of persistent fatigue with bodily pain or mood swings, 60 per cent reported that they suffered from respiratory issues, and 35 per cent reported cognitive problems. The researchers also found that In 38 per cent of Long Covid cases, two or all three of the symptom clusters overlapped. "This important research estimates the proportion, severity, and duration of long COVID symptoms that can help health communities and policymakers understand the need for proper medical treatment and adequate access to services to help people recover," study lead author Sarah Wulf Hanson, a research scientist at IHME, said in a statement. The average duration of long COVID symptoms was nine months for those who were hospitalised and four months for those who were not, the researchers said. About 15 per cent of those with long COVID symptoms three months after becoming infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus continued to experience symptoms even at 12 months, they added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/under-35-women-getting-breast-cancer-due-to-obesity-sedentary-lifestyles-experts/articleshow/94957266.cms">Under-35 women getting breast cancer due to obesity, sedentary lifestyles: experts</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/over-50-lakh-vehicles-deregistered-in-delhi-till-oct-17-this-year/articleshow/94956121.cms">Over 50 lakh vehicles deregistered in Delhi till Oct 17 this year</a>

Women twice as likely as men to develop long COVID, study finds

Coinfection of <keyword id="8858345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sars-cov-2" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2</keyword> and influenza A <keyword id="10860" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="virus" source="Orion">virus</keyword> changes neither the trajectory, nor the severity of influenza A virus, regardless of timing. But if a person contracts influenza A virus first, the response to that infection can significantly suppress SARS-CoV-2, according to research. "The research is important, because the human population now has two circulating respiratory <keyword id="130094" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rna" source="Orion">RNA</keyword> viruses with high pandemic potential: SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A," said researchers from the New York University, Langone. "As both viruses infect the airways, and can result in significant morbidity and mortality, it is imperative that we also understand the consequences of coinfection," they added. Several clinical studies had previously reported on co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with other viruses. These viruses infect the same cells within the airway. Notably, the influenza A virus interferes with SARS-CoV-2 replication in the lung and can continue to do so even more than one week after clearance of influenza A, according to the research published in the Journal of Virology. "These data suggest the presence of factors intrinsic to or induced by [influenza A virus] that may restrict the growth of SARS-CoV-2, but it remains unclear whether this effect plays a role on disease severity," the researchers wrote. The investigators performed the experiments in cultured cells, as well as in a golden hamster animal model. "a animals were administered the 2 viruses simultaneously, and examined at days 1,3, 5, 7 and 14 post infection," said corresponding author Benjamin R. tenOever, Professor of microbiology, at NYU. The researchers also conducted experiments in which they first challenged the animals with either virus, followed three days later by the other virus, monitoring [them] at days 1, 3, and 5 post-second challenge. "This study could be used as an example of how an immune response to something unrelated can provide protection against SARS-CoV-2," said tenOever. The team demonstrated that coinfection does not result in a worse outcome of disease in an animal model. aceThese results suggest that coinfection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus does not represent a looming threat for humanity," said tenOever. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/oppo-comes-under-dri-scanner-for-alleged-customs-duty-evasion-of-4389-crore/articleshow/92848544.cms">Oppo comes under DRI scanner for alleged customs duty evasion of ₹4,389 crore</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/fintechs-are-helping-indian-msmes-get-over-their-biggest-challenges-but-there-is-still-a-long-way-to-go/articleshow/92848620.cms">Fintechs are helping Indian MSMEs with their biggest challenge — data and the lack of it</a>

Got flu before you got Covid? Your immune response could be different

While <keyword id="8858345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sars-cov-2" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2</keyword>, the virus causing Covid-19, does not directly affect the <keyword id="6361813" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="brain" source="Orion">brain</keyword>, the immune response triggered by the infection damages the brain's blood vessels, leading to short- and long-term neurological symptoms, according to a study. In a small study, researchers from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the <keyword id="521220" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="us-national-institutes-of-health" source="Orion">US National Institutes of Health</keyword>, examined brain changes in nine people who died suddenly after contracting the virus. They found evidence that antibodies -- proteins produced by the <keyword id="31457" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="immune-system" source="Orion">immune system</keyword> in response to viruses and other invaders -- are involved in an attack on the cells lining the brain's blood vessels, leading to inflammation and damage. Consistent with an earlier study from the same team, SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in the patients' brains, suggesting the virus was not infecting the brain directly. Understanding how SARS-CoV-2 can trigger brain damage may help inform development of therapies for Covid patients who have lingering neurological symptoms, the team wrote in the paper published in Brain. According to the researchers, antibodies produced in response to Covid may mistakenly target cells crucial to the blood-brain barrier. Tightly packed endothelial cells help form the blood-brain barrier, which keeps harmful substances from reaching the brain while allowing necessary substances to pass through. Damage to endothelial cells in blood vessels in the brain can lead to leakage of proteins from the blood. This causes bleeds and clots in some Covid patients and can increase the risk of stroke. "Activation of the endothelial cells brings platelets that stick to the blood vessel walls, causing clots to form and leakage to occur. At the same time the tight junctions between the endothelial cells get disrupted causing them to leak," said <keyword id="14376827" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="avindra-nath" source="Orion">Avindra Nath</keyword>, clinical director at NINDS. "Once leakage occurs, immune cells such as macrophages may come to repair the damage, setting up inflammation. This, in turn, causes damage to neurons," he added. Researchers found that in areas with damage to the endothelial cells, more than 300 genes showed decreased expression, while six genes were increased. These genes were associated with oxidative stress, DNA damage, and metabolic dysregulation. This may provide clues to the molecular basis of neurological symptoms related to Covid-19 and offer potential therapeutic targets. However, it remains unclear what antigen the immune response is targeting, as the virus itself was not detected in the brain. It is possible that antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein could bind to the ACE2 receptor used by the virus to enter cells. More research is needed to explore this hypothesis. The study may also have implications for understanding and treating long-term neurological symptoms after Covid-19, which include headache, fatigue, loss of taste and smell, sleep problems, and "brain fog." Had the patients in the study survived, the researchers believe they would likely have developed long Covid. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/delhi-to-have-its-own-version-of-the-dubai-shopping-festival-starting-2023/articleshow/92698118.cms">Delhi to have its own version of the Dubai shopping festival starting 2023</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/oats-and-honey-are-some-of-the-health-foods-that-indians-are-buying-less-of/articleshow/92697833.cms">Oats and honey are some of the health foods that Indians are buying less of</a>

It's not the Covid-19 virus but the immune response which damages the brain

Previous antibody responses to other, harmless coronaviruses may confer <keyword id="48619" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="immunity" source="Orion">immunity</keyword> against <keyword id="8858345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SARS-CoV-2" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2</keyword>, the virus that causes <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Covid-19" source="Orion">Covid-19</keyword>, according to a new study. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, showed that people infected with Covid had lower levels of antibodies against coronaviruses that cause common colds compared to uninfected people. In addition, people with high levels of antibodies against harmless coronaviruses were less likely to have been hospitalised after catching Covid. aceOur study shows that a strong antibody response to human coronaviruses increases the level of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. So someone who has gained immunity to harmless coronaviruses is therefore also better protected against severe SARS-CoV-2 infections," said Alexandra Trkola, head of the Institute of Medical Virology at <keyword id="174825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="university-of-zurich" source="Orion">University of Zurich</keyword> (UZH). This type of immune response is referred to as cross-reactivity, and it also occurs with T-cell responses, the additional line of the immune system in the defense against infections. In the study, the team used a specially developed assay to analyse antibody levels against four other human coronaviruses in 825 serum samples taken before Covid emerged. They also examined 389 samples from donors infected with Covid. Combining these analyses with computer-based models enabled the team to precisely predict how well the antibodies would bind to and neutralise invading viruses. People get fully protected against Covid shortly after they have recovered from an infection or have received an effective vaccination. This is when antibody levels against the virus are still very high. As these levels drop over time, infection is no longer prevented, but the immunological memory quickly reactivates the body's defenses, the production of antibodies as well as the T-cell defense. "Of course, immune responses targeting SARS-CoV-2 that are mounted by the memory cells are far more effective than cross-reactive responses. But even though the protection isn't absolute, cross-reactive immune responses shorten the infection and reduce its severity. And this is exactly what is also achieved through vaccination, just much, much more efficiently," Trkola said. It is, however, not yet known whether this cross-reactivity also works in the opposite direction. Whether immunity to Covid -- achieved through vaccination, for example -- also offers protection against other human coronaviruses still needs to be elucidated. "If SARS-CoV-2 immunity also offers some degree of protection from infection with other coronaviruses, we would be a significant step closer to achieving comprehensive protection against other coronaviruses, including any new variants," the virologist explains. This idea is also supported by the fact that cross-reactive protection is not only based on antibodies, but very likely also on T cells. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-fixes-messages-app-to-improve-texting-experience-with-apples-imessage/articleshow/87865029.cms">Google fixes Messages app to improve texting experience with Apple’s iMessage</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/vodafone-idea-hikes-tariffs-by-up-to-500-for-its-popular-plans/articleshow/87864183.cms">Vodafone Idea hikes tariffs by up to ₹500 for its popular plans</a>

Exposure to harmless Coronaviruses boosts SARS-CoV-2 immunity, according to study

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11992087" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="south-africa" source="Orion">South Africa</keyword> estimates <keyword id="12616996" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> has been in the country about at least a month. </li><li>Cases have risen at a rate "not seen since the pandemic started," per its president.</li></ul>South Africa is reporting a sharp surge in <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> cases as the <keyword id="12616995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="omicron-variant" source="Orion">Omicron variant</keyword> spreads through the country, President Cyril <a href="http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/from-the-desk-of-the-president/desk-president%2C-monday%2C-6-december-2021">Ramaphosa said in a statement Monday</a>. The number of positive cases found increased 400% in the past week alone, he said.Omicron "appears to be dominating new infections in most provinces," per Ramaphosa, although he did not give specific prevalence rates. He said the nation was "experiencing a rate of infections that we have not seen since the pandemic started."<div type="image" title="A graph shows the daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa. An arrow points to the latest increase in cases." height="1410" width="1880" msid="88148966" hostid="261"></div>South Africa first raised alarm bells about Omicron when it detected the variant and reported it to the World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern">last month.</a>It found traces of the Omicron in a sample <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern">collected on November 9</a>.In the month since the country reported this case, South Africa has seen about a 40-fold increase in cases, from a seven-day rolling average of 275 new daily cases (4.58 per million) on November 9 to 10,628 (177 per million) on December 6, per Our World in Data. Although cases have risen, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/4-questions-scientists-have-about-omicron-new-coronavirus-variant-2021-11">it is too early to tell</a> whether Omicron is more transmissible, better at escaping immunity, or causes more or less severe symptoms. Vaccines have remained the most effective way to prevent infection, severe disease, hospitalization, and death <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-variant-covid-vaccine-effectiveness-protection-pfizer-moderna-astrazeneca-2021-7">even in the face of the Delta variant</a>, and the CDC has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-everyone-should-get-booster-shot-to-protect-against-omicron-2021-11">urged people to get vaccinated and get their booster shots.</a>Almost one in four COVID-19 tests are coming back positive, Ramaphosa said. "Compare this to two weeks ago, when the proportion of positive tests was sitting at around 2%," he said.Recent data showed an uptick in weekly new hospital admissions since Omicron was first seen, from 547 (9.11 per million) in the week of November 6 to 1,027 (17.11 per million) in the week of November 27.Some early reports have suggested that Omicron <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-omicron-report-says-the-variant-may-cause-mild-illness-2021-12">could cause less severe disease than prior variants</a>, though experts have said it is too soon to tell.Ramaphosa said that hospitalization rates lag infections by about two weeks, meaning it is hard to tell how many of those recently infected would go on to need treatment.He said that hospitals were preparing for more patients all the same.<div type="image" title="A graph should weekly new COVID-19 hospital admissions in South Africa" height="1334" width="2668" msid="88148968" hostid="261"></div>

COVID cases in South Africa spiked 400% in a week in the wake of Omicron being found there

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11879918" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="virpax-pharmaceuticals">Virpax Pharmaceuticals</keyword> stock rocketed up 292% during Tuesday's session following an update about a potential virus treatment. </li><li><keyword id="11879917" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="virpax">Virpax</keyword> said an FDA response clarifies how it will move forward in developing a prophylactic treatment against <keyword id="181454" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="SARS">SARS</keyword> and flu. </li><li>Virpax jumped above $16 a share to reach its highest price since trading began in February.</li></ul>Shares of <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/vrpx-stock">Virpax Pharmaceuticals</a> nearly quadrupled in value on Tuesday, hitting their highest price since they started trading this year after the company said a response from the Food and Drug Administration has provided clarity in how to proceed in developing a potential product to protect against SARS and <keyword id="6388288" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="influenza">influenza</keyword>. Virpax said it received a written pre-investigational new drug response from the drug regulator about <keyword id="11879916" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mms019">MMS019</keyword>, a high-density molecular masking spray it is developing for use as an anti-viral barrier product. The company said it believes the results of the pre-IND response support further research on MMS019 as an intranasal protective that may limit virus transmissions and that it expects to pursue a new drug application for MMS019 as a once-daily intranasal treatment. Virpax shot up as much as 292% to $16.48, the highest price since the stock began trading in mid-February, before paring gains to a still whopping 214%. Volume was heavy, with at least 136 million shares traded compared with 65-day average volume of 2.2 million shares. "We believe that the initial pathway to move forward with the development of MMS019 has been clarified," Anthony Mack, Virpax's CEO, said in a statement. "As our development program proceeds, we will define the strategy for our drug-device combination product candidate, MMS019, for use in an over-the-counter setting as we look to support a consumer-friendly OTC indication."Virpax said it's hired <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/synh-stock">Syneos Health</a> to assist with clinical trial design. Virpax has said previous studies of MMS019 have demonstrated inhibition of viral replication of <keyword id="8858345" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sars-cov-2">SARS-CoV-2</keyword> and influenza in animals at higher ranges than what's encountered by humans in the nasal passages. There were no adverse effects observed, it said.

Virpax soars 292% after receiving initial FDA guidance on its treatment for SARS and flu

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A <keyword id="11896956" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="texas" source="Orion">Texas</keyword> man ended up with both legs amputated after getting <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> which led to sepsis.</li><li>Pepe Forina, 56, had pre-existing vascular problems that made him vulnerable to complications.</li><li>Forino said "stupidity" kept him from getting the vaccine and warned others to learn from him.</li></ul>A man who survived COVID-19 but lost both legs in the process blamed "stupidity" for his decisions not to get vaccinated. Pepe Forina, 56, who had pre-existing conditions like diabetes and hypertension, lost both legs to sepsis after being hospitalized with COVID-19, <a href="https://www.krgv.com/videos/battle-with-coronavirus-leads-to-double-amputation-for-covid-survivor/">Texas local news station KRGV reported.</a>"I looked at my feet and my feet were black," Forino said, per the outlet.Asked why he didn't get vaccinated, he said "stupidity basically, I didn't believe in it.""It's a choice, a choice that I made poorly," Forina said, per KGRV. "Learn from me, and hopefully you won't be in the same situation that I'm in."COVID-19 vaccines are known to greatly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-variant-covid-vaccine-effectiveness-protection-pfizer-moderna-astrazeneca-2021-7">reduce the risk of hospitalization and death from the disease.</a>A picture of Forina can be seen in the tweet below.On August 9, two weeks after being admitted to a hospital in Edinburg, Texas, Forina's family received a call saying he might not make it through the night, per KGRV. Forina, who has a peripheral vascular disease associated with diabetes, survived but had his legs amputated above the knee after contracting sepsis, <a href="https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/covid-19-complications-force-alamo-man-to-have-double-leg-amputation/">per ValleyCentral.com</a>.The decision to have his legs was a "no-brainer" because the alternative was death, he said, per ValleyCentral."He shouldn't be alive," Federico Vallejo, a doctor at the DHR Health hospital where Forina was treated, told the outlet. "The odds were against him. It's actually quite amazing that he had recovered."Vallejo warned that it is not uncommon for patients like Forina to have this type of complication. Forina said he was happy to be alive after thinking that the disease was going to kill him, per KGRV.

A Texas man who said he didn't get vaccinated out of 'stupidity' had both his legs amputated after COVID-19 turned his feet black

A team of researchers has identified a <keyword id="24300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="protein" source="Orion">protein</keyword> that may critically contribute to severe forms of Covid-19. The research, published in the journal Current Issues in Molecular Biology, found that the infection of cells with <keyword id="8858345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SARS-CoV-2" source="Orion">SARS-CoV-2</keyword> results in increased levels of a protein called <keyword id="12178648" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CD47" source="Orion">CD47</keyword> on the cell surface. CD47 is a so-called 'do not eat me' signal to the immune system's defences that protect cells from being destroyed. Virus-induced CD47 on the surface of infected cells is likely to protect them from immune system recognition, enabling the production of larger amounts of virus, resulting in more severe disease. "We may have identified a major factor associated with severe Covid-19. This is a huge step in combatting the disease and we can now look forward to further progress in the design of therapeutics," said researcher <keyword id="10199056" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Martin-Michaelis" source="Orion">Martin Michaelis</keyword> from the University of Kent. Well-known risk factors for severe Covid-19 such as older age and diabetes are associated with higher CD47 levels. High CD47 levels also contribute to high blood pressure, which is a large risk factor for COVID-19 complications such as heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. The data suggest that age and virus-induced high CD47 levels contribute to severe Covid-19 by preventing an effective immune response and increasing disease-associated tissue and organ damage. Since therapeutics targeting CD47 are in development, this discovery may result in improved Covid-19 therapies. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/highlights-of-prime-minister-narendra-modis-speech-at-the-unga-today/articleshow/86510462.cms">Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes his points on China, Afghanistan and Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/freshworks-ceo-girish-mathrubootham-shares-someone-said-i-will-be-nothing-but-a-rickshaw-puller/articleshow/86507840.cms">WATCH: "Someone said I am good enough to be a rickshaw puller," shares Freshworks CEO Girish Mathrubootham in a candid chat</a>

You Searched For "SARS CoV 2" and got 13 results

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COVID cases in South Africa spiked 400% in a week in the wake of Omicron being found there

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Virpax soars 292% after receiving initial FDA guidance on its treatment for SARS and flu

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A Texas man who said he didn't get vaccinated out of 'stupidity' had both his legs amputated after COVID-19 turned his feet black

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