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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

<ul><li>Earlier this month, a 42-year old journalist Pandurang Raikar succumbed to COVID-19 in Pune <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/pune-journalist-death-covid-19-hospital-payment-delay-6579975/">after the hospital delayed admission</a> over advance payment. </li><li>There have been many cases where even affluent patients have failed to find space in hospitals. </li><li>The benefits of the lockdown i.e. adding beds before <keyword id="6418348" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="infections">infections</keyword> spike have fallen short of the requirement. </li></ul>Harshad Sanghvi, a builder from Ghatkopar, couldn’t get admitted to a hospital after suffering from a heart attack at 7.30 pm on 11 September. The reason was simple — there were no empty ICU beds, <a href="https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/cover-story/builder-suffers-heart-attack-struggles-to-get-icu-bed-for-7-hrs/amp_articleshow/78096685.cms?__twitter_impression=true">reported Mumbai Mirror. </a> Soon after he had the stroke, his family rushed to Zen Hospital in Chembur, where the doctors suggested he had contracted COVID-19. His family was advised to admit him to a COVID-19 dedicated hospital. After struggling for around 7 hours, they were finally able to get a hospital bed. Sanghvi was among the lucky ones who could get a bed. However, in the past few months, there have been numerous reports of people dying because of lack of ICU beds. Earlier this month, a 42-year old journalist Pandurang Raikar succumbed to COVID-19 in Pune <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/pune-journalist-death-covid-19-hospital-payment-delay-6579975/">after the hospital delayed admission</a> over advance payment. Pune has registered over one lakh coronavirus cases, and is fast emerging as the newest epicentre of coronavirus in India. “All this while, Pandurang was feeling uneasy and breathless and required urgent hospital admission. However, the hospital refused to admit him. They asked him to pay Rs 40,000 as advance fees. They told him that it will take a while to make the payment as other patients were in the queue,” Kunal Jaykar, <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/pune-journalist-death-covid-19-hospital-payment-delay-6579975/">a close relative, told the media. </a> For the last 14 days, India has reported more than 1000 deaths. Every single day <div type="image" title="Flourish" msid="78142959" hostid="261"></div>The Indian government, on September 16, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/63k-icu-beds-33k-ventilators-available/articleshow/78137810.cms">told Parliament</a> that there are 62,979 intensive care unit (ICU) beds and 32,862 ventilators available in COVID-19 dedicated government and private health facilities across the country. Maharashtra has the maximum number of ICU beds at 14,447, followed by Tamil Nadu, which has 8,439 ICU beds. However, the situation on-ground suggests they may not be enough. Mumbai, the only city in the country to have registered more than 4 lakh coronavirus cases, <a href="https://science.thewire.in/health/mumbai-covid-19-hospital-beds/">ran out of beds in May</a> when it had only 25,000 coronavirus cases. As of September 12, only 6% of ICU beds in Mumbai are available, according to an IIFL report dated September 14. New Delhi — which has 28,641 active coronavirus cases — is also facing a shortage of ICU beds. The Kejriwal government has 2,201 ICU beds for COVID-19 patients against a population of over two crore. Only 35% of the ICU beds are available in Delhi currently, according to the IIFL report. The Delhi government recently asked private hospitals to reserve 80% of the hospital beds for coronavirus patients. It <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/mumbai-hospitals-run-out-of-beds-for-critical-covid-patients-6407221/">had only 4,750 beds for severely ill COVID-19 patients. </a> Poor bed availability is an issue that has plagued India <div type="image" title="BCCL" msid="78142993" hostid="261"></div> India is the second-worst hit COVID-19 country in the world and has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/indias-covid-19-number-crosses-5-million-mark-and-last-one-million-cases-in-just-11-days/articleshow/78139916.cms">registered over 5 million cases </a>with 80,000 deaths so far. Over the past few days, India has been adding over 90,000 coronavirus cases daily, the highest any country has ever recorded globally. The crucial reason for the shortage of beds and other glaring concerns is India’s lower health budget. For several years, India had been spending less than 2% of its GDP on healthcare, making it one of the lowest investors in the sector globally. Notably, Brazil, Russia, South Africa spend about 8.3%, 7.1%, and 8.8% in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/why-indias-health-budget-needs-more-infusion/articleshow/70082859.cms">the public healthcare sector respectively. </a>The World Health Organisation in 2019 placed India’s healthcare spending behind Iraq and Venezuela. Between 2014 and 2017, India’s bed per population ratio changed by merely 0.60%. Also, there are regional disparities at every level. For instance, urban hospitals in India <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/why-indias-public-health-facilities-may-suffer-despite-a-likely-rise-in-health-spending/">have more beds than rural hospitals</a>, according to the National Health Profile. Change in Population-Doctor-Bed Ratios between 2014 and 2017 <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Indicators </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2014 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2017 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Change </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Average Population per Doctor at Government Hospitals </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">11,528 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">11,082 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-4.00% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Average Population per Government Hospital Bed </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,833 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,822 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">0.60 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Average Population per Government Hospital </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">61,011 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">55,591 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-9% </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/why-indias-public-health-facilities-may-suffer-despite-a-likely-rise-in-health-spending/">National Health Profile </a> The lack of beds isn’t the only problem that India’s overwhelmed hospitals are facing. There’s a lack of oxygen cylinders and medical staff too. “With the country working round-the-clock to expand COVID-19 care facilities, the increase in the number of ICU beds will facilitate the early transfer of severe cases to ICU and faster action on severe cases. Apart from increasing the number of ICU beds, the training and skill development of the staff and crew set to work on COVID cases is very important, Dr Hardik Ajmera, Deputy Medical Director, Saifee Hospital, told Business Insider. . Moreover, according to Dr Vanita Mande from Suasth Hospital, India should have a COVID-19 Essential Supplies Forecasting Tool in place as recommended by WHO. <a href="https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/alert-on-icu-bed-shortage/cid/1780745">According to a recent government estimate,</a> India needs to spend ₹25 lakh crore to fight the epidemic — that’s five times the health budget and about 166 times more than what the government is currently planning to spend. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/we-wont-have-enough-covid-19-vaccine-for-everybody-until-2024-warns-worlds-largest-vaccine-producer/articleshow/78111779.cms">We won't have enough COVID-19 vaccine for everybody until 2024, warns world's largest vaccine producer</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/amid-india-china-standoff-tencent-is-back-with-an-investment-in-flipkart/articleshow/78140794.cms">Amid India-China standoff, Tencent is back with an investment in Flipkart</a>

India’s surging COVID-19 infections is testing the health infra once again — beds added during lockdown aren’t enough

New Delhi [India], April 23 (ANI): India reported over 10,000 COVID cases for the fifth straight day with 10,112 <keyword id="7571551" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-infections" source="Orion">new infections</keyword> in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday. The country saw a little dip from Saturday's COVID cases tally. India recorded 12,193 on April 22, 11,692 on April 21, 12,591 on April 20, 10,542 on April 19, 7,633 on April 18, and 9,111 on April 17. According to the Union Health Ministry, the country's active cases increased to 67,806 which was 67,556 yesterday. Presently recovery rate stands at 98.66 per cent, the Health Ministry stated further. As many as 9,833 patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours taking the overall count of people cured of the infection to 4,42,92,854, according to the Ministry. Under the nationwide vaccination drive, India has so far administered 220.66 crore Covid vaccine doses (95.21 cr second doses and 22.87 cr precautionary doses), of which 1,947 doses were administered in the last 24 hours. The total number of tests conducted in the last 24 hours is 1,43,899, the health ministry stated. In wake of the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases across the country, Dr PK Mishra, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister earlier chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday to assess the situation. The PMO informed in a statement that the focus of the meeting was on the status of preparedness of health infrastructure and logistics, drugs, vaccination campaign in the country and the key necessary steps as a response to the recent surge in Covid cases. "Dr PK Mishra stressed that the time tested 5-fold strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination and adherence COVID Appropriate Behaviour must continue to be implemented and equally crucial to promote awareness within the community regarding COVID appropriate behaviour and caution citizens against complacency," the PMO statement read. During the meeting, a comprehensive presentation was made by Rajesh Bhushan, the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare providing an overview of the global COVID-19 situation. The presentation also provided an overview of the Genome Sequencing of different variants since January 2023 and noted the proportion of circulating variants in India. The status of vaccination was discussed, followed by drug availability and infrastructure preparedness across the country, the PMO stated. As per directions of the Prime Minister, a nationwide mock drill for the assessment of functional infrastructure was conducted and the status of the mock drill was presented to participants. Further, the expenditure of the COVID-19 vaccination programme and budget provisions for drugs and vaccine raw materials were also reviewed. (ANI)

India reports over 10,000 COVID cases for fifth straight day

A team of US researchers has revealed that repeated Covid infections contribute significant additional risk of adverse health conditions in multiple organ systems, putting people at a high risk of organ failure and death. The study from <keyword id="869522" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="washington-university-school-of-medicine" source="Orion">Washington University School of Medicine</keyword> in St. Louis and the <keyword id="202626" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="veterans-affairs" source="Orion">Veterans Affairs</keyword> St. Louis Health Care system in the US, published in the journal Nature Medicine, documented the health consequences of Covid reinfection. Such outcomes include hospitalisation, disorders affecting the lungs, heart, brain, and the body's blood, musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal systems, and even death. Reinfection also contributes to diabetes, kidney disease and mental health issues, they wrote. "During the past few months, there's been an air of invincibility among people who have had Covid-19 or their vaccinations and boosters, and especially among people who have had an infection and also received vaccines; some people started to refer to these individuals as having a sort of super immunity to the virus," said senior author <keyword id="3564421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ziyad-al-aly" source="Orion">Ziyad Al-Aly</keyword>, a clinical epidemiologist at <keyword id="184097" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="washington-university" source="Orion">Washington University</keyword>. Without ambiguity, "our research showed that getting an infection a second, third or fourth time contributes to additional health risks in the acute phase, meaning the first 30 days after infection, and in the months beyond, meaning the long Covid phase," Al-Aly added. Additionally, the study indicated that the risk seems to increase with each infection. "This means that even if you've had two Covid-19 infections, it's better to avoid a third," Al-Aly said. "And if you've had three infections, it's best to avoid the fourth." For this study, the researchers analysed about 5.8 million de-identified medical records in a database maintained by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the nation's largest integrated healthcare system. The study accounted for variants such as delta, omicron and BA.5. Overall, the researchers found that people with Covid-19 reinfections were twice as likely to die and three times more likely to be hospitalised than those with no reinfection. Additionally, people with repeat infections were three-and-a-half times more likely to develop lung problems, three times more likely to suffer heart conditions and 1.6 times more likely to experience brain conditions than patients who had been infected with the virus once. "People should do their best to prevent repeat infections by masking, for example, getting all of their eligible boosters, staying home when sick and getting a flu shot to prevent illness," said the researchers. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/covid-vax-leads-to-higher-antibody-levels-in-pregnant-women-babies/articleshow/95429529.cms">Covid vax leads to higher antibody levels in pregnant women, babies</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/medanta-hospitals-operator-global-health-to-announce-allotment-today-heres-how-you-can-check-allotment-status/articleshow/95436354.cms">Medanta Hospitals operator Global Health to announce allotment today, here’s how you can check allotment status</a>

Repeat Covid infections put people at organ failure, death risk: Study

Even mild cases of <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> can have long-term harmful impacts on cardiovascular health, a study has warned. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, is the first to compare pre and post-COVID-infection levels of arterial stiffness; a marker associated with the ageing and function of our arteries. Researchers found that in individuals diagnosed with mild COVID-19, artery and central cardiovascular function were affected by the disease two to three months after infection. Side effects include stiffer and more dysfunctional arteries that could lead to <keyword id="17271508" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cardiovascular-disease-development" source="Orion">cardiovascular disease development</keyword>, they said. "We were surprised to observe such a decline in <keyword id="506496" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vascular" source="Orion">vascular</keyword> health, which deteriorated even further with time since COVID-19 infection," said study co-author, Maria Perissiou from the University of Portsmouth in the UK. "Usually, you would expect inflammation to decrease with time after infection, and for all the physiological functions to go back to normal or a healthy level," Perissiou said. Emerging evidence suggests that this phenomenon stems from COVID-19 triggering the auto-immune process that leads to vasculature deterioration, the researchers said. While COVID-19 has been associated with a type of acute heart failure and vascular dysfunction, the long-term consequences of the disease on vascular health still need to be explored, they said. As many as 32 participants in the study were monitored between October 2019 and April 2022 at the University of Split School of Medicine, Croatia. Most were young, less than 40 years old, and healthy. Only 9 per cent of the group had high blood pressure, and none had high cholesterol. Two were diabetic, and 78 per cent did not smoke. The group was also almost an even split between males (56 per cent) and females (44 per cent). "Given the number of people infected with COVID-19 worldwide, the fact that infection can have harmful effects on cardiovascular health in young people who had a mild form of the disease warrants close monitoring," Professor Ana Jeroncic from the University of Split, who led the study, said. "The question remains as to whether this harmful effect is irreversible or permanent, and if not, for how long it lasts," Jeroncic said. The study, while small, does support the prediction amongst vascular physiologists that there will be an increase in cardiovascular disease in the future as a result of COVID-19 infections, the researchers said. However, it needs to be taken into consideration what other variables would have contributed to this increase, they said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/amazon-posts-usd-3-2-bn-profit-as-it-goes-through-multiple-layoffs/articleshow/99838008.cms">Amazon posts USD 3.2-bn profit as it goes through multiple layoffs</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/sebi-bans-five-entities-in-lic-front-running-case-impounds-2-44-crore/articleshow/99837998.cms">SEBI bans five entities in LIC front running case, impounds ₹2.44 crore</a>

Even mild Covid infection can harm heart health, study finds

<ul class="summary-list"><li>People who got COVID-19 were more likely to develop stomach troubles, a new research paper found. </li><li>Even those who were mildly ill had a higher risk of GI issues in the following year.</li></ul>Dave Hockaday, a COVID long-hauler in the UK, told Insider that he developed "burning" acid reflux and "horrible nausea" after contracting COVID in 2020. Although he had a fairly strong stomach before he got sick, he found himself unable to eat his favorite foods and drinks — pizza, beer, coffee, and chocolate — without feeling awful afterwards.<a href="https://twitter.com/UnwantedGuest3">Hockaday's experience</a> isn't unique. In fact, he is one of the thousands of people who got COVID-19 in 2020 who have experienced persistent digestive problems like acid reflux, stomach cramps, constipation, and diarrhea long after their infections, according to a study published Tuesday in <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=112314b91ed5fd50aac3186c2d12d3f42903ee26a268646d2ff72a5551f04694&amp;postID=64077d78ba75562a4526f668&amp;site=in&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41467-023-36223-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nature Communications</a>.The new study found that those who were infected with the virus, even people who had mild cases, were significantly more likely to have stomach troubles compared to those who did not get COVID.Researchers compared the medical records of more than 154,000 US veterans who got COVID with about 5.6 million peers who did not contract the virus. They found 9,605 people who had COVID later experienced issues affecting the digestive system, pancreas, or liver. The risk of long-term gastrointestinal issues increased for those who were hospitalized with more severe COVID infections. On average, people who had COVID were 36% more likely to have long-term gastrointestinal issues compared to those who were not infected, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/07/health/long-covid-stomach-pain-acid-reflux.html">New York Times</a>.The most common stomach-related issue was gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a type of acid reflux. Other commonly reported symptoms included abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea.<h2>Researchers aren't yet sure why the stomach is impacted by COVID</h2>Hockaday eventually saw a functional nutritionist to learn more about the bacteria in his digestive tract, known as the <a href="https://www.insider.com/gut-bacteria-may-affect-cancer-patients-response-to-treatment-study-2022-3">gut microbiome</a>. Studies have found that disruptions to the microbiome may contribute to gastrointestinal disorders including <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6702393/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GERD</a> and <a href="https://www.binasss.sa.cr/agosto21/18.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)</a>.The coronavirus may interfere with the natural balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, leaving patients at risk for secondary infections, according to a separate study published in <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=2fec3624c839e29032cfe254f1803975db2c1a913e6a618ea6615ac65d5a3315&amp;postID=64077d78ba75562a4526f668&amp;site=in&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41575-022-00698-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nature Communications</a> in November 2022.However, scientists are still learning more about the <a href="https://www.insider.com/weak-gut-microbiome-may-be-linked-more-severe-covid-19-2021-1">effects of COVID-19 on gut health</a>.The researchers in the recent study hypothesize that the chronic inflammation associated with COVID could play a role in lingering GI symptoms. It's possible that some viral fragments remain in the digestive tract after the initial infection resolves, causing continued inflammation in the stomach and intestines.They also noted that the lining of the small intestine may be especially permeable to the virus, allowing it to enter the gastrointestinal system with ease. More research is needed to better understand how the coronavirus affects the body long-term, and how doctors can treat the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/common-long-covid-symptoms-hair-loss-vertigo-low-libido-2022-7">symptoms of long COVID</a>.

COVID infections left thousands of people with acid reflux, chronic constipation, and other stomach issues, scientists say

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11898267" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="roger-wicker" source="Orion">Roger Wicker</keyword>, <keyword id="11898268" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mississippi" source="Orion">Mississippi</keyword>'s senior senator, has a "breakthrough" <keyword id="8764262" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">COVID</keyword> infection.</li><li>He is the second <keyword id="11898270" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="us-senator" source="Orion">US senator</keyword> to announce a <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> infection following vaccination.</li><li>Mississippi is currently leading the country in COVID-19 cases.</li></ul>Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, who has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has tested positive for the disease, according to a spokesman"Senator Wicker tested positive this morning for the COVID-19 virus after immediately seeking a test due to mild symptoms. Senator Wicker is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, is in good health, and is being treated by his Tupelo-based physician," said Phillip Waller, the senator's communications director, <a href="https://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=49C306B9-94C7-4A06-B5B8-2F046A674532">in a statement</a>. "He is isolating, and everyone with whom Senator Wicker has come in close contact recently has been notified."Wicker is the second US senator to disclose a "breakthrough" infection, following Lindsey Graham's diagnosis on August 3.Meanwhile the pandemic continues to worsen in Wicker's home state of Mississippi; according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html">New York Times</a> COVID-19 tracking page, Mississippi currently has the highest per-capita case rate of COVID-19, with 118 cases per 100,000 residents. Just 36% of Mississippians are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the second-lowest rate for a US state, except for Alabama.

Mississippi senator announces breakthrough COVID infection as his state leads country in case rates

Prolonged symptoms of <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> may be associated with difficulty recognising faces, a little-known condition called face blindness, and navigational problems, according to a study. Previous studies have shown that COVID-19 can cause a range of neurological problems, including the loss of smell and taste, and impairments in attention, memory, speech, and language, known as "brain fog". The latest research, published in the journal Cortex, is the first to report prosopagnosia, or face blindness, following symptoms consistent with COVID-19. The condition that can make people fail to recognise familiar faces, has been estimated to affect between 2 and 2.5 per cent of people in the world. The researchers assessed the case of Annie, a 28-year-old customer service representative and part-time portrait artist in the US, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in March 2020 and suffered a symptom relapse two months later. "When I first met Annie, she told me that she was unable to recognise the faces of her family," said <keyword id="16888434" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Marie-Luise-Kieseler" source="Orion">Marie-Luise Kieseler</keyword>, a graduate student at <keyword id="224383" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dartmouth-College" source="Orion">Dartmouth College</keyword> in the US, adding Annie now relies on voices to recognise people. Annie also experienced navigational deficits after having COVID-19. She has had difficulty remembering where particular sections in her grocery store are and relies on Google maps and its pin function to remember where she parks her car. "The combination of prosopagnosia and navigational deficits that Annie had is something that caught our attention because the two deficits often go hand in hand after somebody either has had brain damage or developmental deficits," said study senior author Brad Duchaine, a professor at Dartmouth. "That co-occurrence is probably due to the two abilities depending on neighbouring brain regions in the temporal lobe," Duchaine said in a statement. Dr. Vinit Suri, Senior Consultant, Neurology, Indraprastha <keyword id="56368" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="apollo-hospitals" botkeyword="" source="ET" sourcekeytype="COMPANY" meta.keywordsubtype="EQ" meta.aliasname="apollo hospitals" meta.entityname="Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd." meta.entityid="62" meta.seoname="apollo-hospitals-enterprise-ltd">Apollo Hospitals</keyword>, New Delhi noted that the exact mechanisms by which long <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword> may cause face blindness are not yet fully understood, but there are several possible explanations. "Firstly, long Covid can cause a range of neurological symptoms which may affect the brain regions responsible for face recognition, causing difficulty in processing visual information and recognising familiar faces," Suri told PTI. "Secondly, Covid-19 can cause inflammation and damage to the blood vessels, which can lead to reduced blood flow to the brain. This can cause brain damage and cognitive impairments, including face blindness," he added. The research team conducted a series of tests with Annie to evaluate her problems with face recognition and determine whether she also has difficulties with other perceptual or cognitive abilities. In one test, Annie was sequentially presented with 60 images of celebrity faces and was asked to name them. Annie correctly identified 29 per cent of the 48 celebrities whom she was familiar with as compared to most people, who can correctly identify 84 per cent of familiar celebrities. The second test was a doppelganger test. Annie was shown a celebrity's name and then presented with images of two faces: the face of a celebrity and that of someone similar, and was then asked to identify which face was the famous person. She identified the celebrity in 69 per cent of the 58 trials, as compared to 87 per cent in the control group. "Our results from the test with unfamiliar faces show that it wasn't just that Annie couldn't recall the name or biographical information of a famous person that she was familiar with, but she really has trouble learning new identities," said Kieseler. The research team also obtained self-reported data from 54 individuals who had long COVID with symptoms for 12 weeks or more, and 32 persons who had reported that they had fully recovered from COVID-19. Most respondents with long COVID reported that their cognitive and perceptual abilities had decreased since they had COVID. "It was not just a small concentration of really impaired cases but a broad majority of people in the long COVID group reported noticeable difficulties doing things that they were able to do before contracting COVID-19 without any problems," Kieseler said. "Our study highlights the sorts of perceptual problems with face recognition and navigation that can be caused by COVID-19 -- it is something that people should be aware of, especially physicians and other health care professionals," Duchaine added. Dr. <keyword id="13873597" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="atul" botkeyword="" source="ET" sourcekeytype="COMPANY" meta.keywordsubtype="EQ" meta.aliasname="atul" meta.entityname="Atul Ltd." meta.entityid="14027" meta.seoname="atul-ltd">Atul</keyword> Prasad, Principal Director &amp; HOD Neurology, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi said this is the first report of long COVID-causing prosopagnosia. "The more we study the virus, the more we realise how much damage it can cause during acute infection and now after infection has settled," Prasad told PTI. Suri noted that not all people with long Covid will develop face blindness, and the severity and duration of symptoms can vary widely. "Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between long Covid and face blindness and to develop effective treatments and interventions for those affected," he added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/israeli-shekel-devalues-by-8-3-in-less-than-2-months/articleshow/98857874.cms">Israeli shekel devalues by 8.3% in less than 2 months</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/chatgpt-suffers-mega-outage-chat-history-unavailable-for-most-users/articleshow/98857703.cms">ChatGPT suffers mega outage, chat history unavailable for most users</a>

Long Covid infection linked with risk of developing 'face blindness' says study

Covid-19 infections may predispose individuals to developing irreversible neurological conditions, finds a study. The study by <keyword id="3610521" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="houston-methodist" source="Orion">Houston Methodist</keyword> researchers showed that <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword> infection may increase the likelihood of strokes and may increase the chance of developing persistent brain lesions that can lead to brain bleeding. Covid-19 is known to invade and infect the brain, among other major organs. Several brain imaging studies on Covid victims and survivors have confirmed the formation of microbleed lesions in deeper brain regions related to our cognitive and memory functions. In the review study, published in the journal Ageing Research Reviews, researchers have critically evaluated the possible chronic neuropathological outcomes in ageing and comorbid populations if timely therapeutic intervention is not implemented. Microbleeds are emerging neuropathological signatures frequently identified in people suffering from chronic stress, depressive disorders, diabetes and age-associated comorbidities. Based on their earlier findings, the investigators discuss how Covid-induced micro-haemorrhagic lesions may exacerbate DNA damage in affected brain cells, resulting in neuronal senescence and activation of cell death mechanisms, which ultimately impact brain microstructure-vasculature. These pathological phenomena resemble hallmarks of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and are likely to aggravate advanced-stage dementia, as well as cognitive and motor deficits. Further, the review includes Covida�s predispositions for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and related neurodegenerative diseases, as well as cardiovascular disorders due to internal bleeding and blood clotting-induced lesions in the part of the brain that regulates our respiratory system, following the Covid symptoms. In addition, cellular ageing is thought to be accelerated in Covid patients. A plethora of cellular stresses inhibit the virus-infected cells from undergoing their normal biological functions and let them enter into "hibernation mode" or even die completely. The study also suggests various strategies to improve some of these long-term neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative outcomes, as well as outlines the importance of the therapeutic regimen of the "nanozyme" in combination with various FDA-approved drugs that may prove successful to fight against this catastrophic disease. However, given the ever-evolving nature of this field, associations like the ones described in this review show the fight against Covid is far from over, said the researchers, and reinforce the message that getting vaccinated and maintaining proper hygiene are key in trying to prevent such long-term and detrimental consequences. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/missed-filing-your-tax-returns-heres-what-you-pay-in-late-fee-penalties/articleshow/93275795.cms">Missed filing your tax returns? Here’s what you pay in late fee &amp; penalties</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/casino-organizers-in-hyderabad-grilled-by-ed-over-fema-violations/articleshow/93275739.cms">Casino organizers in Hyderabad grilled by ED over FEMA violations</a>

Covid infection may accelerate brain ageing says new study

People who suffer from mild Covid-19 infection could be at risk of sudden deafness and hearing loss, according to a study. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) - also known as sudden deafness - is a little known and poorly understood side effect of Covid-19 that is not even listed as a common symptom by doctors, said <keyword id="1312156" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kim-gibson" source="Orion">Kim Gibson</keyword>, a fully vaccinated nursing lecturer at the <keyword id="1025970" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="university-of-south-australia" source="Orion">University of South Australia</keyword>. <keyword id="17630" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="gibson" source="Orion">Gibson</keyword>, a registered nurse with a clinical background in neonatal intensive care, developed acute hearing loss in one ear, along with vertigo and tinnitus five weeks after experiencing a mild <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword> infection in 2022. Her experience is published in the British Medical Journal Case Reports. "My experience shows that even people who have a minor Covid-19 infection could be at risk of potentially permanent and debilitating long-term effects. High quality, person-centred care is so critical." Previous studies have linked SSNHL with Covid-19, as well as a potential side effect of Covid vaccination, but the evidence is still limited, Gibson said. Gibson said that despite working in health education, she was not aware of Covid-19 causing hearing loss. "This was a shocking experience for me that had a significant impact on my quality of life for several months as I had never had any problems with hearing before; not even an ear infection. "I was unable to drive a car while experiencing severe vertigo. I needed to reduce my workload, negotiate flexible working hours with my employers and take a leave of absence from study. This was all due to a mild Covid-19 infection. "I was worried that the hearing loss would be permanent and that I would need a hearing aid. I now feel very nervous about a second Covid-19 infection. What if I experience this again, or even worse?" According to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, sudden sensorineural hearing loss - also known as sudden deafness - occurs when you lose your hearing very quickly, typically only in one ear. It can happen instantly or over a span of several days. People can experience mild hearing impairment or total loss of hearing and it may be temporary or permanent. After experiencing the sudden hearing loss Gibson was referred to an <keyword id="3006950" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="otolaryngologist" source="Orion">otolaryngologist</keyword> (an ear, nose, and throat doctor, or an ENT) who confirmed SSNHL. A course of oral prednisolone and betahistine was prescribed, and Gibson's hearing slowly improved over subsequent months, although she continues to experience intermittent tinnitus. "The evidence around the short and long-term impacts of Covid-19 and vaccines is still emerging and the aim of this paper is to highlight the lesser-known side effects of the virus," Gibson said. "We believe that clinicians should include sudden hearing loss as a potential side effect of Covid-19 when talking to patients. High-dose corticosteroids are a recommended first line of treatment for SSNHL and it is important that GPs promptly refer patients to specialists as soon as symptoms develop. "Hearing loss and associated symptoms can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life -- they did in my case -- and are closely related with anxiety and depression," she noted A study of hearing loss during the pandemic showed that approximately one-third of patients with SSNHL were positive for Covid-19 when they were referred to an audiologist. Other studies reported an increase in SSNHL in 2020 and 2021, including among asymptomatic people. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/samosas-versus-burgers-the-great-indian-dilemma/articleshow/99488590.cms">Samosas versus burgers: The Great Indian Dilemma</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/what-can-1-get-you-30-minutes-of-trailers-at-pvr-inox/articleshow/99487702.cms">What can ₹1 get you? 30 minutes of trailers at PVR Inox</a>

Even mild Covid infection can cause sudden hearing loss: Study

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sen. Richard Blumenthal called <keyword id="11930971" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cruise" source="Orion">cruise</keyword> ships "petri dishes of COVID infection" in a tweet Tuesday. </li><li>He also called for cruise lines to dock their ships as the Omicron variant spreads in the US. </li></ul>Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal called cruise ships "Petri dishes of COVID infection," on Tuesday and called for cruise lines to dock their ships amid a slew of outbreaks on board. "Our warnings have proved sadly prescient &amp; continuously compelling. Time for CDC &amp; cruise lines to protect consumers &amp; again pause—docking their ships. Cruises are repeating recent history as petri dishes of COVID infection," Blumenthal said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/SenBlumenthal/status/1475823507015708678">tweet</a>. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating or observing at least 86 cruise ships that have had <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> outbreaks on the ships, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-investigating-almost-70-cruise-ships-covid-omicron-2021-12">Insider previously reported</a>. According to the CDC's <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/cruise-ship-color-status.html">website</a>, 86 ships have either met the agency's threshold to start an investigation of crew or passengers COVID-19 outbreaks, or a health department has alerted the agency of positive COVID-19 passengers who disembarked within five days.A Cruise Lines International Association spokesperson said in a statement that cruise ships have seen fewer COVID-19 cases than the general population thanks to vaccine mandates.But the likelihood of getting the virus on a cruise ship is still "high," according to a statement from a CDC spokesperson. Cruise ship lines affected by COVID-19 outbreaks include Royal Caribbean, Disney, Carnival, Norwegian, Celebrity, and MSC Cruises. The rise in cases on cruise ships comes as the Omicron variant sweeps through the United States, leading to record-high new case totals in some regions.

Sen. Blumenthal calls cruise ships 'petri dishes of COVID infection' as the industry grapples with dozens of outbreaks

Seoul, Apr 20 (AP) South Korea has reported 13 more cases of the coronavirus, its 19th day in a row where the daily jump came below 100, as infections continue to wane in the hardest-hit city of Daegu.Figures by South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday brought national totals to 10,674 cases and 236 deaths.With its caseload slowing, South Korea has relaxed some of its social distancing guidelines, including lifting administrative orders that advised churches, gyms and bars to close. Schools remain shut while providing children remote learning. (AP) CPS

COVID-19: South Korea's infections wane

<ul><li>A group of scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have gained new insights into how the virus exploits the human cells it invades.</li><li>The team of researchers are led by Sumit K. Chanda, professor and director of the Immunity and Pathogenesis Programme.</li><li>Check out the latest news and updates on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Business Insider</a>. </li></ul>A team of US scientists, led by an Indian-origin researcher, has identified a set of human genes that fight SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes Covid-19. According to Sumit K. Chanda, professor and director of the Immunity and Pathogenesis Programme at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, the scientists have gained new insights into how the virus exploits the human cells it invades. "We are still searching for its Achille's Heel so that we can develop optimal antivirals," Chanda said in a paper published in the journal Molecular Cell. Knowing which genes help control viral infection can greatly assist researchers' understanding of factors that affect disease severity and also suggest possible therapeutic options. The genes in question are related to interferons, the body's frontline virus fighters. Soon after the start of the pandemic, clinicians found that a weak interferon response to SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in some of the more severe cases of Covid-19. This knowledge led Chanda and his collaborators to search for the human genes that are triggered by interferons, known as interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), which act to limit SARS-CoV-2 infection. "We found that 65 ISGs controlled SARS-CoV-2 infection, including some that inhibited the virus' ability to enter cells, some that suppressed manufacture of the RNA that is the virus's lifeblood, and a cluster of genes that inhibited assembly of the virus," Chanda explained. "What was also of great interest was the fact that some of the ISGs exhibited control across unrelated viruses, such as seasonal flu, West Nile and HIV, which leads to AIDS". The team also identified eight ISGs that inhibited both SARS-CoV-1 and CoV-2 replication in the subcellular compartment responsible for protein packaging, suggesting this vulnerable site could be exploited to clear viral infection. "This is important information, but we still need to learn more about the biology of the virus and investigate if genetic variability within these ISGs correlates with Covid-19 severity," said Laura Martin-Sancho, a senior postdoctoral associate in the Chanda lab. As a next step, the researchers will look at the biology of SARS-CoV-2 variants that continue to evolve and threaten vaccine efficacy. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/legal/news/facebooks-oversight-board-has-over-9000-responses-in-the-case-related-to-donald-trumps-suspension-from-the-platform/articleshow/82105250.cms">Facebook’s Oversight Board has over 9,000 responses in the case related to Donald Trump’s suspension from the platform⁠— a decision is coming soon</a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/legal/news/facebooks-oversight-board-has-over-9000-responses-in-the-case-related-to-donald-trumps-suspension-from-the-platform/articleshow/82105250.cms"></a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/education/news/thousands-of-igcse-students-are-anxiously-awaiting-clarity-on-board-exams-set-to-start-on-april-27/articleshow/82104477.cms">Thousands of IGCSE students are anxiously awaiting clarity on board exams set to start on April 27</a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/education/news/thousands-of-igcse-students-are-anxiously-awaiting-clarity-on-board-exams-set-to-start-on-april-27/articleshow/82104477.cms"></a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/scientists-are-roasting-meteorites-to-recreate-the-birth-of-planets/articleshow/82102499.cms">How to bake a meteorite — scientists are heating up space rocks to recreate the birth of planets</a>

You Searched For "Covid Infection" and got 13 results

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

PTI

India’s surging COVID-19 infections is testing the health infra once again — beds added during lockdown aren’t enough

Preeti Soni

India reports over 10,000 COVID cases for fifth straight day

ANI

Repeat Covid infections put people at organ failure, death risk: Study

IANS

Even mild Covid infection can harm heart health, study finds

PTI

COVID infections left thousands of people with acid reflux, chronic constipation, and other stomach issues, scientists say

Andrea Michelson

Mississippi senator announces breakthrough COVID infection as his state leads country in case rates

Bryan Metzger

Long Covid infection linked with risk of developing 'face blindness' says study

PTI

Covid infection may accelerate brain ageing says new study

IANS

Even mild Covid infection can cause sudden hearing loss: Study

IANS

Sen. Blumenthal calls cruise ships 'petri dishes of COVID infection' as the industry grapples with dozens of outbreaks

Rebecca Cohen

COVID-19: South Korea's infections wane

PTI

Indian-origin scientist spots genes that fight Covid infection

IANS

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