Virology
A Viral Risk Factor for Lupus
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common human herpesvirus that typically spreads through saliva and is known for causing infectious mononucleosis (i.e., “mono”). There is an established causal link between infection with EBV and the development of multiple sclerosis. Emerging evidence now suggests that EBV may also play a significant role in …
Vaccine Modalities – Part 2
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey Last month’s post provided an overview of various traditional vaccine technologies. The current post highlights more recent advances in the field. Genetic vaccines introduce nucleic acids (DNA and/or RNA) into a recipient’s cells. Once inside the cells, these genetic instructions are used by the cell’s machinery to produce a specific protein. …
Vaccine Modalities – Part 1
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey During the last 50 years, vaccination efforts have prevented about 154 million deaths worldwide, with the measles vaccine alone responsible for a large portion of this achievement. Childhood vaccinations in particular have not only led to a 40% reduction in global infant deaths throughout the same time period, but they are …
A Universal Antiviral Drug
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey There is currently no vaccine that is effective against all viruses and it is unlikely that one will ever exist. But what about a universal antiviral drug? A recent study out of Columbia University suggests that it might be possible to develop effective broad-spectrum antivirals against known, emerging, and unknown viruses. …
The Deadliest Virus
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey Rabies virus infection in mammals is nearly 100% fatal if left untreated. The signs and symptoms that precede death – agitation, anxiety, hallucinations, hydrophobia, excessive salivation, and biting – have inspired countless fictional characters and narratives. The recent death of a British woman who was scratched by a rabid stray puppy …
A Pill to Prevent Gastroenteritis
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey Norovirus is the most common food-borne virus and the leading cause of gastroenteritis globally. Despite an urgent need, there are currently no licensed vaccines to prevent norovirus-induced illness. Nevertheless, recent developments in this field have led to remarkable and promising new advances. A phase 1b clinical trial has revealed that a …
David Tuller
Trial By Error: Some Things I’ve Read Recently–Aboriginals and Long COVID, Tips for Disability Claims, Profile of Ron Davis
By David Tuller, DrPH Failure to address Long COVID in Australian Aboriginal communities Croakey Health Media is a small but feisty Australian news outlet that covers social and structural inequities in healthcare. Croakey recently published “a call for action to address Long COVID in Aboriginal communities,” which focused in particular on the situation in the …
Trial By Error: Journalist Simon Spichak on Lack of Focus on Post-Exertional Malaise in Long COVID Exercise Trials
By David Tuller, DrPH According to the headline of a recent article in The Sick Times, “less than 20% of Long COVID trials involving exercise even mention post-exertional malaise.” The news organization analyzed the registration records for Long COVID clinical trials and found that only a small minority assess or take into account post-exertional malaise (PEM), …
Trial By Error: JAMA Touts Long COVID Exercise Trial with Clinically Insignificant Results; Most LC Exercise Trials Ignore PEM, Per Sick Times
By David Tuller, DrPH In its current “Medical News in Brief” section, JAMA is touting and amplifying the questionable claims of a flawed trial to treat or prevent Long COVID published by one of the journals under its umbrella—JAMANetworkOpen. The JAMA headline: “Resistance Training Improves Long COVID Outcomes.” Technically, the headline is true. In the …
Trial By Error: Another Exercise Trial with Clinically Insignificant Findings
By David Tuller, DrPH A recent study from JAMA Network Open, called “Resistance Exercise Therapy After COVID-19 Infection: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” demonstrates some of the flaws that so often mar papers in this field of research. The trial’s reported results do not warrant the optimistic conclusion that the intervention “may be a generalizable therapy …
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Trial By Error: A New Cookbook for People with Chronic Illness
By David Tuller, DrPH ADDED. A reader left this comment at the end of the post: “Thank you, David. Even all those details can’t convey how WONDERFUL this book is. I ordered multiple copies via Amazon and am giving them for holiday gifts – and not just to my friends who are limited in diet/energy. …
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Trial By Error: Some Thoughts on Ten Years of Trial By Error
By David Tuller, DrPH Ten years ago this month, I launched Trial By Error with a 15,000-word investigation of the misbegotten and fraudulent PACE trial, which purported to prove that graded exercise therapy (GET) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) could cure what they then called chronic fatigue syndrome. And what an amazing ride it’s been …
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