Virology
A Case of Misdirected Immunity
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey Vaccination with the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson adenovirus‑based COVID-19 vaccines has been linked to a very rare but serious adverse event known as vaccine‑induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). Based on this small but significant risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revoked the emergency use authorization for the Johnson & …
A Viral Battle in the Rice Field
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey Across Asia and beyond, rice crops are frequently attacked by planthoppers and leafhoppers – insects that damage plants during feeding and transmit viruses that can wipe out entire harvests. The chemical insecticides typically used by rice farmers can pose environmental and health risks, and they often also become less effective over …
Nipah Virus
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey Recent news reports have confirmed two cases of Nipah virus infection in West Bengal, India. In response, authorities have quarantined nearly 200 individuals and expanded surveillance efforts both in neighboring countries and among travelers arriving from India. These developments raise an important question: What is Nipah virus, and is it a …
Why We Vaccinate Newborns Against Hepatitis B
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Events, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey On December 16, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adopted new recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that end universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth. Under this policy, parents may defer vaccination if the mother tests negative for hepatitis B virus (HBV). This decision disregards …
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. …
David Tuller
Trial By Error: Lancet Journal Publishes My Letter Challenging Claims on Exercise and Long COVID
By David Tuller, DrPH *This is a crowdfunding month at UC Berkeley. If you’d like to support my work, the link is here. *UPDATE: The journal has now published, in addition to the corrigendium, a response from the authors in which they acknowledge my concerns. Last year, eClinicalMedicine, a journal in the Lancet stable, published an …
Trial By Error: Article in New Scientist Questions Value of Exercise for Long COVID (and quotes me)
By David Tuller, DrPH *This is a crowdfunding month at UC Berkeley. If you’d like to support my work, the link is here. ********** When it comes to exercise and Long COVID, investigators have routinely claimed success for their interventions–and many news articles have followed their lead in covering the issue. Most reporters don’t have the …
Trial By Error: Pushback Against Psychologizing on BBC and in Medical Journal
By David Tuller, DrPH *This is a crowdfunding month at UC Berkeley. If you’d like to support my work, the link is here. ********** BBC Radio 4 highlights criticism of interview with neurologist and author Suzanne O’Sullivan In March, neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan spoke on a BBC Radio 4 podcast called Radical, hosted by journalist Amol Rajan. …
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Trial By Error: Two Interviews–My Latest Appearance on “Tub Talks with Damon”; Julie Rehmeyer on her NYT “Modern Love” Piece
By David Tuller, DrPH *This is a crowdfunding month at UC Berkeley. If you’d like to support my work, the link is here. ********** Once again, I get into Damon’s tub “Tub Talks with Damon” is a series hosted by Damon Jacobs, a sex-positive therapist and advocate for gay men’s and queer people’s health. And yes, …
Trial By Error: How Many Awful Papers Can Trudie Chalder Produce?
By David Tuller, DrPH *This is a crowdfunding month at UC Berkeley. If you’d like to support my work, the link is here. How many bad papers can Trudie Chalder, King’s College London’s factually and mathematically challenged professor of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), churn out? The woman’s name seems attached to an inexhaustible supply of scientific …
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Trial By Error: Some Things I’ve Read Recently…
By David Tuller, DrPH *This is a crowdfunding month at UC Berkeley. If you’d like to support my work, the link is here. ********** Julie Rehmeyer explores a friend’s death in New York Times’ Modern Love column It is hard to imagine having to cope with the aftermath of someone dying of suicide in your home. …