Virology
Sloth Fever
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Gertrud Rey
by Gertrud U. Rey Recent news headlines have featured a mysterious and presumably new illness termed “sloth fever.” More aptly named Oropouche fever, the disease is caused by Oropouche virus (OROV), an arthropod-borne virus that is transmitted primarily through the biting midge Culicoides paraensis. OROV typically circulates in sloths, non-human primates, and birds, but it …
Why Does Stress Reactivate Herpes Simplex?
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Gertrud Rey
by Gertrud U. Rey It is well known that stress and exposure to UV radiation can reactivate replication of latent herpes simplex virus type 1 and/or type 2 (HSV-1 and/or HSV-2), and the painful lesions associated with these infections. But why is that? During a primary infection, HSV-1 and HSV-2 replicate within the epithelial cells …
Active vs. Passive Immunity
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey During the first few months of life, residual maternal antibodies that crossed the placenta during gestation and antibodies from breast milk protect infants from infection with various microbes. This type of immune protection is known as “passive immunity,” and differs from “active immunity,” which develops in an individual following vaccination or …
You Cannot Get Bird Flu From Pasteurized Milk
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Gertrud Rey
by Gertrud U. Rey Multiple recent outbreaks of “bird flu” in U.S. dairies are raising concerns about whether milk from infected cows is safe to drink. H5N1, the strain of influenza virus causing the outbreaks, is typically transmitted among birds but occasionally spreads to non-avian animals, including mammals. Prior to distribution, commercially sold milk is …
Does Herpes Simplex Virus Cause Alzheimer’s Disease?
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Gertrud Rey
by Gertrud U. Rey Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and the most common form of dementia. Although its exact cause is unclear, an increasing body of evidence suggests that an infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) may contribute to onset of AD later in life. Both types of HSV (HSV-1 and HSV-2) infect …
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Dogma Does Not Belong in Science
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Gertrud Rey
by Gertrud U. Rey According to established scientific dogma, infection of cells with HIV-1 leads to delivery of the viral capsid into the cell cytoplasm, followed by “uncoating” of the capsid to release the single-stranded RNA genome. A viral-encoded enzyme called reverse transcriptase then catalyzes the conversion of the viral RNA into a single strand …
David Tuller
Trial By Error: Bogus Claims in Study of Exercise and PEM in Gulf War Illness
By David Tuller, DrPH A recent study investigated a question no one seems to have been asking. That can be a good thing—if it’s a question that’s worth investigating. But that’s not the case here. The study, published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity and led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin, was …
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Trial By Error: Little Sign of CBT/GET Ideologues in News Coverage of Inquest and BBC Breakfast Segment on ME and Long Covid
By David Tuller, DrPH One interesting aspect of the recent inquest into the death of Maeve Boothby O’Neill was the widespread news coverage. Maeve died in October, 2021, in Exeter, UK, of malnutrition arising from her severe ME, as the coroner ruled a few weeks ago. During the two weeks of testimony, from July 22nd …
Trial By Error: Post-Inquest Comments from Sarah Boothby, Maeve’s Mum
By David Tuller, DrPH During the inquest into the death of Maeve Boothby O’Neill, both of her parents refrained from making public statements about the proceedings. The inquest was held in Exeter, in southwest England, UK, from July 22nd till August 2nd. After the coroner, Deborah Archer, issued her findings–that Maeve died of malnutrition as …
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Trial By Error: A Deeper Dive into the Inquest’s “Findings and Conclusions”
By David Tuller, DrPH UPDATE: Sarah Boothby, Maeve’s mum, has commented on this blog. I have posted that comment here. ********** Last Friday, August 9th, assistant coroner Deborah Archer read in court her “findings and conclusions” in the inquest into the death of Maeve Boothby O’Neill, the 27-year-old woman from Exeter, UK. Three hospitalizations in …
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Trial By Error: Valerie Eliot Smith on the Inquest Findings
By David Tuller, DrPH On Friday, Deborah Archer, the coroner in the inquest into the death of Maeve Boothby O’Neill, issued her factual findings. The bottom line: Maeve died from “malnutrition caused by severe ME.” Archer found that the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital and others involved in her care acted properly. She rejected the …
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Trial By Error: Whitney Dafoe and Naomi Whittingham Reflect on Severe ME and the Inquest into the Death of Maeve Boothby O’Neill
By David Tuller, DrPH *I originally wrote “Whittington” instead of “Whittingham.” I apologize for the error. On Friday, August 9th (tomorrow), Deborah Archer, the coroner who presided over the inquest into the death of Maeve Boothby O’Neill, will issue her findings of fact. Following that, she has tentatively scheduled another day of testimony on September …