Recently I had a false positive PCR result for SARS-CoV-2. To confirm that I was not infected, I did an assay for viral antibodies in my blood using a rapid, at home, lateral flow assay. In this video I explain how the assay works and what my results mean.
Pandoraviruses seemingly have the ability to produce an electrical potential across their membrane, a feature that is typically only associated with living cells.
Cigarette smoking appears to be associated with more severe COVID-19, but the underlying mechanisms have not been deciphered. The results of infection of airway cells in culture with SARS-CoV-2 provide some insight. Smoking is the most important cause of chronic lung disease, which in turn is a risk factor for severe COVID-19. Some studies have …
Cigarette smoke increases infection severity of SAR-CoV-2 in airway cells in culture Read More »
Some have suggested that pre-existing cross-reactive memory T cells in people with no prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 may have a protective effect. However, recent findings indicate that this may not be the case.
In this short video, I take you through some of the science books on my bookshelf, next to the desk where lately I have been spending a lot of time on Zoom. Not surprisingly, most of the books are about viruses.
Although we are less than a year into the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, it appears that the antibodies induced by infection are often of poor quality, and B cell memory seems limited. An explanation for this outcome might be a consequence of the loss of germinal centers in COVID-19 patients. Examination of lymph nodes and spleen of …
