Virology
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 …
H5N1 in U.S. Dairy Cattle: An Unprecedented Event in the History of Virology
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Fabrício Souza Campos, Information
by Fabrício Souza Campos Fabrício Souza Campos is a virologist and professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil. He coordinates the Graduate Program in Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology and leads research on virus surveillance in wildlife and domestic animals, with a focus on zoonotic threats and One Health. He has …
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A Vaccine Against Dementia
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey The shingles vaccine is highly effective at preventing shingles, a painful rash caused by reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) – the herpes virus that also causes chickenpox. But what if this vaccine also prevented dementia? New data suggest that it just might. The authors of a recent multinational collaborative research study …
Vitamin A, Cod Liver Oil, and Measles
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey The number of measles cases is steadily increasing across the United States, especially in areas with low vaccination rates. Instead of recommending that children be vaccinated with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to promote ideas that are rooted …
West Nile Story
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey On February 7, 2025, the world lost Dickson Despommier, a formidable parasitologist, gifted storyteller, and original co-host of the podcast This Week in Virology. Being a life-long learner, Dickson developed a keen interest in medical ecology, an interdisciplinary field that investigates how our ever-changing environment impacts human health. In his book …
An Extremely Successful Vaccine Story
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey One of the most noteworthy advances in biomedical science is the vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV). It has significantly changed the diagnostic and prognostic landscape in the field of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally, and it is a particular problem in low-income countries …
David Tuller
Trial By Error: The “Wired” Account of Cancelled Exercise Study for Long Covid at University of Virginia
By David Tuller, DrPH On June 1st, Wired published a 7,600-word lollapalooza about mind-body interventions for Long Covid. The article, written by Alan Levinovitz, a professor of religion at James Madison University, posited that angry patients were derailing important research into these and other psychological and behavioral treatments. For balance, Levinovitz quoted multiple critics of …
Trial By Error: The Truth According to Wired (and Alan Levinovitz)
By David Tuller, DrPH Much has already been written about Alan Levinovitz’ 7,600-word love poem to the potential healing powers of so-called “mind-body” interventions for Long Covid. Wired published the article last Monday under the title “The Painful Truth About Long Covid.” As the word “painful” suggests, the epic is also infused with darker notes. …
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Trial By Error: Interview with Chris Ponting about “Sequence ME & Long Covid”
By David Tuller, DrPH Last year’s release of the results from the DecodeME, a UK-based genome wide association study of more than 15,000 DNA samples, generated significant excitement. Action for ME, which spearheaded DecodeME, recently announced that it had received funding for a multi-phase follow-up project called Sequence ME & Long Covid. The UK government …
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Trial By Error: My Exchange with an FND Physical Therapy Specialist
By David Tuller, DrPH When I write about functional neurological disorder (FND) or functional neurological symptoms, I sometimes get feedback from Zachary Grin, a physical therapist in New York. As an FND specialist, he disagrees with pretty much everything I write about the topic. At first, I tried to engage with Zachary in a good-natured …
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Trial By Error: My Request for Correction of Causal Claim for Functional Neurological Symptoms
By David Tuller, DrPH This morning I sent the following letter to CNS Spectrums, a neuroscience journal published by Cambridge University Press. Subject line: “Correction needed for etiological statement in ‘Functional neurological symptoms occur commonly in healthy adults: implications for the pathophysiology of FND.'” Depending on the response, or lack of one, I might also …
Trial By Error: So FND Is Not Only a Brain “Software” Issue After All…
*Kim H, a FND patient with whom I have frequently exchanged views, has left a comment below. I urge others to read it. I disagree with her interpretation, but I certainly think she has a right to express her perspective. However, I stand by my post. ********** By David Tuller, DrPH For years*, experts in …
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