An international team of researchers has found a genetic link to long-term symptoms after COVID-19. The identified gene variant is located close to the FOXP4 gene, which is known to affect lung function. The study, published in Nature Genetics, was led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland.

This study identified a promising trend of declining sedentary behavior among U.S. adults between 2013 and March 2020, but this decline was hampered in 2021-2023. Sedentary lifestyle was widely exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this study highlights the enduring impact that this global pandemic may have on daily living patterns. 

Bats are known as natural hosts for highly pathogenic viruses such as MERS- and SARS-related coronaviruses, as well as the Marburg and Nipah viruses. In contrast to the severe and often fatal disease outcomes these viruses cause in humans, bats generally do not show obvious signs of viral illness following infection. An international research team led by Dr. Max Kellner and Prof. Josef Penninger, Scientific Director of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), has developed an innovative organoid research platform that allowed them to closely investigate the cellular antiviral defense mechanisms of mucosal epithelial tissues of bats. The results have now been published in Nature Immunology and could pave the way for the development of new therapies against viral diseases.

In a recent study, a research team from the Medical University of Vienna has gained new insights into post-COVID syndrome (PCS) and the relevance of a healthy gastrointestinal tract. The study, which was recently published in the journal Allergy, shows that PCS patients have altered inflammatory markers and a disturbed intestinal barrier, which could contribute to the development of post-viral fatigue.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a decline in U.S. vaccine uptake, while widespread misinformation and distrust make it challenging to craft effective public health responses. In a new paper, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers discuss three case studies exemplifying different vaccine attitudes and behaviors. Their findings underscore the need for flexible approaches to reach diverse audiences with disease prevention strategies. 

Researchers found that nearly 40% of pediatric patients with long COVID reported feeling significant symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Tourism entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa are not only weathering the storm of environmental uncertainty but are thriving amid adversity in emerging economies, according to a new study from the University of Surrey.  

About The Study: In this large cohort study of patients hospitalized with nonsevere COVID-19, there was no clinically meaningful difference in outcomes with early antibiotic treatment. Given the risks associated with unnecessary antibiotic treatment, these results argue against routine antibiotic use in this population.

Cannabidiol – which lacks the psychotropic effects of cannabis – has been shown to have beneficial effects on inflammation in myocarditis and pericarditis models. 

A prospective placebo-controlled trial was conducted with an oral pharmaceutically manufactured (GMP) cannabidiol formulation in patients at high risk of cardiovascular events who were hospitalised for non-critical COVID-19 infection.  

GMP-cannabidiol formulation was well tolerated with a similar low rate of overall and cardiac side effects as placebo, supporting its study in further trials.