COVID-19 - Jan 31, 2024 - Does closing the toilet lid before flushing prevent viral contamination?

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	COVID-19
	The latest COVID-19 news from News Medical

	Does closing the toilet lid before flushing prevent viral contamination? A study in the American Journal of Infection Control reveals that closing the toilet lid before flushing does not significantly reduce the risk of bathroom surface contamination, highlighting the importance of regular disinfection for preventing the spread of pathogens.

	Long COVID's impact on cardiovascular health: what we do and do not know Researchers review the cardiovascular effects of long COVID.

			Study finds three times the risk of respiratory distress in infants born to COVID-infected mothers New UCLA-led research finds that infants born full term to mothers who were infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy had three times the risk of having respiratory distress compared with unexposed infants, even though they themselves were not infected with the virus.

			Curcumin spray shows promise in fighting SARS-CoV-2 and flu viruses A study in the Virology Journal reveals a curcumin-containing oro-nasal film spray with potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses, boosting mucosal immunity without cytotoxic effects.

			COVID-19 pandemic erases years of advances in cardiovascular health New research confirms what public health leaders have been fearing: the significant uptick in the cardiovascular disease (CVD) death rate that began in 2020 has continued.

	Netherlands sees unexpected surge in Mycoplasma pneumoniae cases, younger population more affected A study in the Netherlands reports a significant rise in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections since October 2023, with a notable decrease in the median age of patients compared to the last epidemic.

	Researchers discover "protective switches" that shield the coronavirus from immune system attacks Over 700 million people were infected and almost seven million died, making SARS-CoV-2 the most devastating pandemic of the 21st century.

	Study finds patients with long COVID exhibit complement dysregulation with signs of thromboinflammation Researchers explore inflammatory signatures restricted to patients with active post-acute COVID-19 sequelae.

	UK Biobank research reveals significant impact of type 2 diabetes on COVID-19 outcomes How type 2 diabetes and genetic susceptibility to the disease impacted the severity of and mortality risk associated with coronavirus disease 2019.

	Prior exposure to common cold coronaviruses can train T cells to fight SARS-CoV-2 Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found direct evidence that exposure to common cold coronaviruses can train T cells to fight SARS-CoV-2. In fact, prior exposure to a common cold coronavirus appears to partially protect mice from lung damage during a subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection.

	Balancing efficacy and safety: The challenges of mRNA drugs and vaccines in modern medicine Researchers analyzed the toxicity concerns and advancements in mRNA therapeutics, focusing on their cellular toxicity, reactogenicity, and distribution, and discussed the challenges and benefits of mRNA research.

	Over half of long COVID patients suffer persistent cognitive slowing, new study reveals Study finds that 53% of long COVID patients experience significant cognitive slowing, a symptom that does not improve over time and is independent of the severity of the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection.

	The association between handgrip strength and functional outcomes in long COVID-19 The association between dynapenia with long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

	Study sheds light on how serious people find COVID-19 compared to other health problems A large seven-country study has shed light on how serious people find the COVID-19 pandemic compared to other major public health problems.

	COVID-19 lockdown fueled fuel primary school obesity crisis in the UK Obesity among primary school children in the UK spiked during the COVID-19 lockdown, with a 45% increase between 2019/20 and 2020/21 among 4-5-year-olds, according to a study published on January 24, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Iván Ochoa-Moreno from the University of Southampton, UK, and colleagues.

	Study offers insights into who's at risk for long COVID among immunocompromised patients Early in the pandemic, clinicians noticed that certain immunocompromised patients were experiencing persistent SARS-CoV-2 infections, some lasting weeks to months at a time.

	AI Therapy companion 'replika' gains traction among lonely students The young adult mental health outcomes of using a GPT3-enabled chatbot.

	Non-COVID-19 mortality among people with diabetes increased during the pandemic Non-COVID-19-related deaths among people with diabetes increased during the pandemic, as did the diabetes complication of sight loss, according to a global study review led by a University of Massachusetts Amherst public health researcher that examined the impacts of pandemic-related disruptions on this vulnerable population.

	How does the nasal cavity's immune system combat SARS-CoV-2? Researchers discovered that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells play a crucial role in clearing COVID-19 infection in the nasal cavity but have limited impact on lung infections, with implications for understanding and treating the virus.

	RT-PCR genotyping outperforms whole-genome sequencing in speedy and accurate COVID-19 variant tracking A study in JAMA Network Open shows RT-PCR genotyping assays as a faster, cost-effective alternative to WGS for SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance, offering high accuracy and scalability.