At a veterinary clinic in the United Kingdom, the staff noticed a sudden and atypical increase in cats and dogs who were experiencing myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. Was it a coincidence that these animals were showing up severely ill from a condition that has been linked to COVID-19 just as the highly…  read on >  read on >

FRIDAY, Nov. , 2021Pfizer Inc. announced Friday that its experimental COVID-19 pill slashed the risk of hospitalization and death by 89% in infected high-risk people. The five-day treatment, when given within three days of infection, was so effective in a clinical trial that an independent monitoring committee recommended the trial be stopped early, Pfizer said.…  read on >  read on >

Many young Americans with asthma aren’t sufficiently prepared by their childhood care providers to transition to adult care, a small new study shows. It’s important for youth with asthma to understand their asthma-related medical needs will likely change as they age, and they may need to switch providers, experts say. “Teens who are about to…  read on >  read on >

Feeding eggs to infants could reduce their risk of egg allergy later on, new research suggests. For the study, researchers at the University at Buffalo in New York, analyzed U.S. government data from more than 2,200 parents who were surveyed about their children’s eating habits and food allergies from birth to 6 years of age.…  read on >  read on >

Why is it so easy for bilingual folks to switch back and forth from one language to another? Researchers have discovered that the brain uses a shared mechanism that makes using multiple languages completely natural. “Languages may differ in what sounds they use and how they organize words to form sentences,” said lead study author…  read on >  read on >

All U.S. adults younger than 60 should be vaccinated against hepatitis B, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended Wednesday. Until now, the shots were recommended only for certain groups of adults, including prisoners, health care workers, international travelers, people with diabetes and certain other conditions, and those who inject drugs or who have multiple…  read on >  read on >

Moms who had COVID-19 when they gave birth may help stimulate their infant’s burgeoning immunity against the virus by breastfeeding, a small study hints. It’s well known that breast milk contains certain maternal antibodies that can help protect infants from infections as their own immune systems develop. Studies indicate that’s true of SARS-CoV-2, as well:…  read on >  read on >

THURSDAY, Nov. 4, 2021The discovery that up to 80% of white-tailed deer in Iowa may be infected with COVID-19 has scientists worried that the animals could become a reservoir for variants that could come back to haunt humans. In the new study, samples were collected lymph node samples from hundreds of dead deer across the…  read on >  read on >