Ultrasound guidance and soft catheters are among the measures that can be used during embryo transfer to help improve the chances of successful in-vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a British study. “It is reassuring to see that some of the interventions that are used regularly in the U.K. … appear to increase the likelihood of… read on > read on >
Yearly flu shots are especially important for kids with asthma as any virus can trigger an asthma attack. But in the not-too-distant future, these kids might be able to get a spritz instead of a jab, new research hints. Current recommendations suggest children with asthma get an inactivated flu shot (the flu virus is dead)… read on > read on >
Certain antiviral drugs used to treat HIV may also guard against COVID-19 infection, a new study suggests. The researchers found that people with HIV who are on antiretroviral treatment (ART) with protease inhibitors may have a lower risk of COVID-19 infection. Protease inhibitors are antiviral drugs that block a critical enzyme (protease) that viruses need… read on > read on >
Been vaccinated? Already had COVID? New research shows that your chances of winding up in the hospital if you get a breakthrough infection are practically nil. In the study, scientists looked at more than 106,000 hospitalized primary care patients, aged 18 and older, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who had tested positive for… read on > read on >
White-tailed deer can shed and transmit the COVID-19 virus for up to five days after they’re infected, according to a study that also identified where the virus develops and replicates in deer. Five days is “a relatively short window of time in which the infected animals are shedding and are able to transmit the virus,”… read on > read on >
Special needs children often require out-of-network care from specialists, which means more out-of-pocket costs and extra stress for families, a new study finds. “In the U.S., the reality is that the more health care needs you have, especially from specialists, the greater chance you will find your needs won’t be met, even if you have… read on > read on >
If you’re pregnant and questioning whether you need to be vaccinated against COVID-19, new research might sway your decision. For mothers-to-be, the coronavirus appears to double the risk of serious pregnancy complications like preterm birth, according to a new California study. “These findings add to the growing evidence that having COVID-19 during pregnancy raises risks… read on > read on >
U.S. airline companies want an end to mask and COVID testing rules for air travel — and many top infectious disease and public health experts agree with them. The chief executives of the country’s largest airlines asked President Joe Biden in a letter this week to let federal mask mandates at airports and on planes… read on > read on >
Reported cases of tuberculosis (TB) dropped significantly across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, but delayed or missed diagnoses may have contributed to the decline. “Delayed or missed tuberculosis disease diagnoses are threatening the health of people with TB disease and the communities where they live,” said Dr. Philip LoBue, director of the division… read on > read on >
The spread of a virus from animals to people and back again is not unique to COVID-19 and has occurred at least 100 times, according to a new study. This so-called disease “spillback” has recently attracted significant attention due to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in farmed mink, lions and tigers in zoos and wild white-tailed… read on > read on >
