Virology
A Universal Antiviral Drug
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey There is currently no vaccine that is effective against all viruses and it is unlikely that one will ever exist. But what about a universal antiviral drug? A recent study out of Columbia University suggests that it might be possible to develop effective broad-spectrum antivirals against known, emerging, and unknown viruses. …
The Deadliest Virus
By Gertrud U. Rey | | Basic virology, Commentary, Gertrud Rey, Information
by Gertrud U. Rey Rabies virus infection in mammals is nearly 100% fatal if left untreated. The signs and symptoms that precede death – agitation, anxiety, hallucinations, hydrophobia, excessive salivation, and biting – have inspired countless fictional characters and narratives. The recent death of a British woman who was scratched by a rabid stray puppy …
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 …
David Tuller
Trial By Error: Are Claims of “Recovery” from Psycho-Behavioral Interventions a Form of Bait-and-Switch ?
By David Tuller, DrPH *This is a crowdfunding month at UC Berkeley. If you’d like to support my work, the link is here. In a medical context, what does “recovery” mean? A pretty standard understanding is this one offered by The Free Dictionary: “a return to a normal or healthy condition.” If experts suggest a …
Trial By Error: Professor Chalder Downgrades Definition of “Recovery”
By David Tuller, DrPH President Trump’s words and actions are routinely mind-boggling but never surprising, given past experience. The same is true of papers co-authored by Trudie Chalder, King’s College London’s mathematically and factually challenged professor of cognitive behavior therapy. In a recent article, she holds true to form. In “Recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome: …
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Trial By Error: Claims Built on Fraudulent Trials Should Be Ignored
By David Tuller, DrPH When researchers cite fraudulent studies in support of their claims, it is best not to take anything they write at face value. That is certainly the case with a recent paper titled “Persistent physical symptoms not explained by structural abnormalities or disease processes: a primary care approach to promote recovery,” published …
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Trial By Error: Is Professor Crawley Retired from Bristol, or Isn’t She?
By David Tuller, DrPH Professor Esther Crawley, the methodologically and ethically challenged pediatrician and former grant queen at the University of Bristol, retired from medical practice and, apparently, from academia at some point in the recent past. So why does her name still appear on websites as if she were an active participant in research …
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Trial By Error: Norway Disability Case Exposes Flaws in Draft Guideline for “Long-Term Fatigue–including ME/CFS”
By David Tuller, DrPH A recent disability case in Norway provides a good example of why the draft of a new guideline for “long-term fatigue—including ME/CFS” is so problematic. As I reported last week, the draft guideline, produced by the Norwegian Directorate of Health*, generally favors the biopsychosocial approach. The guideline offers few specifics about …
Trial By Error: Why is Professor Crawley Still on the COFFI Steering Committee?
By David Tuller, DrPH Several years ago, the leaders of the biopsychosocial ideological brigades decided to create the Collaborative On Fatigue and related symptoms Following Infection, or COFFI. According to its website, COFFI’s “overarching aim” is “to investigate factors influencing the development of long-term symptoms (in particular fatigue) following certain infectious diseases.” Akershus University Hospital …
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