Infectious disease researchers at The University of Texas at Austin studying the novel coronavirus were able to identify how quickly the virus can spread, a factor that may help public health officials in their efforts at containment. They found that time between cases in a chain of transmission is less than a week and that […]
New coronavirus stable for hours on surfaces
The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces, according to a new study from National Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University scientists in The New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable […]
To Remove Germs, Hand Sanitizer Doesn’t Work As Well As Soap And Water
Actress Kristen Bell posted a photo on Instagram of her mom’s hands, lit up with UV-light to show the germs. The photos showed how much of a difference it makes to rinse your hands for six seconds, or to scrub them with soap and water for 30 seconds. All of us (hopefully) wash our hands daily, […]
Drug Blocks Two Of World’s Deadliest Emerging Viruses
From March 8, 2009 article: Two highly lethal viruses that have emerged in recent outbreaks are susceptible to chloroquine, an established drug used to prevent and treat malaria, according to a new basic science study by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in the Journal of Virology.* The two henipaviruses that are the subject of the […]
Curcumin is the spice of life when delivered via tiny nanoparticles
For years, curry lovers have sworn by the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, but its active compound, curcumin, has long frustrated scientists hoping to validate these claims with clinical studies. The failure of the body to easily absorb curcumin has been a thorn in the side of medical researchers seeking scientific proof that curcumin can successfully […]
Why Cigarette Smoke Makes Flu, Other Viral Infections Worse
A study by researchers at Yale School of Medicine could explain why the cold and flu virus symptoms that are often mild and transient in non-smokers can seriously sicken smokers. The study also identified the mechanism by which viruses and cigarette smoke interact to increase lung inflammation and damage. Until recently, scientists haven’t been able […]
Can Selenite be an Ultimate Inhibitor of Ebola and Other Viral Infections?
Harvard University researcher Dr. Boguslaw Lipinski claims that selenium can treat Ebola virus disease (EVD). His paper says that a specific form of selenium, sodium selenite, found in nutritional supplements can reduce the infectivity and therefore the reproduction of Ebola and HIV viruses. It is known that the virulence of Ebola and other RNA enveloped […]
Selenium Supplements May Contribute To Reduced HIV Viral Load
Taking daily selenium supplements appears to increase the level of the essential mineral in the blood and may suppress the progression of viral load in patients with HIV infection, according to an article in the January 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have given […]
Selenium Deficiency Causes Flu Virus To Mutate Into More Dangerous Forms
Influenza virus that has been passed through mice deficient in the trace nutrient selenium mutates and emerges from the mice more virulent than before, a new study shows. While the research was limited to rodents, it’s likely that something similar happens in humans deficient in selenium and, possibly, in other nutrients, University of North Carolina […]
Vitamin C Works for Sepsis. Will It Work for Coronavirus?
According to the most comprehensive global analysis1,2,3 done to date, sepsis is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths worldwide each year, killing 11 million out of 56 million people in 2017 alone. The researchers call the finding “alarming,” as their updated figures are double that of previous estimates. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition triggered by a […]