PapaRad 😷 @_PapaRad

New research shows that an estimated one in eight cancer cases worldwide may be caused by infections—many of which are preventable with treatment or vaccines. Read more via @TheLancet Oncology and Scientific American. scientificamerican.com/article/one-in…

COVID may worsen existing health problems long-term, study suggests Nearly a third of respondents reported a worsening respiratory condition, including asthma, COPD, cough, and shortness of breath. Read more: bit.ly/3TRmQPn

Importantly, the biomarkers distinguished people who had COVID from those who had never been infected much better than they distinguished #LongCOVID from recovery. The search for a reliable LongCOVID biomarker therefore continues. 3/3 frontiersin.org/journals/immun…

Despite looking clinically like one condition, #LongCOVID may be more like an ecosystem of interacting biological disturbances—immune regulation, blood-vessel biology and viral/other viral signals overlapping rather than forming neat subtypes. 2/

#LongCOVID may not have a single biological signature—it may be a tangled web of overlapping changes. ➡️ In 312 people studied ~8 months after infection, LongCOVID was linked to subtle shifts across immune, endothelial and viral markers, rather than a single distinct biomarker pattern. ➡️ The strongest immune signal involved IL-1RA/IL-1β, while P-selectin suggested endothelial involvement; EBV reactivation-related responses were also different in LongCOVID. 1/

Study: More than 1️⃣ in 10 US healthcare workers report ongoing long-COVID symptoms Older age, female sex, multiple underlying health conditions, and multiple COVID infections were also associated with persistent symptoms. Read more: bit.ly/4xGJkjW

The CDC raised its benchmark for levels of the Covid virus in wastewater, adjusting a key metric for assessing the disease’s transmission. As a result, officials may now classify a level that once counted as high transmission as moderate instead. nbcnews.com/data-graphics/…

Every week I get a metagenomic readout of the most elevated viruses from wastewater collected the week before (44 sites). COVID was on the list today for the first time since last winter, along with D68 and a bunch of rhinoviruses.

Steven Spielberg, interviewed outside at the opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 19, 2026, wearing a respirator. A reminder that some people are still taking airborne infection seriously. Respiratory protection can be an ordinary part of everyday life.

Just A Neighsayer @justaneighsayer

2 weeks ago

Stars, just like us! Steven Spielberg wearing a black KN95 outside

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Of Course The Virus That Has Killed Millions Doesn’t Disable People

#COVID19: 🟢 Prevent yourself from getting sick 🟢 Stay protected, especially if you are at higher risk of severe illness 🟢 Prevent spreading it to others if you do get sick

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One of the most remarkable stories of the pandemic is unfolding quietly after the pandemic itself has faded from public attention—the transformation of Long COVID from a mysterious, often-dismissed illness into a major scientific frontier. 2/2 smithsonianmag.com/innovation/man…

#LongCOVID is far from a forgotten chapter of the pandemic ➡️ A powerful Smithsonian feature highlights how LongCOVID remains a chronic, disabling illness for millions, with more than 200 reported symptoms and some patients unable to work or perform basic daily activities. ➡️ What is encouraging is that research has moved far beyond simply documenting symptoms. Scientists are now investigating viral persistence, immune dysfunction, inflammation, neurological injury and biomarkers, while clinical trials are beginning to test targeted treatments. 1/

Repeat COVID infections tied to higher odds of new health conditions Adults who reported 2 or more infections had 76% higher odds of receiving a new medical diagnosis. Read more: bit.ly/4hleVmc

The important clue is not simply that the virus can persist, but that where and for how long viral material remains may influence the clinical phenotype of Long COVID. ➡️ #LongCOVID may be less like a single disease and more like a collection of different biological pathways—viral persistence could be one of the threads connecting the virus to particular symptoms. 2/2 medrxiv.org/content/10.648…

The intriguing link between viral persistence and symptoms ➡️ A year-long prospective study found that #LongCOVID symptoms can persist even as their overall severity gradually declines. ➡️ Interestingly, patients with detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in stool were more likely to report symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness and joint pain during follow-up. 1/

The brain can adapt so well to a damaged sensory system that we may not even realize what we have lost. 👉 The authors therefore suggest routine objective smell/taste screening in LongCOVID—and point to olfactory training as a potential treatment. 2/2 sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

#LongCOVID may quietly steal more than our sense of smell ➡️ A fascinating study of 154 people found that those with LongCOVID had significantly poorer smell and taste function than people without prior COVID. ➡️ The striking finding: what patients felt was only weakly related to what objective testing actually revealed. ➡️ In other words, many may be unaware of the extent of their sensory loss. 1/

Why does #LongCOVID hit women harder—even after the virus is gone? ➡️ A striking NEW study found that females developed more persistent neuroinflammation, immune dysregulation and cognitive problems after SARS-CoV-2 clearance, despite showing similar viral replication and persistence as males. ➡️ The difference traced back to having two X chromosomes and increased activity of the X-linked TLR7 pathway—and blocking TLR7 during the post-COVID phase reversed the inflammatory and cognitive effects. 🔥 A potential biological explanation for the female predominance of PASC—and a possible therapeutic target. biorxiv.org/content/10.110…

COVID is ‘growing’ in nearly every state, CDC reports. Here’s where levels are highest thehill.com/policy/healthc…