Preterm birth is a major cause of neonatal illness and death, especially among women with a history of premature delivery. Researchers in Japan explored whether taking probiotics early in pregnancy could help reduce the risk of spontaneous preterm delivery (sPTD). In a multicenter clinical trial, women who consumed probiotics containing Clostridium butyricum showed lower recurrence … Read more
From blood sugar control to immune and gut effects, camel milk is drawing scientific interest as a functional food, but this review says any promise must be weighed against the real safety risks of drinking it raw. Review: Camel Milk as a Functional Food: Nutritional Composition, Health-Promoting Benefits, and Safety Considerations. Image Credit: MehmetO / … Read more
Neutrophil infiltration is a hallmark of pulmonary inflammation during respiratory viral infections, yet the origin of these cells has been a subject of debate. Using a golden hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the study led by Professor Xuetao Cao’s team at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences unveiled a dynamic spleen-to-lung neutrophil axis that operates … Read more
This article has been allocated 0.5 EA by the RACGP and ACRRM for the 2026-2028 triennium. You can self-report this CPD/PDP activity by logging it online with the RACGP and ACRRM. Click on the link for RACGP Quick Log or go to your ACRRM page. Leo is a 62-year-old aeroplane engineer who presents with a three-month history of … Read more
A new national analysis of NHIS data reveals a historic drop in cigarette smoking among U.S. adults while highlighting persistent tobacco use and widening disparities across demographic and occupational groups. Tobacco Product Use among U.S. Adults, 2023–2024. Image Credit: shisu_ka / Shutterstock In a recent report published in the journal NEJM Evidence, researcher Israel Agaku evaluated … Read more
A long-running debate in vaccine design revolves around whether a vaccine should be optimized to prevent the virus from replicating inside an infected host or prevent the virus from transmitting to others. New research led by Penn State scientists suggests there may not have to be a tradeoff. The study in animal models, published today … Read more
Severe COVID-19 and influenza infections prime the lungs for cancer and can accelerate the disease’s development, but vaccination heads off those harmful effects, new research from UVA Health’s Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research and UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center indicates. UVA School of Medicine researcher Jie Sun, PhD, and colleagues found that serious viral infections “reprogrammed” … Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic brought messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines to the forefront of global health care. After their clinical trial stages, the first COVID-19 mRNA vaccine was administered on 8 December 2020 and mathematical models suggest that mRNA vaccines prevented at least 14.4 million deaths from COVID-19 in the first year alone. Their extraordinary effectiveness in having … Read more
Even after the virus disappears, some people continue to experience altered taste. New research suggests that subtle molecular changes in taste receptor cells, not visible damage, may explain why sweet, umami, and bitter flavors remain disrupted long after COVID-19 infection. Study: Taste dysfunction in long COVID. Image credit: DimaBerlin/Shutterstock.com Some people with long COVID-19 report … Read more
Nearly a year and a half after infection, researchers examined whether long COVID leaves measurable traces of inflammation or neuronal damage in the blood and their findings challenge assumptions about persistent immune activation. Study: Long-COVID: assessment of circulating markers suggests no cerebral neuronal damage, neuroinflammation or systemic inflammation–a controlled study. Image Credit: p.ill.i / Shutterstock … Read more