Validating concerns AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) first raised in early 2021 about the work of EcoHealth Alliance and its president Dr. Peter Daszak on dangerous virus research in China, AHF fully supports the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesdecisionto suspend and debar the organization from receiving federal funding for failure to fully comply with transparency requirements.
AHF issued apress releaseon Feb. 9, 2021, raising concerns about conflicts of interest among a World Health Organization (WHO) team of scientists dispatched to Wuhan, China, to study the origins of COVID-19.
In part, the release stated: The alleged conflict of interest stems from the connection one of the investigators, a British zoologist and EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak, has with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).According to The Wall Street Journal, Dr. Daszak has worked closely with a leading virologist at WIV, Dr. Shi Zhengli, on the study of bat viruses, which from 2014, was in part funded by U.S. government grants. The institute is located just a few miles away from the wet market where Chinese authorities say SARS-CoV-2 first emerged.
Dr. Daszak has repeatedly and unequivocally dismissed the hypothesis that COVID-19 may have spread as a result of a lab accident in Wuhan. In 2020, he co-authored aLancet articlethat characterized hypotheses that diverged from the idea that COVID-19 originated in wildlife as misinformation and conspiracy theories. This dismissive position has been since repudiated by a number of scientists, and in 2022, theWHO released a reportadvocating for more research into the lab leak theory.
In March 2023, AHF issued a press release under the headline No NIH Money to EcoHealth Alliance, says AHF in response to the announcement that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was planning to resume funding Dr. Daszaks work. The grant was suspended in 2022 because,according to the NIH, EcoHealth Alliance had not been able to hand over lab notebooks and other records from its Wuhan partner that relate to controversial experiments involving modified bat viruses, despite multiple requests.
We have consistently called attention to the lack of transparency and attempts to dismiss outright the hypothesis that COVID-19 originated as a result of research at the Wuhan lab, said AHF President Michael Weinstein. The question has been politicized beyond measure on all sides, but our position and intention for raising it has always been and remains that we need to find out the truth for the sake of global public health. To do that, all evidence must be examined fully, transparently, and with an open mind. Whatever the origin of COVID-19, China and EcoHealth have not made answering this important question any easier. Until we know, we are flying blind.
The Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has issued a call for public vigilance following the countrys first laboratory-confirmed case of monkeypox since August 2022.
THE MINISTER of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has issued a call for public vigilance following the countrys first laboratory-confirmed case of monkeypox (Mpox) since August 2022.
The patient, a 35-year-old male from the Gauteng province, tested positive for the disease on May 9, 2024.
The initial testing was conducted by Lancet Laboratory and later confirmed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), which promptly notified the department.
Mpox is a rare viral infectious disease in humans caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV). Although not highly transmissible from person to person, the virus has gained global public health significance and it has the potential to cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. While most people fully recover, some can become very ill.
Preliminary investigations and case findings reveal that the Gauteng patient has no recent travel history to countries currently experiencing an outbreak of the disease.
Both the national and Gauteng departments of Health are actively managing the situation in accordance with protocol and national guidelines. Contact tracing is ongoing to identify any additional linked cases of Mpox in South Africa.
Since 2023, there has been an ongoing Mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), primarily due to a distinct MPXV clade I. This clade is characterised by its high virulence and has a higher fatality rate than the global outbreak-associated clade II.
Transmission of MPXV clade I is mostly observed among heterosexual individuals through sexual transmission, particularly among female sex workers.
A new variant of the MPXV, named clade 1b, emerged during epidemiological week 16 of 2024 (April 14-20, 2024) in Kamituga, a mining enclave within the DRC. This variant exhibits heightened transmissibility, mainly through sexual contact, raising concerns about its potential to cause a pandemic.
Mpox presents as an acute illness characterised by fever and general flu-like symptoms, followed by the eruption of a blister-like rash on the skin. The disease is rarely fatal and cases typically resolve within two to four weeks. Most cases do not require hospital treatment. Prevention of infection hinges on the isolation of cases until the patient is fully recovered.
The risk to the general population is considered low, given the low transmissibility of the virus. The last reported cases of Mpox in South Africa were in August 2022.
The World Health Organization recommends increasing vigilance for cases with contact tracing and the monitoring of laboratory-confirmed cases. Isolation of confirmed cases allows for the prevention of transmission and interruption of the cycle of transmission.
Circulation of the MPXV in humans may be eliminated through this classic containment approach. Mass vaccination against the MPXV is not currently recommended.
Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services press release:
Public Health staff have been in contact with at least 109 people who were exposed to measles after an individual with the virus visited two Eureka locations late last week and is asking anyone who thinks they may have been exposed, but has not been contacted, to call 707-268-2182.
Through interviews, vaccine records and in some cases immunity testing, the majority of those who were known to be exposed are likely immune to measles, and 10 individuals were given the post-exposure prophylaxis vaccine which can be given up to 72 hours after exposure.
On Friday, May 10, the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services issued a news release informing the community that individuals who visited the Days Inn by Wyndham, 270 Fifth St. in Eureka from Thursday, May 9, at 2 p.m. through Friday, May 10, at 3 a.m. or the Providence St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Department, 2700 Dolbeer St. in Eureka Friday, May 10, between 2:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. may have been exposed to measles.
If you were inside of either of these locations during the times mentioned and have not been in contact with Public Health staff, please call 707-268-2182, whether or not you are experiencing symptoms. A Public Health nurse will evaluate your possible exposure, help determine your immunity status, and provide additional information.
Anyone who contracted the virus after last weeks exposure would start to be contagious anywhere from early Friday morning through May 31. If you think you may have measles, contact your primary care provider or Public Health. Do not physically go into a medical facility. According to the California Department of Public Health, measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. The virus can live for up to one hour in an airspace after the infected person leaves the area, and other people whobreathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses or mouths can become infected.
It can take anywhere from 7 to 21 days to develop symptoms after exposure to measles, and symptoms usually begin with a fever that lasts for a couple of days, followed by a cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis (pink eye) and a rash. The rash typically appears first on the face, along the hairline and behind the ears and then affects the rest of the body. Infected people are usually contagious from about four days before their rash starts to four days afterward. Children under 5 years old and people who are pregnant or have compromised immune systems are at highest risk for severe disease and complications from measles.
Measles is a vaccine-preventable illness. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97% effective at preventing illness. For more information about the vaccine, contact your primary care provider and visitcdc.gov/measles/vaccination.html.
Most children and young adults digital vaccination records are available through the California Department of Public Healths Digital Vaccine Record:myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov.
THE HPV jab is cutting cases of cervical cancer by 90 per cent, a new study has found.
Scientists say the disease, which killed Big Brother starJade Goodywhen she was just 27, could be eradicated "in our lifetime" thanks to the jabs.
The study, led by Queen Mary University of London, adds to previous evidence that suggested the jab is most effective when taken in Year 8 at school.
It also found the vaccine works similarly well across the socio-economic spectrum, with most cases being prevented in more deprived groups.
Until now, there have been concerns that the HPV jab could have an unequal impact across society, meaning it misses out on those in deprived groups where the disease is most prevalent.
Cancer Research UKs Michelle Mitchell said: Todays news is promising the HPV vaccination programme is paving the way to make cervical cancer a rare disease for all."
The jabs, which have been given to teenage girls since 2008, protect against high-risk strains of human papillomavirus, which spreads during sex and causes 99 per cent ofcervical cancers.
In the UK, the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem in our lifetime is possible with continued action to improve access to vaccination and screening for all
The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), looked at incidences of cervical cancer in more than 650,000 women who had received the jab between the ages of 12 and 18.
It found that women in their 20s who got the jab aged 12 or 13 were 90 per cent less likely to get cervical cancer than unvaccinated women.
Meanwhile, women who received catch-up vaccines between the ages of 14 and 18 cut their risk by as low as 30 per cent.
When researchers compared the effectiveness of the jab among socio-economic groups, they found it prevented an estimated 190 cases of the disease in the most deprived group and 60 in the most affluent.
Professor Peter Sasieni, lead author, said:Our research highlights the power ofHPVvaccination to benefit people across all social groups.
Historically, cervical cancer has had greater health inequalities than almost any other cancer, and there was concern thatHPVvaccination may not reach those at greatest risk.
"Instead, this study captures the huge success of the school-based vaccination programme in helping to close these gaps and reach people from even the most deprived communities.
In the UK, the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem in our lifetime is possible with continued action to improve access to vaccination and screening for all."
There are more than 3,000 cervical cancer cases per year but NHS England has pledged towipe out the tumours for good by 2040 by blocking the virus.
Minister for Health, Maria Caulfield said: The governments rollout of theHPVvaccine across the country has saved countless lives and resulted in cervical cancer rates drastically falling. Im incredibly proud of that work not only as a minister, but as a nurse too.
Preventing cervical cancer also saves families from the incredibly stressful experience of navigating treatment and frees up time and resource on the NHS".
She added: "I urge all those eligible to get in touch with their GP to get the vaccine if they havent had it yet.
Steve Russell, vaccines chief at NHS England, said:"We welcome this study which shows the HPV vaccine is significantly reducing cervical cancer rates, especially in more deprived communities.
The NHS is committed to eliminating cervical cancer in England by 2040, making it one of the first countries to do so, and the HPV vaccine is a key tool in this effort.
"The vaccination is offered in schools, and those who missed it can get it up to the age of 25 by contacting their GP.
Coverage of the HPV vaccine dropped last year, with 16.8 per cent of girls and 21.4 per cent of boys not immunised by the end of school Year 10.
In 2022, the proportion of unprotected was 13.5 per cent for girls and 18.5 per cent forboys.
The HPV vaccine can also preventcancersof the throat, neck, head, penis, vagina and anus, which may all be caused by HPV.
There are dozens of HPV types, and they are very common, with more than eight in 10 people contracting at least one in their lifetime.
Most are harmless, but some contribute to cancer, while others can cause warts.
The HPV vaccine protects against some of the risky HPV types that can lead to genital warts and cancer.
Gardasil has been the HPV vaccine used in the NHS vaccination programme since 2012. It is protective against nine types of HPV.
For example it is effective against types 16 and 18 which cause around 80 per cent of cervical cancers in the UK.
That's why it is important for people who have a cervix to still get asmear testwhen invited by the NHS.
Cervical cancer takes the lives of 854 people a year currently - but this is expected to continue decreasing thanks to the vaccine.
There are around 3,200 new cases of the devastating cancer a year, with peak incidence in women in their early 30s.
But the HPV vaccine doesnt just prevent cervical cancer - it stops some anal, genital (vaginal and penile), mouth and throat (head and neck) cancers.
These affect both men and women.
Who should take it?
The first dose of the HPV vaccine is routinely offered to girls and boys aged 12 and 13 in school Year 8.
The second dose is offered 6 to 24 months after the 1st dose.
If a school child misses their doses, you can speak to the school jab team or GP surgery to book as soon as possible.
Anyone who missed their jab can get it up to their 25th birthday.
But people who have the first dose of the HPV vaccine at 15 years of age or above will need to have three doses of the vaccine because they do not respond as well to two doses as younger people do.
The HPV vaccine used to only be given to girls who are at risk of cervical cancer when they are older.
But in 2018, it wasannounced that boys- who can get HPV-related cancers of the head, nech, anal and genitals - would also be given a jab.
Girls indirectly protect boys against HPV related cancers and genital warts because girls will not pass HPV on to them.
But the programme was extended to further eliminate risk of the virus spreading in the future.
Men who have sex with men (gay and bisexual) do not benefit from this indirect protection, and soare also able to get the HPV vaccineup to the age of 45.
Some transgender people can also get the vaccine.
Those assigned female at birth would have gotten one as a child. But those assigned male at birth could get a jab if they transition to female and have sex with men.
A new vaccine for dengue received prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO) on 10 May 2024. TAK-003 is the second dengue vaccine to be prequalified by WHO. Developed by Takeda, it is a live-attenuated vaccine containing weakened versions of the four serotypes of the virus that cause dengue.
WHO recommends the use of TAK-003 in children aged 616 years in settings with high dengue burden and transmission intensity. The vaccine should be administered in a 2-dose schedule with a 3-month interval between doses.
The prequalification of TAK-003 is an important step in the expansion of global access to dengue vaccines, as it is now eligible for procurement by UN agencies including UNICEF and PAHO, said Dr Rogerio Gaspar, WHO Director for Regulation and Prequalification. With only two dengue vaccines to date prequalified, we look forward to more vaccine developers coming forward for assessment, so that we can ensure vaccines reach all communities who need it.
The WHO prequalification list also includes CYD-TDV vaccine against dengue developed by Sanofi Pasteur.
Dengue is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Severe dengue is a potentially lethal complication which can develop from dengue infections.
It is estimated that there are over 100-400 million cases of dengue worldwide each year and 3.8 billion people living in dengue endemic countries, most of which are in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The largest number of dengue cases reported was in 2023 with the WHO Region of the Americas reporting 4.5million cases and 2300 deaths. Dengue cases are likely to increase and expand geographically due to climate change and urbanization.
The AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine was named CoviShield in India.
British-Swedish pharma giant AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine, made in collaboration with Oxford University has been found to raise the risk of vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) -- a rare but fatal blood clotting disorder, claimed researchers today.
While not new, VITT emerged as a new disease following adenovirus vector-based Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine -- sold as Covishield in India and Vaxzevria in Europe -- at the height of the Covid pandemic in 2021.
"An unusually dangerous blood autoantibody directed against a protein termed platelet factor 4 (or PF4)" was found as the reason for VITT.
In separate research in 2023, scientists from Canada, North America, Germany and Italy described a virtually identical disorder with the same PF4 antibody that was fatal in some cases after natural adenovirus (common cold) infection.
Now in a new research, Flinders University in Australia and other international experts found that the PF4 antibodies in both adenovirus infection-associated VITT and classic adenoviral vector VITT share identical molecular fingerprints or signatures.
"Indeed, the pathways of lethal antibody production in these disorders must be virtually identical and have similar genetic risk factors," said Professor Tom Gordon from Flinders
The researcher noted that the "findings have the important clinical implication that lessons learned from VITT are applicable to rare cases of blood clotting after adenovirus (a common cold) infections, as well as having implications for vaccine development".
The same team had in a 2022 study "cracked the molecular code of the PF4 antibody and identified a genetic risk factor".
Their new findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, also have important implications for improving vaccine safety.
The research comes after AstraZeneca "accepted, in a legal document submitted to the High Court in February, that its Covid vaccine 'can, in very rare cases, cause Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Syndrome (TTS)'."
TTS is a rare side effect that can cause people to have blood clots and a low blood platelet count. It has been linked to the death of at least 81 people in the UK as well as hundreds of serious injuries.
The company has also voluntarily withdrawn "marketing authorisation" of its Covid vaccine from Europe and other global markets.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Not long after receiving AstraZenecas Covid vaccine, Brianne Dressen began feeling a strange pins-and-needles sensation that quickly spread across her whole body.
It was like an electric pulse, it was horrific. Id never felt anything like it, she recalled. Within hours, her vision blurred and her ears started ringing.
Dressen was given the AstraZeneca jab at a laboratory in Utah as part of the pharmaceutical companys early clinical trials in November 2020. The British-made vaccine went on to be widely distributed in the UK, but never ended up being approved for use in the US. More than three years later, the 42-year-old mother still experiences crippling pain.
Dressen had desperately wanted to be part of the solution to a global pandemic that had shut down
After acceptance of side-effects by Covishield maker AstraZeneca, a recent study has highlighted the side-effects of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, a Covid-19 vaccine, which was widely administered in India during Covid-19 period. According to a report published on SpringerLink, nearly a third of the participants reported experiencing adverse events of special interest (AESI) following vaccination.
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Out of the 1,024 individuals enrolled in the study, researchers managed to follow up with 635 adolescents and 291 adults over the course of one year. Among the reported adverse events, viral upper respiratory tract infections were prevalent among both adolescents and adults.
Reported Covaxin Side Effects:
Menstural abnormalities observed in FemalesFemale participants also noted menstrual abnormalities, while ocular abnormalities and hypothyroidism were observed in a smaller percentage of participants. Moreover, serious AESIs such as stroke and Guillain-Barre Syndrome were identified in a fraction of individuals.
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The findings underscore the importance of extended surveillance of vaccinated individuals to monitor the development and outcomes of adverse events. Researchers emphasized the need for focused monitoring, particularly for individuals with a pre-vaccination history of Covid-19 and those with underlying health conditions.
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Common side effects of CovaxinAccording to the Indian governments Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the vaccines main side effects include: Fever
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Other adverse effects:Severe allergic reaction
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Should you worry now?The administered vaccines have been in circulation for a couple of years now. Experts assure that adverse side effects typically do not manifest after an extended period. Therefore, if you have not experienced any adverse side effects thus far, there should be no cause for concern regarding the safety or severe side effects of the vaccine.
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A girl receives a dose of the Covaxin coronavirus disease vaccine manufactured by Bharat Biotech, during a vaccination drive in New Delhi. File photo/Reuters
Covishield vs Covaxin? Which is a better, safer vaccine? The debate has been going on since the pandemic days, and both the jabs are now under scrutiny.
Days after AstraZeneca admitted that its jab causes a rare side effect, it was withdrawn from across the world . That raised questions about the safety of Covishield, the AstraZeneca-Oxford Institute shot, produced in India by the Serum Institute of India . Now it is Bharat Biotechs Covaxin that is in the spotlight.
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A new study reveals adverse events in some participants who took the India-made jab. We explain what that means.
What did the study on Covaxin reveal?
A report on SpringerLink, an integrated platform for journals and other materials published by Springer Researchers, published an observational study on the side effects of Bharat Biotechs COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly a third of the participants reported adverse events of special interest (AESI), the research found, according to a report in The Economic Times (ET). Female adolescents and those with a history of allergy are at a higher risk of AESI after receiving Covaxin, it said.
The study was conducted by Dr Sankha Shubhra Chakrabarti and his team at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). It found that a majority of the AESI persisted at the one-year follow-up.
What adverse events does the vaccine cause?
One thousand and twenty-four individuals enrolled for the research. Of these 635 adolescents and 291 adults could be contacted during the one-year follow-up.
Viral upper respiratory tract infections were reported by 304 (47.9 per cent) adolescents and 124 (42.6 per cent) adults in this period. New-onset skin and subcutaneous disorders (10.5 per cent), general disorders (10.2 per cent), and nervous system disorders (4.7 per cent) were the common AESIs in adolescents, the research revealed.
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General disorders (8.9 per cent), musculoskeletal disorders (5.8 per cent), and nervous system disorders (5.5 per cent) were the common AESIs in adults. Menstrual abnormalities were noticed in 4.6 per cent of female participants. Ocular abnormalities and hypothyroidism were observed in 2.7 per cent and 0.6 per cent of participants, respectively. Among serious AESIs (one per cent), stroke and GuillainBarre syndrome were identified in 0.3 per cent and 0.1 per cent of participants, respectively.
Among the participants, adolescents, female individuals, and those with a history of allergy and post-vaccination typhoid were at a higher risk of AESIs. Adults with co-morbidities had more than two times higher odds of AESIs and persistent AESIs.
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Also read: AstraZeneca vaccines side effects. Why Covishield takers shouldnt worry
What is AESI?
AESI (an adverse effect of special interest) is a pre-specified medically significant event that has the potential to be causally associated with a vaccine product that needs to be carefully monitored and confirmed by further special studies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
It is identified through active vaccine safety surveillance systems if there is: 1) proven association with immunisation that is true for most, if not all vaccines. 2) proven association with a known vaccine or adjuvant that is being used in any COVID-19 vaccine 3) theoretical concern based on immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 disease 4) theoretical concern related to viral replication during COVID-19 infection 5) theoretical concern because it has been demonstrated in an animal model with one or more candidate vaccine platforms.
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Is there a reason to worry? What does the study conclude?
The patterns of adverse events developing after Covaxin differed from those reported with other COVID-19 vaccines, as well as between adolescents and adults, the study said.
With the majority of AESIs persisting for a significant period, extended surveillance of COVID-19-vaccinated individuals is warranted to understand the course and outcomes of late-onset AESIs. Serious AESIs might not be uncommon and necessitate enhanced awareness and larger studies to understand the incidence of immune-mediated phenomena post-COVID-19 vaccination, the researchers concluded.
The relationship of AESIs with sex, co-morbidities, pre-vaccination COVID-19, and non-COVID illnesses should be explored in future studies, it added.
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Also read: AstraZeneca, Serum Institute to be sued by parents of woman who died after Covishield jab: What happened?
What has Bharat Biotech said?
The company has not commented on the study.
However, after AstraZeneca admitted the rare side effect, the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech said that Covaxin was developed with a single-minded focus on safety first. It underlined that Covaxin was the only COVID-19 vaccine in the Indian governments COVID-19 immunisation programme to have conducted efficacy trials in India.
Covaxin was evaluated in more than 27,000 subjects as part of its licensure process. It was licensed under restricted use in clinical trial mode, where detailed safety reporting was carried out for several hundred thousand subjects, the vaccine manufacturer said in a statement released on 2 May.
As seasoned innovators and product developers, the Bharat Biotech team was well aware that, while the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines may be short-lived, the impact on patient safety could last a lifetime. Hence safety is the primary focus for all our vaccines, it added.
According to information available on Bharat Biotechs portal, severe allergic reactions may very rarely occur after getting a dose of Covaxin. These may not be all the possible side effects of Covaxin. Serious and unexpected side effects may occur, it stated, reports The Times of India.
What is the controversy surrounding Covishield?
Weeks ago, global pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca admitted that its COVID-19 vaccine could lead to low platelet counts and formation of blood clots in very rare cases. It accepted a link between the vaccine and Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) , a medical condition characterised by abnormally low levels of platelets and the formation of blood clots.
Last week, reports emerged that AstraZeneca was withdrawing its vaccine worldwide for commercial reasons. It would no longer be manufactured or supplied as there are newer vaccines, which can target newer COVID-19 variants. The company has insisted the decision to withdraw the vaccine is not linked to the court case or its admission that it can cause TTS.
In India, Covishied was widely administered during the pandemic and reportedly 1.75 billion (175 crore) doses were delivered.
With inputs from agencies
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A week after British-Swedish pharma company AstraZeneca withdrew its COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, the organisation announced on Thursday that its vaccine, made in collaboration with Oxford University, was found to increase the risk of a rare but deadly blood clotting disorder known as vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT).
VITT is not unknown and it emerged as a new disease after the administration of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield in India and Vaxzevria in Europe, during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2021, IANS reported.
The reason for VITT was found to be an unusually dangerous blood autoantibody directed against a protein termed platelet factor 4 (or PF4).
In the studies conducted in 2023, researchers from Canada, North America, Germany, and Italy described an almost identical condition featuring the PF4 antibody, which proved fatal in certain instances after contracting a natural adenovirus infection, commonly associated with the common cold.
In a new research, Australia's Flinders University along with other experts found that PF4 antibodies in adenovirus infection-associated VITT as well as classic adenoviral vector VITT were sharing similar molecular fingerprints.
Professor Tom Gordon from Flinders told IANS, Indeed, the pathways of lethal antibody production in these disorders must be virtually identical and have similar genetic risk factors.
He added that the findings have the important clinical implication that lessons learned from VITT are applicable to rare cases of blood clotting after adenovirus (a common cold) infections, as well as having implications for vaccine development.
On Thursday as per Reuters, AstraZeneca revealed that the vaccine's COVID-19 prevention treatment successfully lowered the risk of infection among individuals with compromised immune systems, meeting the primary objective of the late-stage trial.
The company stated that sipavibart, a long-acting antibody therapy, demonstrated a "statistically significant reduction" in symptomatic COVID-19 cases among immunocompromised patients, Reuters reported.
Iskra Reic, the company's Executive Vice President for Vaccines and Immune Therapies said, Immunocompromised patients currently have limited or no options for COVID-19 protection and continue to face a significant burden of disease, despite often being fully vaccinatedwe will now work with regulatory authorities globally to bring sipavibart to these vulnerable patients.
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