While ivermectin was originally used to treat river blindness, it has also been repurposed to treat other human parasitic infections.
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Ivermectin has been a lifesaving drug for people with parasitic infections like river blindness and strongyloidiasis. But taking it for COVID-19 may result in the opposite effect.
A bad flu year on top of the pandemic could mean trouble for already-stressed hospitals.
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Recent computer modeling shows the upcoming flu season might see a surge in cases. Coupled with COVID-19’s continued threat, doctors are again urging Americans to get their shots.
What type of mask is best?
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Since the coronavirus first began spreading around the globe, people have debated how effective masks are at preventing COVID-19. A year and a half in, what does the evidence show?
The huge number of active coronavirus infections offers plenty of opportunity for mutations to occur and new variants to arise.
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When the coronavirus copies itself, there is a chance its RNA will mutate. But new variants must jump from one host to another, and the more infections there are, the better chance this will happen.
COVID-19 vaccines have been proved safe and effective. But it’s understandable to have questions.
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A 2015 paper on chicken virus evolution is being taken out of context and used to fuel fears about COVID-19 vaccines. Its lead author aims to clarify the science in hopes of saving lives.
While prison may isolate people from the larger community, it does not isolate them from COVID-19.
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New research shows correctional officers are vectors of infection, driving COVID-19 rates both inside prisons and in their communities.
People suffering from long-term effects of COVID-19 face uncertainty about the nature of their symptoms and how long they might last.
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Different groups of researchers give different predictions. And it’s easy to be bewildered, especially if you’re in lockdown and looking for answers. Here’s what to make of it all.
Policymakers need to make sense of the data so as to predict and manage what’s happening. To address this need, we developed a visualisation tool to track and predict country-level COVID-19 cases.
BCG remains the only widely available vaccine for TB. Yet the development of a COVID-19 vaccine over the last year shows that there is capacity to rapidly create new vaccines.
Security precautions, thoughtful facilities design, careful training and safe lab practices help keep pathogens isolated.
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The microbiologist who directs the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories at Boston University explains all the biosafety precautions in place that help him feel safer in the lab than out.
Microbes are everywhere – and they aren’t all friendly.
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Scientists get up close and personal with deadly pathogens to give doctors the tools they need to treat people sickened by germs. The key is keeping the researchers – and everyone around them – safe.
A health worker examines a child for signs of trachoma
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The Gambia’s success in eliminating trachoma means that resources previously allocated to combating the disease can now be reallocated to other public health conditions
Sequencing the whole genome of patient virus samples lets scientists watch for new variants.
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Direct-acting antivirals have mostly been used in countries with high incomes. These drugs would be effective against most hepatitis C strains. which are primarily low-income countries.
Sequencing the genetic code of virus samples taken from COVID-19 patients reveals how SARS-CoV-2 is spreading and changing.
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The US lags in testing coronavirus samples from COVID-19 patients, which can help track the spread of the virus and the emergence of new variants. But labs are ramping up this crucial surveillance.
A Liberian man reads a newspaper reporting on the Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Guinea at a sidewalk news stand in Monrovia, Liberia.
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