Compiled by veteran medical journalist Brian Owens, this roundup of some of the newest science on the COVID-19 pandemic, straight from the scientific journals, is presented by Hakai Magazine in partnership with The Tyee.
Dogs may have been the source of SARS-CoV-2
Dogs may have been the intermediate species as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, made its way from bats into humans, according to researchers at the University of Ottawa. Previous work has suggested the intermediate host may have been snakes or pangolins, but this new work, which examined how the virus has evolved to evade mammalian immune systems, found that dogs are a better fit. The researchers suggest the virus infected the gastrointestinal system of stray dogs who ate bat meat, then moved to the dog’s respiratory system before finally jumping to humans.
Molecular Biology and Evolution, April 14, 2020
Pandemic control measures could increase the risk of suicide
The economic and psychiatric strain of social isolation, job loss, and loss of access to mental health care could lead to a rise in suicides during the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health experts warn. Suicide prevention efforts should be stepped up, making use of social media, tele-health, and other distance-based prevention measures.
JAMA Psychiatry, April 10, 2020
Social media can measure economic recovery
Social media posts could be used to monitor economic recovery in the aftermath of disasters. Researchers analyzed the Facebook activity of businesses after three natural disasters and found that since most post fewer updates when they are closed, this change in activity can be used to measure the economic impact caused by, and the recovery from, the event in real time. They now hope to test the method on the current pandemic.
Nature Communications, April 2, 2020
Neurological symptoms of COVID-19
A study of more than 200 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, has found that 36 per cent of them exhibited neurological symptoms, including headache, dizziness, sensory loss and muscle pain. The symptoms were more common among patients with more severe infections.
JAMA Neurology, April 10, 2020
Loss of smell and taste confirmed as COVID-19 symptoms
Losing a sense of smell and taste has been anecdotally reported as a side effect of COVID-19, and now researchers in the United States have confirmed that sensory loss is linked to the virus. The most common symptom of COVID-19 is still a fever, but fatigue and sensory loss are also prevalent. Among those who reported losing their senses of smell and taste, the loss was usually profound, not mild. Most of the afflicted, however, recovered quickly.
International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, April 12, 2020
More detailed genome of SARS-CoV-2 published
Researchers in South Korea have published a more detailed map of the SARS-CoV-2 genome which includes information about where important viral genes are located and how they have been modified. This will help scientists understand how the virus replicates and how it evades the immune system.
Remdesivir is effective at preventing viral replication in the lab, but clinical results still to come
Remdesivir, a drug originally developed to fight Ebola, has shown promise as a treatment for COVID-19. Researchers at the University of Alberta have shown that it works by blocking the virus’s replication mechanism. A small study has revealed that remdesivir was effective in improving patient outcomes, but that work — funded by Gilead, the company that makes the drug—has been strongly criticised for failing to include a randomised control group. Larger more robust studies of the drug are currently underway and should have results in the coming months.
Journal of Biological Chemistry, April 13, 2020
New England Journal of Medicine, April 10, 2020
Splitting ventilators is possible, but not recommended
In many parts of the world, COVID-19 has led to a shortage of ventilators in hospitals. Now researchers in Australia have successfully tested splitting ventilators between two artificial lungs in a simulated environment, using only commonly available hospital equipment. The scientists do not recommend the practice, and say the approach, if used on real people, should only be applied with caution.
Read more: Coronavirus, Science + Tech
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