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.
Men die from COVID-19 at higher rates than women
Men and women are equally likely to contract COVID-19, but men are significantly more likely to suffer severe effects from the disease and die. Data from China indicate that the death rate for men was two-and-a-half times higher than that for women, and they were more likely to have more severe disease, regardless of age. The researchers also found similar results in data from the 2003 SARS outbreak. The reason for the disparity is unclear. Men, however, tend to have higher levels of ACE2, the cellular receptor that the virus uses to enter cells.
Frontiers in Public Health, April 29, 2020
Many US health-care workers at risk from COVID-19 lack health insurance
More than one quarter of U.S. health-care workers who have direct contact with patients are at risk for poor outcomes from COVID-19 because of their age or chronic health conditions. And of those, 7.5 per cent — 275,000 people — do not have health insurance. Of all American health-care workers with direct patient contact, 28 per cent — 1.12 million people — have no paid sick leave. A Gallup poll also found that 14 per cent of Americans would avoid seeking care for COVID-19 due to fears over the cost of treatment.
Annals of Internal Medicine, April 28, 2020
Racial disparities among US COVID-19 patients
Two studies highlight how COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting people from minority ethnic groups and lower-income people. One study found that conditions that increase the risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19, such as asthma and diabetes, are more prevalent among African American, Native American, and lower-income people in the United States. The second found that hospitalization and death rates varied significantly across boroughs in New York City. The highest rates were in the Bronx, which has the highest proportion of racial and ethnic minorities, the most people living in poverty, and the lowest levels of educational attainment. Manhattan, the most affluent and a predominantly white borough, had the lowest infection rates.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, April 27, 2020
Mobile phone data can predict outbreaks
Mobile phone data that tracks large-scale population movements can help predict the spread of COVID-19. Researchers examined anonymized location data from mobile phones of 11 million people who spent at least two hours in Wuhan in January before the city was locked down, and linked the data to infection rates in other parts of the country. The movement of people out of Wuhan could accurately predict the frequency and location of other outbreaks in China two weeks before they were actually detected. The model could help assess the risk of community transmission in the future.
Mixed signals on remdesivir
There have been mixed results in two trials of remdesivir, a drug originally created to treat Ebola that has been repurposed for COVID-19. Researchers halted a trial in China early because of side effects in some patients taking the drug: the data that was collected suggested the drug did not speed recovery or reduce deaths from COVID-19 compared with a placebo. Preliminary data from a larger trial run by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, however, showed that patients who received the drug recovered faster than those on a placebo.
Llama antibodies could be a COVID-19 treatment
Researchers have discovered that a special kind of antibody produced by llamas could be an effective treatment for COVID-19. They linked together two copies of an antibody isolated from a llama named Winter to create a new antibody that binds tightly to the virus’s spike protein, and prevents it from infecting cells in lab tests. They are now preparing to test the antibody in animal trials before moving on to humans.
More virus equals more severe disease
People who have a higher viral load — meaning they have more copies of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in their system — tend to have more severe symptoms and more organ damage from the disease. Higher viral loads are also correlated with lower levels of immune cells called lymphocytes.
Viral Immunology, April 10, 2020
Dietary selenium linked to outcome of COVID-19
Regions in China where people get higher levels of dietary selenium have higher cure rates of COVID-19 than regions with lower levels of the nutrient, and selenium status as measured in hair samples was correlated with cure rate in 17 Chinese cities. Selenium, an essential trace element obtained from the diet, is known to affect the severity of several viral diseases including HIV. The results are interesting, but the researchers caution that more detailed work is needed before it could be used to guide public health decisions.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, April 28, 2020
Elon Musk and Donald Trump drive demand for unproven therapies
Google searches seeking to purchase the malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine were higher than expected based on historical trends: by 442 per cent and 1,389 per cent, respectively. The spike in searches came after Elon Musk and Donald Trump endorsed the use of the drugs to treat COVID-19 in mid-March. Neither drug, however, has been proven to work against the disease, and can have potentially fatal side effects.
JAMA Internal Medicine, April 29, 2020
Blood clots in lungs a complication of COVID-19
Abnormal blood clots in the lungs are a significant cause of death among COVID-19 patients with severe incidences of the disease. These clots are not seen in other lung infections.
British Journal of Haematology, April 24, 2020
Children have same risk of infection as adults
Children are just as likely as adults to get COVID-19 after contact with an infected person, but they are less likely to have severe symptoms. Researchers in China found that seven per cent of infected people’s close contacts under the age of 10 became infected, about the same rate as the population at large.
The Lancet Infectious Diseases, April 27, 2020 ![[Tyee]](/design-article.thetyee.ca/ui/img/yellowblob.png){kind=small}
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