In advance of a scientific meeting on Thursday, officials proposed offering new shots to Americans each fall, a strategy long employed against the flu.
Tag Archives: Immune System
Covid-19 Isn’t a Pandemic of the Unvaccinated Anymore
The uncomfortable truth is that it’s now more of a pandemic of the old.
Happy Birthday, Omicron
One year after the variant’s discovery, virologists are still scrambling to keep up with Omicron’s rapid evolution.
How Immunocompromised Experts Will Celebrate Another Pandemic Holiday
Covid precautions have fallen by the wayside for many. But for the most vulnerable, risks are still front and center.
Will Covid Boosters Prevent Another Wave? Scientists Aren’t So Sure.
The shots may help older, pregnant and immunocompromised Americans dodge serious illness or death. But the doses are not likely to prevent infections in any group, recent studies suggest.
The Disease Took Zara, Then Sara. Could Ayla Be Saved?
Two sisters in one family died from a genetic disorder. Before a third child with the disease was born, doctors hatched a plan to spare her of its effects.
New Covid Variants Are Circulating. Here’s What to Know.
The “nightmare variant” is not as bad as it sounds.
RSV: What to Know About Symptoms, Transmission and Treatment
Before the Covid pandemic, most people caught respiratory syncytial virus before the age of 2. Now things have changed.
Covid Symptoms Can Rebound Even If You Don’t Take Paxlovid
A new study found that more than a third of those who recovered from an infection had symptoms recur days or weeks later.
Most Hospitalized Monkeypox Patients in the U.S. Were H.I.V.-Positive
“Monkeypox and H.I.V. have collided,” a C.D.C. researcher said.
Home Remedies for Cold and Flu Symptoms
Here’s what we know about some of the most popular remedies that show at least a little promise.
How the ‘Black Death’ Left Its Genetic Mark on Future Generations
Scientists have discovered several genetic variants that protect Europeans from the bubonic plague — but also increase the risk of immune disorders.
4 Ways to Boost Your Immune System Ahead of Cold and Flu Season
Here are four things immunologists and other health experts say you can do.
After Giving Up on Cancer Vaccines, Doctors Start to Find Hope
Encouraging data from preliminary studies are making some doctors feel optimistic about developing immunizations against pancreatic, colon and breast cancers.
Flu Shot: What to Know About Side Effects, Protection and Timing
And everything else you’ve been wondering about this annual vaccine.
Covid Vaccines Temporarily Affect Periods, New Study Shows
Experts say there is no indication that vaccines affect fertility. Most people’s periods go back to normal within one cycle.
Can Exercise Strengthen Your Immunity?
Recent research suggests that people who work out have stronger resistance to infectious diseases — including Covid — but experts say the findings need to be tested further.
Why a Century-Old Vaccine Offers New Hope Against Pathogens
The B.C.G. tuberculosis vaccine may protect against Covid-19 and other infections by broadly bolstering the immune system.
Why Monkeypox Vaccine Shortage May Threaten the Immunocompromised
People with H.I.V. and other immune-system problems may need the full two-dose regimen, researchers say. But the shots, particularly second doses, are hard to come by.
Setting the Record Straight on Covid Variants and Reinfections
There has yet to be a variant the negates the benefits of vaccines.
Stress Might Age the Immune System, New Study Finds
Here’s what the results may mean for you.
A Better Way to Measure Immunity in Children
Some scientists believe that a clearer picture of Covid vaccine efficacy could have emerged sooner if investigators had tracked certain immune cells, not just antibodies.
You Can Get Covid Again. Here’s What to Know About Reinfection.
Some reinfection questions, answered.
Reprogrammed Cells Attack and Tame Deadly Cancer in One Woman
Another patient who had the same treatment did not survive. But the demonstration of the technique could help with other cancers.
Long Covid Symptoms and Treatment: What We Know So Far
There is no universal definition of the complex condition, but clues about causes and potential treatments are beginning to emerge.
Why Do I Feel Sick Before My Period?
Researchers don’t fully understand the menstrual cycle’s effects on the immune system, but experts say there are reasons some may feel sick at certain points.
Did Faulty Assumptions Dash Parents’ Hope for an Under-5 Vaccine?
The under-5 Covid vaccine should be approved.
In the Rush to Return, What Happens to the Vulnerable?
We need a new normal.
Having Covid Can Be Confusing. Here’s What to Expect
Having Covid can be a wildly confusing experience. But you can still make a plan to get through the course of illness.
Why a Coronavirus-Flu ‘Twindemic’ May Never Happen
Scientists are exploring a theory suggesting that exposure to one respiratory virus helps the body fend off competing pathogens.
What a Negative Result Means on At-Home Covid Tests
If you have symptoms but get a negative home test result, you may need to keep taking precautions and test again (and again).
Should You Get a 4th Covid Shot?
Experts say that the most vulnerable would benefit from a second booster soonest.
New Vaccine Findings Pose Tough Questions for Parents of Young Children
The F.D.A. temporarily halted efforts to authorize the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for young children amid several unexpected findings. The coming weeks should bring clarity.
Antibody Drug to Protect the Vulnerable From Covid Goes Unused
The treatment could be lifesaving for many who cannot get protection from the vaccine, but confusion about the drug has made some doctors slow to prescribe it.
How the Coronavirus Steals the Sense of Smell
The virus does not infect nerve cells that detect odors, researchers have found. Instead, it attacks nearby supporting cells.
Got a Covid Booster? You Probably Won’t Need Another for a Long Time
A flurry of new studies suggest that several parts of the immune system can mount a sustained, potent response to any coronavirus variant.
He Could Barely Walk, and He Was Seeing Double. What Was Wrong?
Could he be having a stroke — or was it something more unusual?
A Woman Is Cured of H.I.V. Using a Novel Treatment
She’s the third person ever to be cured. Researchers announced that the new approach holds the potential for curing more people of racially diverse backgrounds.
The Next Vaccine Debate: Immunize Young Children Now, or Wait?
It’s not clear whether three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will adequately protect young children. But the F.D.A. may authorize the first two doses anyway.
Exercise May Enhance the Effects of a Covid or Flu Shot
A 90-minute walk, jog or bike ride after getting vaccinated may boost your body’s immune response.
How Long After Having Covid Can I Get a Booster Shot?
The immunity you gain after a Covid-19 infection might not be enough to fend off the virus again. Here’s what to know.
Why Nasal Covid Vaccines May Make Better Boosters
Nasal vaccines under development around the world may make better boosters by stopping the coronavirus in the airways.
A Cancer Treatment Makes Leukemia Vanish, but Creates More Mysteries
Two early recipients of CAR T immunotherapy were free of a blood cancer nearly a decade after receiving the therapy.
When Omicron Isn’t So Mild
For those with underlying medical conditions, the latest pandemic wave has still posed a threat.
How Does Getting a Breakthrough Covid Case Affect My Immunity?
As Omicron cases skyrocket, more vaccinated people may get “hybrid” immunity after a breakthrough infection. But experts still encourage precautions.
After Omicron, This Pandemic Will Be Different
Future surges will be less likely to make us seriously ill.
Epstein-Barr Virus May Play Role in Multiple Sclerosis Development
In a study of members of the Armed Forces, people who developed multiple sclerosis first had Epstein-Barr virus.
A very common virus may be the trigger for multiple sclerosis
Enlarge / This photomicrograph depicts leukemia cells that contain Epstein Barr virus using an FA staining technique, 1972. Epstein-Barr virus, EBV, is a member of the Herpesvirus family and is one of the most common human viruses. (credit: Getty | CDC)
Evidence is mounting that a garden-variety virus that sometimes causes mono in teens is the underlying cause of multiple sclerosis, a rare neurological disease in which the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord, stripping away protective insulation around nerve cells, called myelin.
It’s still unclear how exactly the virus—the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)—may trigger MS and why MS develops in a tiny fraction of people. About 95 percent of adults have been infected with EBV, which often strikes in childhood. MS, meanwhile, often develops between the ages of 20 and 40 and is estimated to affect around one million people in the US. Yet, years of evidence have consistently pointed to links between the childhood virus and the chronic demyelinating disease later in life.
With a study published today in Science, the link is stronger than ever, and outside experts say the new findings offer further “compelling” evidence that EBV isn’t just connected to MS; it’s an essential trigger for the disease. The study found, among other things, that people had a 32-fold increase in risk of developing MS following an EBV infection in early adulthood.
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Flu and Covid at the Same Time? Your ‘Flurona’ Questions, Answered
Yes, you can get “flurona.” But it’s probably not as bad as it sounds.
Will ‘Forever Boosting’ Beat the Coronavirus?
Everyone should get a booster shot. In the long run, though, doses every few months aren’t a viable public health strategy, scientists say.