London patient, the Venezuelan cured of HIV: I give hope after 2 death sentences
By Jordi Font Comas d'Argemir. Adam Castillejo, known worldwide as "the London patient," is a unique case, predating the now-famous Düsseldorf case of AIDS cure, who wants to give "a message of hope" to science after surviving "two death sentences" from AIDS and leukemia. This British man of...
What is the other pandemic that is killing us?
By Moisés Naím. The world's governments are dedicating considerable attention and enormous resources to containing COVID and its mutations. Fortunately, they are succeeding. But, sadly, they are neglecting another pandemic that has long claimed millions of lives each year and disabled thousands of people: mental illness. Pandemics are characterized by their rapid spread and…
Long COVID or functional neurological disorder?
Neurological Symptoms in Long-Standing COVID Understudied, Suggests Systematic Review By Judy George, Deputy Managing Editor, MedPage Today The hypothesis that long-standing COVID could be linked to a functional neurological disorder (FND) has gone unproven, according to a systematic review. In 102 long-term COVID studies, symptoms…
Bivalent reinforcement: just right and necessary
By Marta Illueca I would like to believe that for those readers who enjoy smartphones and keep their apps and phone versions up to date, there is nothing mysterious or surprising about an intelligent virus like SARS-CoV-2 renewing its variants every year. Actually, I find the dichotomy in some people's attitudes intriguing…
Eating disorders are more common than people think.
Misconceptions Can Barrier Detection and Treatment By Christine Peat With Eating Disorders Awareness Week now upon us, it's an important time to discuss the need to broaden our understanding of who might be at risk for developing an eating disorder. Many Americans, including health care professionals,…
transient global amnesia
Review article by Allan H. Ropper, MD. This disorder was first described in 1958 by Fisher and Adams and described in detail in a subsequent report. It has been estimated from multiple sources that each year, approximately 3 to 8 people per 100,000 population, with an increasing number of people over 50, have…
H5N1 avian flu in Mexico: what it is, how it is transmitted, and what the risk of an epidemic is
By Alejandro I. Lopez, El País. Gary García Espinosa, a specialist in avian viral diseases at UNAM, discusses what to expect from the outbreak that has put poultry farms worldwide in check and threatens to trigger infections in humans. H5N1, a highly pathogenic subtype of influenza virus that causes the flu…
What Do We Know About Marburg Virus Disease?
The WHO announced that Equatorial Guinea confirmed its first outbreak of this rare disease. By Ingrid Hein, staff writer, MedPage Today. The World Health Organization announced that Equatorial Guinea confirmed its first outbreak of Marburg virus disease after a sample tested positive. Nine deaths and 16 suspected cases…
We see faces, but we don't know what's wrong with us… kisses are a risk of herpes transmission
Experts warn that kissing is the main way this virus is transmitted; it is an incurable infection that causes outbreaks throughout life. By Publimetro Mexico. Worldwide, 67% of the population under 50 is infected with the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), according to figures from the World Health Organization…
A subcutaneous implant prevents HIV infection in an experimental model
It releases cabotegravir over a prolonged period and offers complete protection for months. Scientists at the University of North Carolina have designed a biodegradable, easily removable, subcutaneously injected implant to prevent HIV infection. Loaded with the integrase inhibitor cabotegravir, the implant releases this drug at levels that exceed the minimum…
“We have 7 senses, and the 5 best known are the least important.”
By Alejandra Martins. BBC News Mundo. As you read these lines, how is your body positioned? Are you standing upright or slouching? And your face, is it relaxed or are you frowning? Our posture and facial expressions send important signals to our brain, and it's information to which our brain responds, as explained by Spanish neuroscientist Nazareth Castellanos, a researcher at…
Do weight loss startups have a future?
By Jared Dashevsky. The effectiveness of GLP-1 agonists—such as semaglutide—in weight loss has captured everyone's attention, sparking a frenzy among celebrities and the wealthy to get their hands on the drug. It has also prompted startups to launch new "slimming" programs. Startups like Calibrate and Roop boast of…
New Canadian guide recommends reducing alcohol consumption
By Marilynn Larkin, Medscape. The risk of health problems from alcohol is low for people who consume two standard drinks or fewer per week, but it increases with higher consumption, according to new guidance from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. “Drinking less is better,” the guide says…
Patients with chronic pain switching from opioids to medicinal cannabis
By Pauline Anderson Nearly a third of patients with chronic pain report using medical cannabis to manage that pain, and more than half of them reduce their use of other pain medications, including opioids, according to new research. “Patients reporting their substitution of cannabis for pain medications…”
Vocabria + Rekambys, the first and only long-acting injectable antiretroviral regimen, a new milestone in HIV treatment
Long-acting injectables, innovation, paradigm shift, and quality of life were some of the most frequently repeated concepts at the launch meeting for Vocabria + Rekambys, the first and only long-acting antiretroviral regimen presented on January 27 and 28. It is an injectable combination of cabotegravir and rilpivirine with long-acting properties…
New year, new treatment?
HIV treatment has come a long way, but there's still room for innovation. • By Liz Highleyman The start of a new year is a good time to take stock of your HIV treatment and ask yourself if it's still the best option for you. Many people living with HIV, especially those who…