Delhi bans fuel for old vehicles, Karnataka sees surge in heart attack deaths in Hassan
And in Karnataka, Hassan district has reported 23 cardiovascular-related deaths in 40 days, prompting the Chief Minister to form an expert committee to investigate the cause within 10 days. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suggested a potential link to COVID-19 vaccines, a claim that contradicts Indian Council of Medical Research studies. The committee, led by Dr. Ravindranath from Jayadeva Institute, will examine various factors including lifestyle, stress, and undiagnosed conditions, with victims ranging from 19 years old. The government has launched health schemes like Hriday Jyoti and Gruha Arogya to monitor public health.
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NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Cluster Of Potentially Deadly Pneumonia-Like Cases Found In New York
Residents of Central Harlem in New York City have been advised to exercise caution after cases of Legionnaires' disease have been identified, prompting health authorities to launch an urgent investigation. The New York City Department of Health reported that since around July 25, five people have been diagnosed with the severe, pneumonia-like illness in the Manhattan neighbourhood, and test results for other suspected cases are pending, The New York Post reported. Although all confirmed patients required hospitalisation, no deaths have been reported in relation to the incidents thus far. The Health Department is conducting an intensive investigation into water sources in the affected ZIP codes (10027, 10030, 10035, and 10037) to identify potential environmental sources of Legionella bacteria. This investigation includes testing and sampling every cooling tower system in the region. Inhaling water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm water habitats such as cooling towers, large air conditioners, hot tubs, and humidifiers, is the primary cause of Legionnaires' disease. But the disease cannot be transmitted from person to person or through drinking water. "Any New Yorkers with flu-like symptoms should contact a health care provider as soon as possible," Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Toni Eyssallenne stated. According to Mr Eyssallenne, early diagnosis can effectively treat the condition. However, "adults aged 50 and older, those who smoke or have chronic lung conditions, should be particularly aware of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin." Anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms, notably cough, fever, or shortness of breath, should seek medical attention and express concerns about Legionnaires' disease, particularly if COVID-19 testing comes back negative, authorities said. The symptoms, which often start 2-10 days after exposure, include fever, headache, muscle aches, coughing, shortness of breath, and occasionally gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea or diarrhoea, according to the New York State official website. Early treatment with antibiotics is effective; delayed diagnosis can lead to major problems, and the death rate can increase to as much as 10 per cent in otherwise healthy people and higher in susceptible groups, it added.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Long-COVID, viruses, 'zombie' cells: new research looks for links to chronic fatigue, brain fog
Stellenbosch: Millions of people who recover from infections like COVID-19, influenza and glandular fever are affected by long-lasting symptoms. These include chronic fatigue, brain fog, exercise intolerance, dizziness, muscle or joint pain and gut problems. And many of these symptoms worsen after exercise, a phenomenon known as post-exertional malaise. Medically the symptoms are known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome ( ME/CFS ). The World Health Organization classifies this as a post viral fatigue syndrome, and it is recognised by both the WHO and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a brain disorder. Experiencing illness long after contracting an infection is not new, as patients have reported these symptoms for decades. But COVID-19 has amplified the problem worldwide. Nearly half of people with ongoing post-COVID symptoms - a condition known as long-COVID - now meet the criteria for ME/CFS. Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, it is estimated that more than 400 million people have developed long-COVID. To date, no widely accepted and testable mechanism has fully explained the biological processes underlying long-COVID and ME/CFS. Our work offers a new perspective that may help close this gap. Our research group studies blood and the cardiovascular system in inflammatory diseases, as well as post-viral conditions. We focus on coagulation, inflammation and endothelial cells. Endothelial cells make up the inner layer of blood vessels and serve many important functions, like regulating blood clotting, blood vessel dilation and constriction, and inflammation. Our latest review aims to explain how ME/CFS and long-COVID start and progress, and how symptoms show up in the body and its systems. By pinpointing and explaining the underlying disease mechanisms, we can pave the way for better clinical tools to diagnose and treat people living with ME/CFS and long-COVID. What is endothelial senescence? In our review, our international team proposes that certain viruses drive endothelial cells into a half-alive, "zombie-like" state called cellular senescence. Senescent endothelial cells stop dividing, but continue to release molecules that awaken and confuse the immune system. This prompts the blood to form clots and, at the same time, prevent clot breakdown, which could lead to the constriction of blood vessels and limited blood flow. By placing "zombie" blood-vessel cells at the centre of these post-viral diseases, our hypothesis weaves together microclots, oxygen debt (the extra oxygen your body needs after strenuous exercise to restore balance), brain-fog, dizziness, gut leakiness (a digestive condition where the intestinal lining allows toxins into the bloodstream) and immune dysfunction into a single, testable narrative. From acute viral infection to 'zombie' vessels Viruses like SARS-CoV-2, Epstein-Barr virus, HHV-6, influenza A, and enteroviruses (a group of viruses that cause a number of infectious illnesses which are usually mild) can all infect endothelial cells. They enable a direct attack on the cells that line the inside of blood vessels. Some of these viruses have been shown to trigger endothelial senescence. Multiple studies show that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes COVID-19 disease) has the ability to induce senescence in a variety of cell types, including endothelial cells. Viral proteins from SARS-CoV-2, for example, sabotage DNA-repair pathways and push the host cell towards a senescent state, while senescent cells in turn become even more susceptible to viral entry. This reciprocity helps explain why different pathogens can result in the same chronic illness. Influenza A, too, has shown the ability to drive endothelial cells into a senescent, zombie-like state. What we think is happening We propose that when blood-vessel cells turn into "zombies", they pump out substances that make blood thicker and prone to forming tiny clots. These clots slow down circulation, so less oxygen reaches muscles and organs. This is one reason people feel drained. During exercise, the problem worsens. Instead of the vessels relaxing to allow adequate bloodflow, they tighten further. This means that muscles are starved of oxygen and patients experience a crash the day after exercise. In the brain, the same faulty cells let blood flow drop and leak, bringing on brain fog and dizziness. In the gut, they weaken the lining, allowing bits of bacteria to slip into the bloodstream and trigger more inflammation. Because blood vessels reach every corner of the body, even scattered patches of these "zombie" cells found in the blood vessels can create the mix of symptoms seen in long-COVID and ME/CFS. Immune exhaustion locks in the damage Some parts of the immune system kill senescent cells. They are natural-killer cells, macrophages and complement proteins, which are immune molecules capable of tagging and killing pathogens. But long-COVID and ME/CFS frequently have impaired natural-killer cell function, sluggish macrophages and complement dysfunction. Senescent endothelial cells may also send out a chemical signal to repel immune attack. So the "zombie cells" actively evade the immune system. This creates a self-sustaining loop of vascular and immune dysfunction, where senescent endothelial cells persist. In a healthy person with an optimally functioning immune system, these senescent endothelial cells will normally be cleared. But there is significant immune dysfunction in ME/CFS and long-COVID, and this may enable the "zombie cells" to survive and the disease to progress. Where the research goes next There is a registered clinical trial in the US that is investigating senescence in long-COVID. Our consortium is testing new ways to spot signs of ageing in the cells that line our blood vessels. First, we expose healthy endothelial cells in the lab to blood from patients to see whether it pushes the cells into a senescent, or "zombie," state. At the same time, we are trialling non-invasive imaging and fluorescent probes that could one day reveal these ageing cells inside the body. In selected cases, tissue biopsies may later confirm what the scans show. Together, these approaches aim to pinpoint how substances circulating in the blood drive cellular ageing and how that, in turn, fuels disease. Our aim is simple: find these ageing endothelial cells in real patients. Pinpointing them will inform the next round of clinical trials and open the door to therapies that target senescent cells directly, offering a route to healthier blood vessels and, ultimately, lighter disease loads. (The Conversation) NSA NSA
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Why India's hepatitis crisis needs urgent attention
World Hepatitis Day, observed on July 28, is a global call to action to eliminate viral hepatitis, the second deadliest infectious disease after COVID-19. This year's theme, 'Hepatitis: Let's Break It Down', urges the dismantling of financial, social, and systemic barriers that delay timely diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of this silent killer. Understanding hepatitis Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver, primarily caused by five viruses: A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A and E are transmitted through contaminated food or water and usually result in acute illness. Hepatitis B, C, and D, however, are more insidious and are transmitted through blood, unsafe medical procedures, unprotected sex, or from mother to child. If left untreated, these can lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, or liver cancer. According to the World Health Organization's 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, India bears the world's second-highest burden, with 2.98 crore Hepatitis B and 55 lakh Hepatitis C cases. Alarmingly, nearly 90% of those infected are unaware of their condition and often present only when irreversible liver damage has set in. Despite the availability of vaccines for Hepatitis A and B, and curative treatments for Hepatitis C, hepatitis still claims one life every 30 seconds. Challenges that need addressing In line with the WHO's target to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, India must address pressing challenges such as high diagnostic costs, limited screening, and persistent stigma. Strengthening the healthcare response through routine screening, community-level education, and policies that ensure affordable access to diagnostics and treatment is essential. Across the country, public health institutions, medical colleges, and civil society partners are intensifying efforts through awareness campaigns, screening programs, and policy advocacy to improve access to diagnosis and treatment. Recent initiatives have included national summits bringing together experts and stakeholders to develop comprehensive elimination strategies. On this World Hepatitis Day, let's break the silence, end the stigma, and build a hepatitis-free world. Join the movement. Get tested, get treated, and protect your family. (Dr. Vivek Shanmugam is a liver transplant surgeon & managing trustee, Chennai Liver Foundation . Info@
