infection

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse LoughreyGet our The Life Cinematic email for freeJake Gyllenhaal has said he developed a staph infection after incurring an on-set injury while filming a fight scene for his forthcoming movie, Road House.The 43-year-old stars opposite professional Irish fighter Conor McGregor in director Doug Liman’s remake of the 1989 cult classic, which starred Patrick Swayze. Appearing on a recent episode of Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast…

A study from the University of Oxford reveals that a significant number of COVID-19 infections persist for over a month, potentially contributing to the emergence of new variants and Long COVID symptoms. Analysis of over 90,000 participants found that up to 0.5% of infections could last 60 days or more, with some infections showing high mutation rates.Recent research conducted by the University of Oxford has found that a high proportion of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the general population lead to persistent infections…

A study by the University of California, Riverside, indicates that vaping can increase susceptibility to COVID-19 due to certain e-liquid components, but the risk can be lowered with the addition of benzoic acid. The research highlights the potential health benefits of quitting vaping or selecting e-liquids wisely to avoid enhanced infection risk, aiming to inform future regulations and public health guidelines.A study from UC Riverside advises e-cigarette users to exercise caution when vaping in the era of COVID-19.A…

Games Operators and Jutsu Games have announced that their zombie apocalypse survival management game, Infection Free Zone, will enter early access on April 11, 2024. I’m still burnt out from the zombie boom of the late aughts and early ‘10s. However, Infection Free Zone still caught my eye despite my exhaustion. Part of this is because it uses real map data to allow you to play on any city. This is similar to Jutsu’s previous games, 911 Operator and 112 Operator. However, while those were just overhead maps, Infection…

A study has identified 70 virus lineages with the highest potential for causing a global pandemic, emphasizing the importance of monitoring viruses related to known human pathogens. This research supports the preparation for future pandemics by informing vaccine and diagnostic development and refining surveillance efforts to focus on the most threatening RNA viruses.Understanding the ancestry of virus families may assist researchers in pinpointing which variants possess the potential to become Disease X, the elusive…

A critical early stage of embryonic development has been linked to a virus that mixed with the ancestral DNA of complex organisms like ourselves more than 500 million years ago.Genetic material from endogenous retroviruses – which infected the earliest organisms on Earth, leaving markers in our DNA – is estimated to make up around 8 to 10 percent of the modern human genome.The newly discovered link between these viruses and embryo growth has implications for creating artificial embryos and working on regenerative…

A dangerous fungal infection has seeded its spores farther across the United States than previously assumed. Research out this week details evidence that cases of blastomycosis are regularly showing up in Vermont, outside of the established areas of the U.S. where it’s thought to be endemic.Alex Winter on the Most Important Modern Horror Movie Blastomycosis is an infection caused by a group of fungi called Blastomyces. These infections usually happen when people breathe in spores that have been kicked up into the air from…

As recent history proves, airborne respiratory infections are not to be trifled with. Now, a new sprayable coating applied to standard air filters might give us a leg up in the war against the pathogens that cause these diseases.Measles. Influenza. SARS. MERS. Pneumonia. Think of a major infectious disease, and the chances are that it is spread by airborne pathogens. Currently, COVID-19 and TB are the world's deadliest infectious diseases, and both are transmitted through the air. So when it comes to tamping down the risk…

The global burden and death toll of fungi has substantially climbed over the past decade, new research finds. The study estimates that fungal infections help kill nearly 4 million people annually—almost double the amount estimated by similar research in 2012. Co-infections like HIV and tuberculosis, a lack of speedy and reliable diagnostic testing, and growing antifungal resistance are thought to be major contributors to these deaths.Would Peter Capaldi Return to Doctor Who?The new research is by David Denning, a fungal…

A new study reveals that SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, enters mink cells differently than human cells, utilizing the endocytosis pathway due to an inactive TMPRSS2 enzyme in minks. This discovery highlights the complexities of zoonosis and the potential public health risks of interspecies virus transmission, underscoring the need for further research on various species.Research conducted at UC Riverside has the potential to assist scientists in devising strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among minks…