Covid19-Sources

IMPACT on SEMEN/SPERM quality, ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION, FERTILITY ISSUES Mega-thread with more than 20 studies ! — Emmanuel (@ejustin46)

Copenhagen, Denmark: More than three months after suffering from mild COVID infection, men have lower sperm concentrations and fewer sperm that are able to swim, according to new findings presented today (Monday) at the 39th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) [1].

Both the health and economic burden from Long Covid in NZ are likely to be large. But we can take action now to reduce the impact.

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines are pivotal in combating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, the declining antibody titers postvaccination pose challenges for sustained protection and herd immunity. Although gut microbiome is reported to affect the early antibody response after vaccination, its impact on the longevity of vaccine-induced antibodies remains unexplored. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 44 healthy adults who received two doses of either the BNT162b2 or ChAdOx1 vaccine, followed by a BNT162b2 booster at six months. The gut microbiome was serially analyzed using 16S rRNA and shotgun sequencing, while humoral immune response was assessed using a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunoassay. Results Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was associated with robust and persistent antibody responses post-BNT162b2 vaccination. In comparison, Escherichia coli was associated with a slower antibody decay following ChAdOx1 vaccination. The booster immune response was correlated with metabolic pathways involving cellular functions and aromatic amino acid synthesis. Conclusions The findings of this study underscored the potential interaction between the gut microbiome and the longevity/boosting effect of antibodies following vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. The identification of specific microbial associations suggests the prospect of microbiome-based strategies for enhancing vaccine efficacy.

A significant proportion of male COVID-19 patients have low testosterone levels, which can persist for months after recovery from the infection. It is uncertain whether gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons or their functions are affected in individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The research group from France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Hungary, and Italy examined the hormone profile of male COVID-19 patients at various times after infection. They also used the postmortem brain tissue of patients who died of COVID-19 to investigate possible infection of GnRH neurons and olfactory epithelia with SARS-CoV-2. The results have shown that persistent hypotestosteronemia in COVID-19 or long COVID syndrome could be of hypothalamic origin due to impaired GnRH function, or hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Background Since the discovery of COVID-19 in December 2019, the novel virus has spread globally causing significant medical and socio-economic burden. Although the pandemic has been curtailed, the virus and its attendant complication live on. A major global concern is its adverse impact on male fertility. Aim This study was aimed to give an up to date and robust data regarding the effect of COVID-19 on semen variables and male reproductive hormones. Materials and methods Literature search was performed according to the recommendations of PRISMA. Out of the 852 studies collected, only 40 were eligible for inclusion in assessing the effect SARS-CoV-2 exerts on semen quality and androgens. More so, a SWOT analysis was conducted. Results The present study demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 significantly reduced ejaculate volume, sperm count, concentration, viability, normal morphology, and total and progressive motility. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 led to a reduction in circulating testosterone level, but a rise in oestrogen, prolactin, and luteinizing hormone levels. These findings were associated with a decline in testosterone/luteinizing hormone ratio. Conclusions The current study provides compelling evidence that SARS-CoV-2 may lower male fertility by reducing semen quality through a hormone-dependent mechanism; reduction in testosterone level and increase in oestrogen and prolactin levels.

- Rheumatoid arthritis - Multiple sclerosis - Type 1 diabetes - Celiac disease - ME/CFS - Lupus A new EBV study in multiple sclerosis (MS) reveals an important clue that might explain this… — Brain Inflammation Collaborative (@BrainInflCollab)

— Jan Hartmann (@pelagicbird)

Long-COVID is a broadly defined condition and there are no effective therapies. Cardiovascular manifestations of long-COVID include high heart rate, postural tachycardia, and palpitations. Previous studies have suggested that mast cell activation (MCA) ...

— T. Ryan Gregory (@TRyanGregory)

So far, there has been no discernible increase in suicides among young Germans. Ongoing suicide monitoring is recommended.

Fibrin "binds to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein," forming clots that "drive systemic thromboinflammation and neuropathology," and it happens "independently of active infection." Simplified breakdown of the paper below! 1/many — Nick #RespiratorsFilterPathogens😷 Anderegg (@NickAnderegg)

Nature - Fibrin drives inflammation and neuropathology in SARS-CoV-2 infection, and fibrin-targeting immunotherapy may represent a therapeutic intervention for patients with long COVID.

The ability of governments to implement climate policies is the “most important” factor in feasibility of limiting global warming to 1.5C.

— Vipin M. Vashishtha (@vipintukur)

Communications Medicine - Yechezkel et al. compare the safety profiles of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 booster and the seasonal influenza vaccine using data from wearables, reported reactions, and...

Employment has increased at a higher rate among the disabled population than the broader population since the onset of COVID-19. Which types of disabilities are associated with the recent increase?

The notion that this illness is psychosomatic is having devastating effects, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

New research uncovers how COVID-19 may cause neuroinflammation, leading to persistent neurological symptoms even after recovery.

A new study suggests that mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein might make the virus more likely to infect the brain.

Patients with long COVID can develop humoral autoimmunity after severe acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, whether similar increases in autoantibody responses occur after mild infection and whether vaccination prior to SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection can limit autoantibody responses is unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that mild SARS-CoV-2 infection increases autoantibodies associated with rheumatic autoimmune diseases and diabetes in most individuals, regardless of vaccination status prior to infection. However, patients with long COVID and persistent neurologic and fatigue symptoms (neuro-PASC) have substantially higher autoantibody responses than convalescent control subjects at an average of 8 mo postinfection. Furthermore, high titers of systemic lupus erythematosus– and CNS-associated autoantibodies in patients with neuro-PASC are associated with impaired cognitive performance and greater symptom severity. In summary, we found that mild SARS-CoV-2 primary and breakthrough infections can induce persistent humoral autoimmunity in both patients with neuro-PASC and healthy COVID convalescents, suggesting that a reappraisal of mitigation strategies against SARS-CoV-2 is warranted to prevent transmission and potential development of autoimmunity.

Noch gibt es keine gezielte Therapie gegen Long Covid. Doch die Forschung kreist sie von gleich mehreren Seiten ein.

Nature Communications - After infection with SARS-CoV-2 a diverse set of symptoms remain or develop longer term in a condition termed long-CoVID, yet an accurate and tractable model has remained...

— Vipin M. Vashishtha (@vipintukur)

People who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccine have lower risk of severe illness.

View FDA-approved and FDA-authorized uses of the Covid-19 vaccines in the United States.

➡️ Der Impfschutz nimmt mit der Zeit ab, daher ist es wichtig, mit Ihrem -Impfstoff auf dem Laufenden zu bleiben. ➡️ Alle Personen ab 6 Monaten … — Ralf Wittenbrink (@RWittenbrink)

The just released an analysis using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), revealing some concerning trends. Here’s what they found: — Ziyad Al-Aly, MD (@zalaly)

Communications Medicine - Jeong et al. report a series of COVID-19 patients with hearing- and balance-related symptoms. The authors show that human and mouse inner ear tissues, as well as human...