Study reveals no negative effect of SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 vaccination on male fertility
Researchers analyzed the sperm parameters of males undergoing fertility treatment and found no effect from the BNT162b2 mRNA severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine.
To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have started mass vaccination programs. These vaccines have been approved after several safety trials. However, their effect on fertility is still unknown. However, vaccination is still recommended for people who are planning to conceive.
Several studies have found a negative impact of SARS-CoV-2 on sperm parameters. In addition, the gonads may also be vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Study shows a protective association between anticoagulants and COVID-19
Analysis of data on people with atrial fibrillation using anticoagulants and warfarin found them both to lower the risk of testing positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and severe disease.
COVID-19 disease may predispose some people to diseases related to blood clots because of disease severity or severe inflammatory response. Anticoagulants can help reduce the occurrence of such events in COVID-19 patients.
A few studies have reported that using anticoagulants like heparin can reduce the risk of blood clots in patients who have been hospitalized for COVID-19. Some studies have also looked at how oral coagulants can help, but these studies included people who likely had other comorbidities.
Applications of nanoparticles in combating COVID-19
Researchers review the various properties and use of nanoparticles in targeting SARS-CoV-2 and how they could be used to develop new therapeutics and diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2.
Nanoparticles, materials with a size less than 100 nm, have been used widely in many applications. Their small size makes their surface to volume ratio large, which has been used advantageously. Nanoparticles have been made from a wide variety of materials, including inorganic, metals, and organic materials.
The use of nanoparticles in pharmaceutical applications has many benefits. These materials can improve drug solubility, controlled drug release, and targeting of specific cells. In addition, they show efficient adsorption of many types of biomolecules and other chemicals, and can be used both for therapy and diagnostics. In a recently published review in
Touching contaminated surfaces can transfer SARS-CoV-2 to skin, finds study
Using artificial skin, researchers found that touching surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 can lead to transfer of virus to the skin.
The main mode of spreading of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is via airborne transmission via droplets from an infected person’s exhalation, cough, or sneeze. However, there is evidence that the virus can also spread when people come in contact with contaminated surfaces (known as ‘fomites’), with studies showing the virus can live for a few days on many surfaces.
This has led to a fear of touching objects used by many people. Public health guidelines suggest frequent hand washing and sanitization of communal objects. Another way to get around this problem is to coat objects with a coating that can kill viruses. But whether there is an actual transmission of the virus from the contaminated object to the skin is still unknown.
Triple mutation in SARS-CoV-2 seen in second wave of COVID-19 in India
Researchers sequenced the viral genome from samples in the state of Maharashtra and found a unique combination of three mutations that suggest the SARS-CoV-2 virus is continually evolving to evade the human immune response.
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to spread in several parts of the world, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is evolving to evade our immune system. Several new variants, designated variants of concern, have been reported from the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil at the end of 2020, which seem to be more infectious than the original strain.