Tag: pathogen

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Long COVID: The latest in a series of unexplained post-acute infectious syndromes?

by Ya’el Courtneyfigures by Gracyn Mose COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has killed over 1 million Americans from 2020 to 2024. This number is startling, especially considering that the harm of COVID-19 extends beyond loss of life and even beyond the symptoms of acute infection. While most people recover fully from SARS-CoV-2 infection within a week or two, in February 2024, 6.8% … Continue reading Long COVID: The latest in a series of unexplained post-acute infectious syndromes?

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Blog, Special Edition: Diversity

Biodiversity Loss Can Increase the Spread of Zoonotic Diseases

by Sanjana Kulkarni SARS-CoV-2 may have spread to humans from an animal host, but it is not the only disease-causing agent (i.e. pathogen) to have done so. Lyme disease, Ebola virus, influenza, HIV, the plague, and rabies virus are just some examples of zoonotic diseases, meaning that they originated in animals and spread (i.e spilled over) to humans.  Many human activities, such as deforestation and … Continue reading Biodiversity Loss Can Increase the Spread of Zoonotic Diseases

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A Battle of Time: Biological clocks have a hand in defense against infection

by Ziqi Chen figures by Rebecca Senft Have you ever travelled across time zones? If the answer is yes, you might be familiar with jet lag, a condition that results from an altered internal clock. Jet lag causes symptoms such as disturbed sleep, stomach problems, and mood swings. In recent years, emerging lines of evidence show that jet lag might also affect our immune system, and … Continue reading A Battle of Time: Biological clocks have a hand in defense against infection

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