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19 Oct

COVID-19 Linked to Increased Risk of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a Rare but Serious Autoimmune Disorder, New Study Finds

In a new study, participants recently infected with COVID-19 were six times more likely to develop Guillain-Barré syndrome, where the immune system attacks the nerves.

12 Oct

COVID-19 May Raise Risk for Immune Disorders like Alopecia and Crohn’s, New Study Finds

A new study suggests people with a history of COVID-19 may face increased odds for autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders, including alopecia, Crohn’s disease and vasculitis.

Health News Results - 147

Sharks' Amazing Ability to Heal From Wounds Might Help Humans

Forget "Jaws": The remarkable wound-healing power of shark skin could end up helping humans, new research claims.

Shark skin is coated with a special film of mucus that more closely resembles mucus generated by people than that generated by other types of fish, noted researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm.

They conducted their investigation at the Marine Biolog...

COVID Might Raise Odds for Immune Disorders Like Crohn's, Alopecia

In rare cases, some patients may develop an autoimmune disease following a bout of COVID, Korean researchers report.

Conditions such as alopecia (hair loss), psoriasis, vitiligo (white skin patches), vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels), Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, adult-onset Still's disease (painful skin rash), Sjogren's syndrome (autoimmune disease...

Ginger May Ease Inflammation of Autoimmune Diseases

Ginger supplements may help those with certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, control inflammation.

New research has added evidence to support the impact of ginger on white blood cell function, particularly a type of cell called a neutrophil.

The researchers were particularly interested in neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, also called NETos...

In Primate Study, Antibody Treatment Prevents Organ Rejection After Transplant

A new study in non-human primates shows potential for using a manmade monoclonal antibody to help prevent organ rejection after a transplant.

The antibody was successful in promoting graft survival after kidney and pancreatic islet cell transplantations, according to the research.

This clears a path for this new monoclonal antibody to move forward in human clinical trials, the rese...

A New Treatment Option for a Form of Sudden Hair Loss

A new type of medication, JAK inhibitors, can effectively treat moderate to severe alopecia areata, a hair loss condition that has been historically hard to treat.

A study of its effectiveness, by Dr. Brett King and Dr. Brittany Craiglo...

New Clues to Treating a Disease That Prevents Children From Swallowing, Eating

Children who have a chronic immune system disease that can prevent them from eating may eventually have a new treatment, decades after the condition was first identified.

“Parents and doctors may not be aware of this, but this is a very prominent and serious disease in the pediatric population, and it is increasing in number because it is directly related to food allergens, which are al...

Over Half of People With Autoimmune Conditions Suffer Depression, Anxiety

More than half of all patients with autoimmune diseases also suffer from depression and anxiety -- but most are never asked about their mental health, a new study finds.

Surveying more than 1,800 patients, British researchers found more than half rarely or never reported their mental health symptoms to their doctor. This could mean the range of mental health and neurological symptoms is ...

Spinal Cord Injury Could Harm Immune System

A severe spinal cord injury is traumatic enough, but new research now shows that trauma can trigger an immune deficiency that puts patients at risk for developing life-threatening infections.

A new study from a team of international researchers sheds light on spinal cord injury-induced immune deficiency syndrome, which was initially discovered in experimental models.

“Infections ...

Space Travel Might Weaken Immune System

Space travel appears to weaken astronauts' immune systems, and researchers believe changes in gene expression are the culprit.

These immune deficits aren't permanent. They disappear when back on Earth, often within weeks, according to new research published June 22 in Frontiers in Immunology.

“Here we show that the expression of many genes rel...

Screening Newborns for 'Bubble Boy' Immune Disease Saves Lives

Screening newborns for severe combined immunodeficiency -- SCID, sometimes referred to as "bubble boy disease" -- significantly increases survival rates, researchers say.

Infants with SCID appear healthy at birth, but have no immune defenses, making them highly susceptible to severe and often fatal infections. The 1976 TV movie “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" promoted awareness of ...

Skin Issues Can Be First Sign of Rheumatological Illnesses

Skin conditions may be the first sign that a person has a rheumatic disease that will also affect the joints, muscles or ligaments.

It's essential to know what to look for, said Dr. Kathryn Dao, an associate professor of internal medicine in the Division of Rheumatic Diseases at UT Southwester...

Immune System May Hold Secret to Living to 100

Centenarians might live 100 years or more thanks in part to a more agile and adaptive immune system, a new study reveals.

Blood tests of seven centenarians -- average age 106 -- found they possess highly functional immune systems that adapt readily to infections and illnesses, according to researchers.

“What we basically found is that centenarians manifest a history of exposu...

Having Asthma, Eczema Might Raise Arthritis Risk

If you're one of the millions of people with allergic asthma or eczema, you may be more likely to develop the wear-and-tear form of arthritis as you age.

This is the main finding from a new study that examined the risk of developing osteoarthritis among people with the two allerg...

Gene That Shielded Some Against Black Death May Be Helping, Harming People Today

Some people may have a gene that helps protect them from respiratory diseases like COVID-19 -- and helped their ancestors fight the plague.

It comes at a cost.

This same gene variation may be linked to an increased risk of autoimmune disease, including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, according to British researchers.

“This gene essentially chops up prote...

Newly Discovered Disease May Affect Over 15,000 Americans

Researchers are shedding light on a mystery medical condition called VEXAS syndrome that's believed to affect more than 15,000 people in the United States.

Identified in 2020, VEXAS syndrome is a rare, genetically linked disorder with a high death rate.

The syndrome includes unexplained fevers and low blood oxygen levels in people with other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, ...

Gene Therapy Breakthrough Helps Children Born Without Immune System

Ten children with an especially rare and hard-to-treat form of "bubble boy" disease are living normal lives after receiving a new gene therapy approach, researchers say.

Experts said the findings are a major advance for children with the disease -- a subtype of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).

SCID refers to a group of rare genetic diseases that cause babies to be born ...

COVID Infection Disrupts the Gut's Microbiome

COVID-19 is known to mess with a person's lungs, and can have long-term effects on the brain.

Now doctors have found another way COVID harms your health -- through your gut.

A COVID infection can reduce the number of bacterial species in the gut, creating an opportunity for dangerous antibiotic-re...

Topical Cream May Restore Skin Pigmentation in People With Vitiligo

For the millions of people who live with vitiligo, a disease that robs the skin of its natural color, a newly approved cream called ruxolitinib (Opzelura) is quickly becoming a game changer.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration

  • Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 24, 2022
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  • Even Alligators Might Be Harmed by PFAS 'Forever Chemicals'

    Alligators along North Carolina's Cape Fear River have high blood levels of 14 toxic chemicals, along with signs of immune system damage, new research shows.

    The study of levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) in the reptiles' blood adds to concerns that the chemicals may cause genetic and immune system harm. Alligators are a

    Black Death Reshaped Genes in Ways Affecting People's Health Today

    The Black Death pandemic wiped out as many as half of the people living in some of the Middle Ages' most densely populated places, sweeping through Europe, Asia and Africa nearly 700 years ago.

    Now genetic analysis has revealed why some of our ancestors died while others didn't — and how...

    Drug Shows Promise Against Autoimmune Disease Scleroderma

    Researchers report early success with using an existing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drug to treat systemic sclerosis, a rare but potentially devastating autoimmune condition.

    The disease, a subset of scleroderma, ha...

    Two Cases Show COVID Virus Mutating Around Standard Treatment Remdesivir

    Patients with weakened immune systems could be inadvertently helping COVID-19 develop resistance to the antiviral drug remdesivir, a new study reports.

    After lengthy COVID infections, two kidney transplant patients on immune-suppressing drugs to prevent organ rejection developed a mutated version of SARS-CoV-2 resistant to remdesivir, according to

  • By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 28, 2022
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  • A Good Night's Sleep Recharges Immune System

    If you want to stay well, make sure you're getting enough sleep.

    That's the conclusion of a new study that found that good sleep helps regulate a key component of the body's immune system.

    Specifically, it influences the environment where white blood cells known as

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 22, 2022
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  • In Small Study, CAR-T Therapy Pushes Lupus Into Remission

    While there's no cure for lupus and treatments don't work for many of the 1.5 million people who live with the disease in the United States, a new study shows a cancer therapy may kick hard-to-treat lupus into remission.

    Lupus is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body's immune system engages in friendly f...

    Lupus, MS and Other Autoimmune Disorders Raise Heart Risks

    Research has linked heart disease to specific autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Now, a huge study shows that autoimmune diseases as a group increase your chances of developing heart ills.

    Autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus and type 1 diabetes occur when the body engages in friendly fire against its own organs, tissues, ...

    B 8/9 -- Ashton Kutcher 'Lucky to Be Alive' After Battle With Vasculitis

    Actor Ashton Kutcher is opening up about dealing with a rare condition called vasculitis that for a time left him seriously disabled.

    In an episode of “Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge,” airing Aug. 14 on National Geographic channel, Kutcher, 44, reveals that “two years ago I had this rare, super rare, form of

  • By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 9, 2022
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  • COVID Boosters Can Help People With Lupus

    People with lupus benefit from a COVID-19 booster shot after full vaccination, with a new study showing they are half as likely to experience a COVID infection afterward.

    "Our study results offer people living with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) clinical confirmation that vaccines are highly effect...

    Doctors Transplant Kidneys to Children Without Need for Immune-Suppressing Drugs

    Researchers have figured out a way to safely give children a donor kidney without the need for immune-suppressing drugs -- an advance they hope to expand to many more kidney transplant patients in coming year...

    Stress Can Age, Weaken Your Immune System

    Stress may take a huge toll on your health, weakening your immune system and opening the door to serious illness, a new study suggests.

    Traumatic events, job strain, daily stressors and discrimination may all speed aging of the

  • Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 14, 2022
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  • A Child's Pet Dog May Shield Them From Crohn's Disease

    Add a lower risk of Crohn's disease to the many benefits of having a dog during childhood, a new study suggests.

    Sorry, cat lovers, researchers didn't find a similar benefit for you.

    "We did not see the same results with cats, though we are still trying to determine why," said senior author Williams Turpin, a research associate with Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and the University...

    Scientists Get Close to Genetic Cause of Lupus

    There is no cure for lupus yet, but new genetic research may at least point to new treatments for the chronic disease.

    An international team of researchers has identified a gene mutation linked with lupus. An autoimmune disease, lupus causes organ and joint inflammation, fatigue and a number of other problems. I...

    Breathing Dirty Air Could Raise Your Odds for Rheumatoid Arthritis

    Long-term exposure to air pollution can wreak havoc on your lungs and heart, but new research suggests another vulnerability: It may increase your risk of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.

    For the study, the re...

    Scientists Report 'Rogue Antibodies' Behind Severe Clotting With COVID

    "Rogue antibodies" that seem to trigger severe blood clotting and illness in COVID-19 patients have been identified by scientists.

    Their analysis of blood samples from 244 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 revealed circulating antiphospholipid antibodies, which are autoantibodies that target a person's own organs and systems.

    These autoantibodies are more common in people with auto...

    Meat-Heavy Diets Might Have Link to MS

    If you eat a lot of meat, you may be at increased risk for multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study suggests.

    MS is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the insulation around nerves. It's not clear what triggers the attack, but mounting evidence suggests bact...

    Vitamin D Supplements Might Cut Your Odds for Autoimmune Diseases

    Taking vitamin D supplements may help stave off psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other autoimmune diseases, a new study suggests.

    Previous research has hinted at this connection, but the new study is the first randomized controlled trial to look at what happens when people are given vitamin D supplements and followed to see if they develop an

  • Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
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  • January 27, 2022
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  • Scientists Discover How the 'Mono' Virus Might Trigger MS

    A one-two punch from science has clearly tagged the mononucleosis virus, Epstein-Barr, as a major cause of multiple sclerosis.

    The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) appears to trigger multiple sclerosis (MS) by tricking the immune systems of some into attacking their body's own nerve cells, a new study indicates.

    "...

    'Breakthrough' COVID Infections Can Still Be Deadly for Cancer Patients

    MONDAY, Dec 27, 2021 (HealthDay News)-- When fully vaccinated cancer patients develop a breakthrough case of COVID-19, most will become seriously ill and end up hospitalized, a new study finds.

    The conclusion stems from the experience of 54 cancer patients who developed COVID-19.

    Sixty-five percent were hospitalized following infection, while nearly 1 in 5 (19%) were placed on a mec...

    Coping With Cancer and COVID During the Holidays

    Tempting as it is to mingle with friends and relatives, anyone with cancer should take extra precautions this holiday season to avoid COVID-19. Their families also need to be cautious to help protect them, experts say.

    Yale Cancer Center reminds people who are living with cancer that the disease and treatments can put a patient at risk for serious illness from the coronavirus, even if th...

    Could Meditation Strengthen Your Immune System?

    Meditation done at an intense level may bring a significant boost to the inner workings of your immune system.

    The finding follows a blood sample analysis that took pre- and post-meditation snapshots of genetic activity among more than 100 men and women.

    That analysis suggested that

    Deadly 'Black Fungus' Disease Spotted in Americans With COVID-19

    It's a phenomenon first identified in India earlier this year: Patients who have or are recovering from COVID-19 who then contract a sometimes deadly fungal infection known as mucormycosis -- also known as "black fungus."

    Now, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said isolated cases...

    FDA OKs Drug to Help Immune-Compromised Fend Off COVID

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday granted emergency approval of a new antibody cocktail to prevent COVID infection in people who have weakened immune systems or who can't tolerate COVID vaccines.

    “Vaccines have proven to be the best defense available against COVID-19. However, there are certain immune-compromised individuals who may not mount an adequate immune response...

    With Holidays Ahead, COVID Boosters a Must for People With Weak Immune Systems

    If you're a patient with a weakened immune system, roll up your sleeves to stay safe over the holidays and winter months.

    "Immunocompromised patients absolutely should get a flu shot as well as an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose," said Dr. Marwa Kaisey, a neuroimmunologist and assistant professor of neurology at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

    "Otherwise, they are more likely to have ...

    People on Immune-Suppressing Meds Fare Equally Well With Severe COVID

    Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who take medications that suppress the immune system don't have a higher risk of severe COVID-19 than those with normal immune systems, a new study finds.

    Early in the pandemic, it was feared that people taking immunosuppressive drugs were at increased risk of severe COVID-19 due to their weakened immune systems. The drugs are used to treat cancer and autoim...

    COVID Booster Shot Helps Cancer Patients

    A COVID-19 vaccine booster shot gives cancer patients -- especially those with blood cancer -- much-needed protection, new research reports.

    "Our study demonstrates in clear terms how the booster shot can make all the difference for some people with compromised immune systems, such as people with cancer," study co-author Dr. Balazs Halmos said in a news release from Montefiore Health Syst...

    COVID Vaccine Spurs Good Response in People With Crohn's, Colitis

    Here's some comforting news for people who struggle with inflammatory bowel disease and worry that the immune-suppressing drugs they must take might blunt their response to COVID-19 vaccines: New research finds vaccination triggers a strong immune reaction in these patients.

    "At eight weeks, following completion of a two-dose mRNA vaccine series, 99% of patients had detectable antibodies ...

    More Evidence COVID Shots Less Effective for People With Weak Immune Systems

    Transplant patients and certain other folks may need four shots of COVID-19 vaccine for optimal protection, new research suggests.

    People with weakened immune systems who've received both doses of two-dose COVID-19 vaccines aren't adequately protected against severe illness. They should be given a third shot plus a booster, according to the study.

    "These findings indicate that while...

    Immunocompromised May Need Fourth COVID Shot: CDC

    Severely immunocompromised people may require a fourth mRNA coronavirus shot, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

    The agency didn't provide an official recommendation about a fourth shot in its updated guidelines, but did say that people should talk to their doctors to determine if one is necessary, CNN reported.

    In August, the CDC authorized a third d...

    Ten Years On, Gene Therapy Still Beating Most Cases of 'Bubble Boy' Immune Disease

    Nine of 10 patients with so-called "bubble boy" immune disease who received gene therapy about a decade ago are still disease-free, researchers report.

    The gene therapy was developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to treat the rare and deadly immune system disorder formally known as adenosine deaminase--deficient severe combined immunodeficiency (ADA-SCID).

    It'...

    Study Spots People at High Risk of Severe Breakthrough COVID

    A study of millions of people vaccinated against COVID-19 has identified those at greatest risk of hospitalization and death after breakthrough infection.

    The most vulnerable are those who are immunosuppressed from chemotherapy, a recent bone marrow or solid organ transplant, or HIV/AIDS. Also at risk are people with neurological disorders (such as dementia and Parkinson's disease), nur...

    Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death Rises in People With HIV

    People with HIV have an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, a new study warns, especially if the virus isn't well-controlled.

    Sudden cardiac death occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops beating, usually due to an abrupt electrical malfunction.

    "People living with HIV are already known to have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, blood clots in the lungs and pe...

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