Latest news with #viralinfection
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Winter viruses can trigger a heart attack or stroke, our study shows. It's another good reason to get a flu or COVID shot
Winter is here, along with cold days and the inevitable seasonal surge in respiratory viruses. But it's not only the sniffles we need to worry about. Heart attacks and strokes also tend to rise during the winter months. In new research out this week we show one reason why. Our study shows catching common respiratory viruses raises your short-term risk of a heart attack or stroke. In other words, common viruses, such as those that cause flu and COVID, can trigger them. Traditional risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and lack of exercise are the main reasons for heart attacks and strokes. And rates of heart attacks and strokes can rise in winter for a number of reasons. Factors such as low temperature, less physical activity, more time spent indoors – perhaps with indoor air pollutants – can affect blood clotting and worsen the effects of traditional risk factors. But our new findings build on those from other researchers to show how respiratory viruses can also be a trigger. The theory is respiratory virus infections set off a heart attack or stroke, rather than directly cause them. If traditional risk factors are like dousing a house in petrol, the viral infection is like the matchstick that ignites the flame. For healthy, young people, a newer, well-kept house is unlikely to spontaneously combust. But an older or even abandoned house with faulty electric wiring needs just a spark to lead to a blaze. People who are particularly vulnerable to a heart attack or stroke triggered by a respiratory virus are those with more than one of those traditional risk factors, especially older people. Our team conducted a meta-analysis (a study of existing studies) to see which respiratory viruses play a role in triggering heart attacks and strokes, and the strength of the link. This meant studying more than 11,000 scientific papers, spanning 40 years of research. Overall, the influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) were the main triggers. If you catch the flu, we found the risk of a heart attack goes up almost 5.4 times and a stroke by 4.7 times compared with not being infected. The danger zone is short – within the first few days or weeks – and tapers off with time after being infected. Catching COVID can also trigger heart attacks and strokes, but there haven't been enough studies to say exactly what the increased risk is. We also found an increased risk of heart attacks or strokes with other viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), enterovirus and cytomegalovirus. But the links are not as strong, probably because these viruses are less commonly detected or tested for. Over a person's lifetime, our bodies wear and tear and the inside wall of our blood vessels becomes rough. Fatty build-ups (plaques) stick easily to these rough areas, inevitably accumulating and causing tight spaces. Generally, blood can still pass through, and these build-ups don't cause issues. Think of this as dousing the house in petrol, but it's not yet alight. So how does a viral infection act like a matchstick to ignite the flame? Through a cascading process of inflammation. High levels of inflammation that follow a viral infection can crack open a plaque. The body activates blood clotting to fix the crack but this clot could inadvertently block a blood vessel completely, causing a heart attack or stroke. Some studies have found fragments of the COVID virus inside the blood clots that cause heart attacks – further evidence to back our findings. We don't know whether younger, healthier people are also at increased risk of a heart attack or stroke after infection with a respiratory virus. That's because people in the studies we analysed were almost always older adults with at least one of those traditional risk factors, so were already vulnerable. The bad news is we will all be vulnerable eventually, just by getting older. The triggers we identified are mostly preventable by vaccination. There is good evidence from clinical trials the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke, especially if someone already has heart problems. We aren't clear exactly how this works. But the theory is that avoiding common infections, or having less severe symptoms, reduces the chances of setting off the inflammatory chain reaction. COVID vaccination could also indirectly protect against heart attacks and strokes. But the evidence is still emerging. Heart attacks and strokes are among Australia's biggest killers. If vaccinations could help reduce even a small fraction of people having a heart attack or stroke, this could bring substantial benefit to their lives, the community, our stressed health system and the economy. At-risk groups should get vaccinated against flu and COVID. Pregnant women, and people over 60 with medical problems, should receive RSV vaccination to reduce their risk of severe disease. So if you are older or have predisposing medical conditions, check Australia's National Immunisation Program to see if you are eligible for a free vaccine. For younger people, a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and balanced diet will set you up for life. Consider checking your heart age (a measure of your risk of heart disease), getting an annual flu vaccine and discuss COVID boosters with your GP. This article is republished from The Conversation. It was written by: Tu Nguyen, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Christopher Reid, Curtin University; Diana Vlasenko, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Hazel Clothier, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and Jim Buttery, Murdoch Children's Research Institute Read more: Kicked out for coming out: more than half of LGBTIQ+ flatmates face discrimination for their identity Ticks carry decades of history in each troublesome bite Mosquito, tick or flea? How to avoid, identify and treat insect bites this summer Tu Nguyen is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program PhD Scholarship and a Murdoch Children's Research Institute Top-Up Scholarship. Christopher Reid receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council and the Medical Research Future Fund. Jim Buttery receives funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, the US Centres for Disease Control, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Victorian State Government. Diana Vlasenko and Hazel Clothier do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Sky News
5 days ago
- Health
- Sky News
Explainer: What is rabies and how do you avoid getting it?
A grandmother from South Yorkshire has died from rabies after returning from a holiday in Morocco, where she was scratched by a puppy with the virus. Yvonne Ford, 59, from Barnsley, visited the North African country in February but only became ill two weeks ago. Her family now want to raise awareness about the virus. What is rabies? Rabies is a virus transmitted between mammals, nearly always through bites and scratches from an infected animal. Rabies is always fatal once symptoms appear - even if someone is treated for it - but post-exposure treatment is very effective if given quickly enough. How rare is it? Although cases in UK travellers are very rare, rabies is endemic in many parts of the world, including popular holiday destinations such as Morocco, Turkey, India, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. Since 1946, 26 cases have been reported in the UK. The most recent incident involved a person bitten by a cat in Morocco in 2018. The only domestic case was in Scotland in 2002 when a person was bitten by a bat. There are around 59,000 cases of rabies globally each year, but there have been no incidents of human-to-human transmission. How do you get infected? Rabies is usually transmitted to humans through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, most often dogs, but also cats and bats. Even a minor scratch can pose a risk, but there is also a risk of transmission where the animal has licked the eyes, nose or mouth, or a wound. What if you are bitten, scratched or licked? Immediate medical help is essential. Anyone who is bitten, scratched or licked by an animal abroad should wash the site with plenty of soap and water and contact a doctor or medical centre. The NHS says the same applies for people who are bitten or scratched by a bat in the UK. Treatment, called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), includes a course of rabies vaccinations and, in some cases, rabies immunoglobulin. What are the symptoms? Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease is nearly always fatal. Initially, people with the virus may exhibit flu-like symptoms, which develop into a fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, agitation, anxiety, difficulty swallowing and excessive saliva. Spasms of the muscles used for swallowing make it difficult for the patient to drink and people can suffer hallucinations and paralysis. The incubation period between being infected and showing symptoms is typically between 3 and 12 weeks, but can it can be as soon as a few days and can take many months. How do you avoid rabies? It is possible to get the vaccination before travelling abroad, but anyone who is bitten, scratched or licked is still advised to seek help even if they have had a course of jabs. The NHS says the rabies vaccine is recommended for anyone travelling to a part of the world where rabies is more common, especially if they're going somewhere where it may be hard to get medical help quickly; they might come into contact with infected animals (for example by doing lots of outdoor activities like cycling or running), or they're staying for over a month. But the rabies vaccine for travel is not available on the NHS meaning it will require a visit to a travel health clinic or pharmacy with travel health services. Dr Chris Smith, clinical associate professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said that while treatments are "highly effective when started early", prevention is better. "Avoid contact with animals abroad; if bitten or scratched, seek medical care immediately - don't wait for symptoms to appear," he said.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
News 19 Exclusive: Mother claims inadequate treatment from Madison Hospital
TANNER, Ala. (WHNT) — Savannah Gagneur is speaking out, saying Madison Hospital did not properly treat her 19-month-old daughter in a moment of serious illness. 'She just woke up, like, really fussy,' Gagneur said. 'I took her temperature and it was 104.8 [degrees].' 'This is out of control': SNAP benefits theft victims plead for help Gagneur's stomach dropped seeing her 19-month-old daughter, Kennedie, suffering from such a high fever. But, storms Tuesday night were still active in the area, so they had to wait it out. 'I just gave her Tylenol and let her sleep it off,' Gagneur said. 'In the morning, it didn't really get any better. It was like 103 [degrees].' That's when Gagneur took Kennedie to the Madison Hospital Emergency Room, an experience she describes as unacceptable. 'I got there around 8:36 a.m. and left around 9:16 a.m., so I wasn't even there for an hour. They discharged me, saying she had a viral infection. They didn't test her or anything,' Gagneur said. Madison para athlete gearing up to train with Team USA She described leaving Madison Hospital with only Tylenol and frustration. When Kennedie's symptoms worsened that same day, Gagneur said she called their pediatrician, who consulted them to go to Decatur Morgan's pediatric emergency room. Kennedie was diagnosed with pneumonia there, but that's not where the story ends. 'He [doctor at Decatur Morgan Pediatric ER] was like, 'Well, we'll give her some Tylenol, and, after an hour, if her body doesn't react to it, then we'll admit her to [Huntsville Hospital] Women's and Children's.' And they did,' Gagneur said. 'We went to Women's and Children's via ambulance.' At Huntsville Hospital Women and Children's Emergency Room, 19-month-old Kennedie received even more diagnoses. 'She has meta pneumonia, which is a bacterial pneumonia, a viral pneumonia and rhinovirus,' Gagneur said. All the diagnoses only escalated Gagneur's frustration with Madison Hospital. 📲 to stay updated on the go. 📧 to have news sent to your inbox. She made a post on Facebook detailing her experience at MH, which garnered over 200 comments, most of which chimed in with their own feelings of inadequate treatment at that hospital. 'It's very upsetting considering those are people that're supposed to be taking care of our kids, you know?' Gagneur said. 'Pneumonia is very serious in kids under the age of two. That's like a life-threatening thing.' The Huntsville Hospital Health System responded to News 19's inquiry about the situation, saying: 'Madison Hospital takes pride in providing excellent care for our community members of all ages. Our hospital leadership has been in contact with the patient's mother to understand her concerns and learn more. The hospital is already reviewing the situation to thoroughly understand the care provided and identify any areas for learning or improvement.' Spokesperson, Madison Hospital Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
I was on the roof smoking weed as my baby girl fought for her life in hospital – and I used the drug constantly through both of my pregnancies. This is the startling truth about being a middle-class 'addict': ELIZABETH WALKER
Lying motionless in a hospital bed, surrounded by beeping machines attached by wires to her tiny body, my four-month-old daughter was fighting for her life. As a new mother, I felt guilty for not spotting the signs of bronchiolitis, a viral lung infection that can leave infants gasping for breath, before it got this far.
