oyvayblog: COVID and Medical News 6/29/25

It's so important to get the latest COVID information! Here's the latest newsletter by Dr Ruth Ann Crystal.

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COVID and Medical News 6/29/25

"COVID levels have increased in the southern states which are now considered high by WastewaterSCAN, although older data from the CDC reports levels overall as low. Florida has high levels of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in many sites and emergency department visits for children ages 0 to 11 in Florida are higher than those for people over age 75. These are the highest levels of COVID emergency room visits for kids in Florida since last September. It is expected that the summer wave may be more significant in the South and in the West as these regions did not have as large of a COVID winter wave this year.

From: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#ed-visits_separated_by_age_group

"Nationally, there are only about 148,000 new COVID infections per day in America, with about every 1 in 225 people currently infected according to JP Weiland. The CDC states on their COVID variant website that they do not have enough samples to accurately predict SARS-CoV-2 variants now. Although the CDC reported that variant NB.1.8.1 is highest, JP Weiland posted that actually XFG is higher in the United States now and is growing faster. XFG was also made a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM) by the WHO this week.

"According to WastewaterSCAN, which omits 12 states, COVID in wastewater in southern states of Florida and Louisiana and the Houston area in Texas are high. Mike Hoerger reports that he expects US COVID transmission will increase quickly and that it may be a good idea to restock on good masks, COVID tests and air filters now.

"In California, WastewaterSCAN reports that SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is highest in Vallejo at 200 PMMoV, Novato 182 PMMoV, Oceanside San Francisco 191 PMMoV, Palo Alto 151 PMMoV and San Jose 120 PMMoV. Los Angeles remains low at 39 PMMoV. Santa Clara County reports Palo Alto and San Jose wastewater levels as high, but they have not yet risen to SARS-CoV-2 wastewater levels seen last summer (yet).

Acute COVID infections, General COVID info

"Researchers from Mexico analyzed sweat from COVID patients using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) to detect metabolic biomarkers. They identified unique chemical signatures in acute COVID infection, including elevated levels of ketones and aldehydes, that may offer a non-invasive way to monitor infection and disease progression. This reminds me of past studies that showed that scent dogs could detect COVID infection in people’s sweat as accurately as PCR tests.

"A new preprint shows that the SARS‑CoV‑2 nucleocapsid (N) protein drives microglial cells into a senescent state by shifting their metabolism toward glycolysis which led to cognitive deficits in mice. In both cell culture and animal models, inhibiting glycolysis (with 2‑DG) blocked microglial senescence and preserved learning and memory function.

"A new review from Italy and the US reviewed how viruses like Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and SARS-CoV-2, and bacteria such as H. pylori, contribute to gut inflammation that can lead to cancer. The viruses and bacteria disrupt immune responses, promote genetic instability, and intensify chronic inflammation which are key drivers of tumor development.

"A comprehensive review in Virology maps how SARS‑CoV‑2 interacts with human proteins beyond ACE2, highlighting additional entry co‑receptors like C‑type lectins, neuropilin‑1, CD147, and tyrosine‑kinase receptors. It also details viral tactics to subvert immune responses, including disrupting type I interferon signaling and hijacking host machinery for replication and assembly (e.g. polymerases, lipid regulators, ATP processes, vesicle trafficking). The membrane (M) protein and NSPs are shown to manipulate ER, Golgi, and mitochondrial pathways to promote infection and syncytia formation.

Vaccines

"A group from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology and UCSD followed 78 people longitudinally over three years to track how repeated mRNA COVID-19 boosters shaped immunity. They found that while antibody levels rose with each booster, spike-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses increased early and then plateaued, remaining stable without signs of exhaustion. People with asymptomatic infections developed more diverse T cell profiles, suggesting that repeated vaccination plus mild exposure may strengthen and balance long-term immune defenses.

From: https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(25)00678-3

Antiviral treatments

"Invivyd, maker of the COVID monoclonal antibody Pemgarda, tested a new monoclonal antibody against COVID called VYD2311 in Phase 1 and 2 studies. VYD2311 was found to have a long half-life and remained active in the blood for 6 months with no severe side effects reported.

Long COVID

"In a new preprint, researchers analyzed multimodal MRI scans (structural, diffusion, functional, and cerebral blood flow) of 76 COVID survivors versus 51 healthy controls. The study found focal atrophy in the right basal ganglia and limbic regions, and decreased white matter integrity in tracts like the uncinate fasciculus and cingulum that was more pronounced in hospitalized cases. Brain changes correlate with common post-COVID symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss, attention issues, and insomnia.

From: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.20.25329994v1.full.pdf

"Researchers from Saudi Arabia looked at the gut microbiome in people who had heart attacks after COVID infection and sometimes after vaccination. They found that beneficial bacteria like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. Prau) and Bifidobacterium longum were significantly reduced, while opportunistic pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis increased in these patients. They concluded that shifts in the gut microbiome could alter metabolite production and contribute to systemic inflammation and increased cardiovascular risk.

"A report from the 5th symposium on regulatory autoantibodies against G-protein coupled receptors (RAB-GPCRs) shows that “RAB-GPCRs have emerged as key players in the pathogenesis of complex diseases, including systemic sclerosis, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, post-COVID syndrome (ME/CFS/PCS), vasculitis, and transplant rejection.” SARS-CoV-2 can trigger autoantibodies targeting GPCRs which can disrupt vascular, neurological, and autonomic functions and contribute to fatigue and brain fog. Overlap with ME/CFS suggests shared autoimmune pathways, pointing to potential benefits from treatments targeting these autoantibodies.

Fig. 2: Anti-AT1R Autoantibodies and Endothelial Damage with SARS-CoV-2

From: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568997225001156

"Fibrinaloid (amyloid-containing) microclots are resistant to degradation and are found in a variety of diseases including Long COVID, ME/CFS, and sepsis. A new review looks at the use of laser speckle imaging (LSI) and laser Doppler imaging (LDI) to assess how fibrinaloid microclots can disrupt the microcirculation.

"A group from the University of Washington at Tacoma used 3 RNA-seq datasets of 142 samples from Australia, the US and Russia to look at gene expression signatures in acute COVID infection and in Long COVID. They found that TNF-α/NF-κB pathway signatures could identify patients at risk of severe disease progression from acute COVID infection and that OXPHOS and Myc pathway-associated signatures reflecting metabolic changes may be used as a biomarker for Long COVID diagnosis and severity stratification. “Acute severe COVID-19 benefits from anti-inflammatory interventions targeting the dominant TNF-α/NF-κB pathway, consistent with the proven efficacy of corticosteroids and immunomodulators. Conversely, PASC management should prioritize mitochondrial function restoration and cellular repair mechanisms.”

Measles

"As of June 24, 2025, a total of 1,227 confirmed measles cases were reported by 36 states, 12% of cases have been hospitalized (148 of 1227) and there have been 3 confirmed measles deaths.

"A measles outbreak at a jail in New Mexico has infected five inmates, prompting quarantines, visitor restrictions, and vaccine/testing efforts by New Mexico health authorities.

"A new review of Measles outlines the global resurgence of measles as vaccination coverage dips with nearly 396,000 confirmed measles cases globally in 2024 and over 16,000 in the first two months of 2025 alone. It details measles’ clinical features (like Koplik spots, rash, and severe complications), updated diagnostic methods, and current immunization recommendations. “Because measles is a systemic infection, it can affect the skin, eyes, gut, and respiratory system. Complications that occur in approximately 30% of measles cases — and frequently occur up to 1 month after infection.” Measles complications (see Table 1) include pneumonia, diarrhea, inflammation of the cornea and conjunctivitis, corneal ulceration, blindness, ear infection, death, malnutrition, encephalitis, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and immune system amnesia. The review emphasizes strengthening immunization programs, improving surveillance, and countering hesitancy to address this disease’s resurgence.

Clinical Features and Pathogenesis of Measles.

From: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra2504516

Government Medical News

"The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) posted that the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting this week was an “orchestrated effort to sow distrust in immunizations and the vaccine approval process.” Therefore, the AAP will continue to publish their own vaccine guidelines.

From: https://x.com/AmerAcadPeds/status/1938239291139735733

"US Representative and pediatrician Dr. Kim Schrier schooled HHS Secretary Kennedy about her personal experience of what vaccine preventable diseases (measles, meningitis, whooping cough) does to children in this important video post.

"The National Science Foundation (NSF) was blindsided this week when they found out from media reports, and not internal channels, that they would be ousted from their headquarters in Alexandria. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will take over the space that the NSF presently occupies, and NSF staff report there is no new site or budget yet identified, raising concerns for the agency’s future operations.

Other Medical News

"A team at the University of Edinburgh engineered Escherichia coli bacteria to convert PET plastic from plastic bottles into paracetamol (acetaminophen), the active ingredient in Tylenol. They used a modified biochemical pathway to turn plastic-derived compounds into the drug at room temperature with up to 92% efficiency.

"An adjuvant is a substance added to vaccines to boost the body’s immune response to make the vaccine more effective. A U.K.-U.S. study of 436,788 patients found that vaccines containing the AS01 adjuvant (like the Shingrix vaccine for shingles and Arexvy for RSV) are linked to a roughly 29% lower dementia risk over 18 months, suggesting the adjuvant itself may offer brain-protective benefits.

"Eric Topol MD wrote an excellent article this week on the Gut-Brain axis. He discussed four ways that the gut talks to and influences the brain including 1) neural pathways via the Vagus nerve and the autonomic nervous system, 2) hormones such as GLP-1, GIP, and Gherlin, 3) neurotransmitters and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and 4) via the immune system where inflamed T cells from the gut can go to the brain and cause inflammation.

"Regarding neuroinflammation, a new review in Science is a “comprehensive overview of the contribution of neuroinflammation during the course of a range of neurologic disorders, including multiple sclerosis, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.”

From: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adx0043

"APOE ε4 carriers with atrial fibrillation on apixaban (Eliquis) were found to have a higher risk of brain bleeding. Genetic testing may help personalize anticoagulation decisions.

"Researchers developed an AI model trained on over 10 million ECGs to predict heart conditions with high accuracy. The model generalizes across populations and could help detect arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies, and other silent conditions using ECGs.

"The Arc Institute unveiled STATE, a machine learning model trained on 270 million single-cell profiles that predicts how cells change under genetic or drug perturbations. It showed about 50% better discrimination of perturbation effects and twice the accuracy in finding differentially expressed genes compared to older models.

"The Turing Test, proposed by Alan Turing, is a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a person. Researchers from the Arc Institute propose the Virtual Cell Challenge- a "Turing test" for computer models of cells, to see how closely simulations can mimic real cellular behavior. The Virtual Cell Challenge is a public competition, “sponsored by Nvidia, 10x Genomics, and Ultima Genomics, with a grand prize worth $100,000 for the machine learning model that best predicts how cells will respond to genetic perturbations.”

"Students at a middle school in the UK are raising money to train their teacher's puppy Nellie to be a therapy dog for the student body by holding Nellie-themed bake sales.