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Here is the second half of this week's newsletter that is mostly focused on medical topics other than COVID.
Other news
‘Pink Slime’ Is Infecting AI Chatbots Ahead of the Midterms | Politico 9/25/26
Be careful when asking AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Grok about the upcoming midterms. A NewsGuard audit found that AI chatbots frequently cite “pink slime” sites when answering questions about candidates. Pink Slime sites are designed to look like independent local newspapers, but they actually run hidden political propaganda paid for by political groups, candidates, or dark-money organizations. Nearly half of the chatbot responses NewsGuard tested showed these biased sources right before the midterm elections.
Epstein–Barr Virus: More than Just an Infection | Viruses 9/21/26
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) causes infectious mononucleosis, a common childhood infection. A new review looks at some of EBV’s long lasting effects. The EBNA1 protein can trigger autoimmunity through molecular mimicry, cross-reacting with GlialCAM in Multiple Sclerosis, keratin in Rheumatoid Arthritis, and nuclear proteins in Lupus. EBV reprograms B cells to evade immune system surveillance. It has been implicated in pediatric emergencies such as HLH and Chronic Active EBV disease (CAEBV), as well as some lymphomas. They also briefly mention possible links between EBV reactivation and Long COVID.
The nucleoside analog kamuvudine-9 shows protective and therapeutic efficacy in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis | Science Translational Medicine 9/23/26
Researchers at the University of Virginia found that the modified HIV drug kamuvudine-9 (K9) reversed vision loss and paralysis in a mouse model of Multiple Sclerosis by blocking inflammasome activation, a mechanism that drives destruction of myelin and axons. The drug showed efficacy both as a preventive and as a treatment after disease onset. A separate analysis of more than 3 million patient records linked related compounds (NRTIs) to lower MS diagnosis and relapse rates.
Explainer article from the NIH: Modified HIV Drug Reverses Vision Loss and Paralysis in Multiple Sclerosis Model
A clinical trial of repurposed HIV antivirals in Long COVID | PolyBio Research Foundation
Mount Sinai is recruiting patients for a Phase II study (NCT06511063) of two repurposed HIV antivirals (Truvada or Maraviroc) to see if they can reduce Long COVID symptoms. Truvada is a NRTI that can block SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro and it also has activity against EBV reactivation. Maraviroc is a CCR5 inhibitor that reduces inflammaging.
Cytotoxic CD4+ T Cells Induce Age Associated Myelopoiesis Through CCL5 CCR5 Signaling | Nature Aging 8/26/26
Scientists found that aging mice accumulate cytotoxic CD4+ T cells in bone marrow that release CCL5, driving aged stem cells to overproduce inflammatory neutrophils through the CCR5 receptor. Blocking CCR5 with the HIV drug maraviroc reduced neutrophil output and improved several markers of aging in the animals.
The Gut Microbiome in Multiple Sclerosis | Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation 8/26/26 (November 2026)
UCSF researchers reviewed evidence showing that people with Multiple Sclerosis carry a measurably altered gut microbial community that disrupts production of short chain fatty acids (SFCAs), tryptophan metabolites, and bile acids, three signaling classes that normally help regulate immune cells, the blood brain barrier, and glial function. Whether these microbial shifts actually drive MS progression or simply accompany it remains an open question.
Gut microbiome shifts in chronic systolic heart failure are associated with disease severity and clinical improvement | Nature Cardiovascular Research 9/24/26
Stanford researchers profiled gut microbiomes and multi-omics in 59 heart failure patients vs. 50 healthy controls, finding depleted Bifidobacterium and reduced SCFA production in heart failure. Higher Bifidobacterium tracked with clinical improvement over time, linked to production of cardioprotective indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), suggesting a gut-heart mechanistic pathway and potential probiotic target.
Semaglutide and cardiovascular risk reduction: a mediation analysis of the SELECT trial | European Heart Journal 9/23/26
GLP-1 drug Semaglutide cut major cardiovascular events by 20% in the SELECT trial, but why? Weight, waist size, inflammation (hsCRP), and glucose explained only part of the benefit suggesting semaglutide’s cardioprotection works partly through mechanisms beyond conventional weight and metabolic markers.
Effect of Screening with Multicancer Early-Detection Test on Late-Stage Cancer Diagnosis | New England Journal of Medicine 9/22/26
A large NHS randomized trial tested a blood-based multicancer early-detection test (Galleri from Grail) against usual care in adults aged 50–77. Authors concluded, “we did not observe a lower incidence rate of stage III or IV cancers across 12 prespecified cancers after three screening rounds with multicancer early-detection testing [Galleri test] plus usual care than with usual care alone.”
Pre-diagnosis plasma cell-free DNA reveals early signatures of prostate and breast cancer risk up to eight years prior to clinical detection | Cell Genomics 9/26
Genome-wide cfDNA methylation profiling of 491 pre-diagnosis plasma samples (some drawn 9 years before diagnosis) identified early cancer-associated epigenetic signatures. Silencer-region methylation predicted future prostate cancer (3.55-fold hazard increase), while enhancer hypermethylation flagged incident and late-stage breast cancer, pointing toward a liquid-biopsy early-warning approach.
Blood proteomics of menopause map to brain aging and dementia risk | Nature Medicine 9/22/26
Analyzing blood proteomics across nearly 15,000 women, researchers found menopause drives inflammatory, synaptic, and Alzheimer’s-related protein changes tied more to hormone shifts than chronological age. A menopause proteomic score consistently predicted worse cognitive trajectories and dementia risk in four independent aging cohorts, positioning menopause as a discovery window for brain health.
Atrial fibrillation and retinal imaging-based oculomics: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of two large cohorts | PLOS Digital Health 9/10/26
Across 90,000+ people in AlzEye and UK Biobank, thinner macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) on routine retinal imaging was consistently linked to both prevalent and incident atrial fibrillation. Each SD decrease raised AF risk 27%, suggesting inexpensive eye scans could flag silent cardiac arrhythmia risk.
Sudden Infant Deaths Have Increased Among Black Babies New Data Show | CIDRAP 9/25/26
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder analyzed nearly 58 million US births from 2003 through 2024 and found sudden unexpected infant death rates climbing for Black infants since 2020 while staying flat for white infants. Preterm birth explained part of the gap, but the rise itself was driven by SUID.
Standalone Salpingectomy for Primary Ovarian Cancer Prevention: A Cost Effectiveness Analysis | AJOG 9/18/26
A Markov model across five age groups compared standalone salpingectomy with no surgery. For average-risk women, it was not cost effective, exceeding $239,000 per QALY. For women with a relative ovarian cancer risk of 1.5 or higher, it became cost effective, particularly at ages 45 and 50.
Jehovah’s Witnesses allow blood-derived products but keep ban on whole-blood transfusions | AP 9/18/26
Jehovah’s Witnesses’ governing body says members may now decide individually whether to receive the four main blood components: red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. Members may also choose to donate blood for use as components. The organization still prohibits transfusions of whole blood; an earlier change this year allowed members to store their own blood for later treatment.
Smartphone Ownership and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Early Adolescence | JAMA 9/25/26
A team led by UCSF’s Jason Nagata tracked roughly 9,000 US adolescents ages 12 and 14 and found smartphone ownership tied to eating disorder symptoms both at the same time point and two years later. The link held even after accounting for symptoms already present at baseline.
Lyme patients 4 times more likely to have antibodies to other tick-borne pathogens | CIDRAP 9/21/26
Investigators at Quest Diagnostics and the University of North Carolina analyzed tick-borne disease tests from 193,260 people. Among those with Lyme antibodies, 29.5% also had antibodies to another tick-borne pathogen, versus 5.5% of those without Lyme antibodies. Antibodies alone do not establish an active coinfection however.
Th17 effector cytokines induce shared and distinct microglial and endothelial cell responses in a mouse model for post-streptococcal encephalitis | Nature Communications 8/11/26
In a mouse model of PANS/PANDAS, a Columbia University team in New York studied mice after repeated group A strep infections and found inflammatory changes in brain immune cells and blood vessel cells, with blood-brain barrier disruption in female mice. Removing the IL-17 receptor from microglia partly restored barrier integrity, suggesting one possible pathway for post-infectious brain inflammation that still needs testing in people.
Nursing Home Beds Are Becoming More Scarce | KFF Health News 9/23/26
National nursing home capacity dropped 5% from 2019 to 2024 even as the oldest baby boomers turn 80, a research team found. Facilities cite Medicaid reimbursement shortfalls and workforce gaps, with experts warning the shortage could worsen sharply as immigration and Medicaid policy shifts loom.
Check out this fun video that Justine Moore made “Marketing my cat like a new Apple product”:
And finally, it’s Fat Bear Week! You can vote for your favorite bear daily here.
Ruth Ann Crystal MD
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