Latest news with #Adenovirus
New Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Severe Covid-19, not vax, increases risk of cardiovascular disease
There is no scientific evidence that Covid-19 vaccines cause sudden deaths, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, the co-chairman of the National Indian Medical Association (IMA) Covid Task Force. Speaking with Kavita Bajeli-Datt, the convener of the Research Cell, Kerala, IMA, however, said, there is a clear link between severe Covid-19 and increased cardiovascular risk in the months or years that follow as Covid damages the inner lining of blood vessels, which can later result in heart attacks, strokes, or other vascular events. Edited excerpts: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has claimed that 'hasty approval and distribution' of Covid-19 vaccines may be responsible for over 20 apparent heart attack deaths in Hassan district. Your view? There is no scientific evidence that Covid-19 vaccines cause sudden deaths, despite widespread speculation on social media fuelled by anti-science activists. Sudden death in young adults is a well-known phenomenon long before the pandemic, occurring at a rate of about 1 in 1,700 adults aged 35–45 annually. The causes are diverse. In older adults, heart attacks are a common cause, while in younger individuals, inherited heart rhythm disorders and structural heart diseases like cardiomyopathy are more likely. Non-cardiac causes include stroke, infections, toxins, and pulmonary embolism. Without ascertaining a clear cause of the recent deaths, speculation is misleading and unscientific. How safe are Covid-19 vaccines? The safety of Covid-19 vaccines has been demonstrated repeatedly through large studies in India and globally. Because vaccines activate the immune system, the resulting inflammation leads to mild side effects such as fever, body aches, and pain at the injection site. A few specific vaccines were subsequently found to have extremely rare side effects. For example, mRNA vaccines used in the US can cause myocarditis, particularly in young males, at a rate of about 1 in 37,000. Adenovirus vector vaccines can cause a rare condition called VITT (vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia), with a frequency of about 1 in 50,000 to 100,000. Myocarditis usually resolves fully, while VITT can be fatal in a minority. Importantly, VITT typically occurs within two weeks of the first dose—not years later. What explains the perceived rise in sudden heart attack deaths in India? Sudden cardiac deaths have always occurred across all adult age groups. However, with the widespread use of smartphones and social media, such incidents are now frequently recorded and shared virally, creating the impression that these events are more common. Most cardiologists agree there is no substantial increase. However, those who had Covid-19, especially before vaccines were available, do have a modestly increased risk of cardiovascular events that can persist for up to three years. At an individual level, this risk is small and not a cause for panic. Is there a link between Covid-19 and heart attacks? Yes. There is a clear link between severe Covid-19 and increased cardiovascular risk in the months or years that follow. Covid damages the inner lining of blood vessels, which can later result in heart attacks, strokes, or other vascular events. This has been well-documented in numerous international studies. Importantly, those who were vaccinated and therefore experienced milder infections are less likely to develop such complications. This protective effect of vaccination has been clearly proven. Some claim the vaccines were rushed without proper clinical trials, possibly contributing to sudden deaths. Your take? All Covid-19 vaccines, including those used in India, underwent proper clinical trials. In the past, vaccine trials took many years to complete primarily because the diseases they targeted were rare and required longer follow-up. In contrast, Covid-19 was spreading rapidly, allowing researchers to reach statistical endpoints much faster. This speed led some to mistakenly claim that trials were 'rushed' or 'skipped'. The chief objective of the phase 3 trials was to see if people who took vaccines had a lower chance of getting Covid compared to those who were unvaccinated. It is worth remembering that Covid-19 was a global emergency killing a total of at least 7 million people, especially in the first two years of the pandemic. It is true that certain inactivated vaccines were authorised for use by many countries as soon as early trial results became available. Delaying vaccine rollout, citing reasons for full publication of all phase 3 trials in reputed medical journals would have meant that many more people would have died while waiting to receive the vaccine. This is the basis of emergency use authorisation or EUA, which was done in several countries, including ours. How different are the vaccines used in India and the US? The US primarily used mRNA vaccines and a smaller share of adenovirus vector vaccines. In India, about 90% of the population received adenovirus vector vaccines, while the remaining received an inactivated virus vaccine produced domestically. The Union Health Ministry has quoted ICMR-AIIMS studies on sudden unexplained deaths and linked them to lifestyle and pre-existing conditions. Your take? Multicentre studies in India, including those by ICMR-AIIMS, have shown that most sudden deaths since the pandemic are linked to known risk factors: family history, substance use, binge drinking, etc. Importantly, people with a history of severe Covid, especially those who resumed heavy exercise too early, are at higher risk. Those who had received two vaccine doses are less likely to die suddenly compared to unvaccinated individuals. These findings mirror results from studies worldwide.
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Dead pigeons: No new infectious diseases, deaths reported
PUTRAJAYA: The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) has confirmed that no new infectious diseases have been detected and no deaths reported following the discovery of a large number of pigeon carcasses around a water fountain in Padang Ipoh, Perak recently. It said that the results of the post-mortem on the three pigeon carcasses found that they all had full stomach contents, with several significant findings, including the discolouration of the liver, the presence of blood clots in the thoracic cavity and bleeding in the trachea and lungs. 'Samples of internal organs, such as the liver, heart, kidneys, spleen, lungs, intestines and trachea have been sent for laboratory analysis. 'Preliminary test results for Avian Influenza (AI), Newcastle Disease (ND) and Adenovirus returned negative. Tests for poisoning are being carried out by the Chemistry Department to identify the actual cause of death,' it said in a statement today. The DVS said that based on the current findings, it found that infectious diseases like AI, ND and Adenovirus were not factors that caused the death of the pigeons and that a conclusion could only be made after it received the results of the poisoning tests from the Chemistry Department. 'As a precautionary measure and to protect public safety as well as the country's livestock sector from the risk of animal-borne diseases, the DVS will continue to monitor the situation at Padang Ipoh,' it added. The DVS also urged the public to immediately inform the nearest DVS or call 03-8870 2041 if they come across the carcasses of any bird or other animals that look unusual or suspicious. Recently, several video clips had gone viral on social media showing the discovery of a large number of dead pigeons around a fountain at the popular leisure area in Ipoh.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
UK draws up new disease-threat watch list
The UK has a new watch list of 24 infectious diseases that could pose the greatest future threat to public health. Some are viruses with global pandemic potential - like Covid - while others are illnesses that have no existing treatments or could cause significant harm. Avian, or bird, flu is on the list, as well as mosquito-spread illnesses that may become common with rising temperatures from climate change, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The aim is to steer scientists and investors into making new tests and vaccines or medicines in preparation. There is no ranking within the list, since threats constantly change, UKHSA chief scientific officer Prof Isabel Oliver says. And it will be updated at least once a year, to avoid a repeat of the Covid pandemic, where experts had been planning for an entirely different outbreak - influenza. "When Covid arrived, it took too long to adjust our response to a different threat, which was part of the reason we ended up in lockdown," Prof Mark Woolhouse, director of the Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa, University of Edinburgh, said. "Since the pandemic, there have been many initiatives to better understand the diversity of pandemic threats that the UK and the world may face in the coming years. "The UKHSA's pathogen prioritisation exercise is a welcome contribution to this global effort." A family of viruses called Paramyxoviridae, which includes measles, is on the list. And this was the type of pandemic threat public-health agencies around the world were most worried about, Prof Woolhouse said. A novel measles-like virus would be highly spreadable and "impossible to control by even the strictest lockdown", making it "a threat far worse than Covid." "It would also be considerably more deadly and, unlike Covid, it would be a [major] threat to children," Prof Woolhouse said. Prof Oliver said the UKHSA would consult animal-health colleagues for future updates, since many new and emerging outbreaks were zoonotic disease that jumped species to infect humans. Some bacteria also feature, including those such as gonorrohoea where resistance to existing antibiotic treatments is becoming an issue. Adenovirus Lassa fever Norovirus Mers Ebola (and similar viruses, such as Marburg) Flaviviridae (which includes dengue, Zika and hepatitis C) Hantavirus Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever Flu (non-seasonal, including avian) Nipah virus Oropouche Rift Valley fever Acute flaccid myelitis Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) Mpox Chikungunya Anthrax Q fever Enterobacteriaceae (such as E. coli and Yersinia pestis, which causes plague) Tularaemia Moraxellaceae (which cause lung, urine and bloodstream infections) Gonorrhoea Staplylococcus Group A and B Strep
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Midland Animal Services is urging distemper vaccines to keep dogs safe
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – In light of a recent canine distemper virus (CDV) outbreak at the Kermit Animal Shelter, Midland Animal Services is urging all pet owners to ensure their dogs are up-to-date on vaccinations. Canine distemper is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease affecting dogs' respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems. Symptoms include nasal discharge, coughing, lethargy, and neurological signs. Proper vaccination is the most effective defense against distemper. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends the following vaccination schedule for puppies and adult dogs: Puppies (6-16 weeks): Administer at least three doses of the combination vaccine (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parvovirus) every 2-4 weeks, starting between 6 and 8 weeks of age. Adult Dogs (older than 16 weeks): Two doses of the combination vaccine, 2-4 weeks apart, followed by a booster within one year, and subsequent boosters every three years. To safeguard our community's pets, Midland Animal Services is implementing the following measures: Vaccination Clinics: Encouraging pet owners to visit their local veterinarian to ensure pets are up-to-date on vaccinations. For low-cost options, Fix West Texas offers drive-thru vaccination services from 10 a.m. to noon on March 5-7, 14-19, and 24-30. Public Education: MAS is distributing educational materials to raise awareness about the importance of vaccinations and to help pet owners recognize the early signs of distemper. Shelter Protocols: To minimize the risk of outbreaks, MAS is enhancing biosecurity measures within its facilities. Call to Action: Midland Animal Services strongly encourage all pet owners to: Review Vaccination Records: Ensure your pets are current on all vaccinations, especially the distemper vaccine. Limit Exposure: Avoid contact with unvaccinated or unknown-status dogs, particularly in communal settings. Monitor Health: Be vigilant for symptoms such as nasal discharge, coughing, or lethargy, and consult a veterinarian promptly if concerns arise. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
