How Covid Directly Infects

People who regularly fast are less likely to experience severe complications from Covid-19, suggests a study. Intermittent fasting has previously shown to have a host of health benefits, including lowering the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The findings, published week in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, showed that Covid patients who practised regular water-only intermittent fasting had lower risk of hospitalisation or dying due to the virus than patients who did not. "Intermittent fasting has already shown to lower inflammation and improve cardiovascular health. In this study, we're finding additional benefits when it comes to battling an infection of Covid-19 in patients who have been fasting for decades," said Benjamin Horne, director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology at Intermountain Healthcare in the US. In the study, researchers identified 205 patients who had tested positive for the virus between March 2020 and February 2021 -- before vaccines were widely available. Of these, 73 said they regularly fasted at least once a month. Researchers found that those who practised regular fasting had a lower rate of hospitalisation or death due to coronavirus. "Intermittent fasting was not associated with whether or not someone tested positive Covid-19, but it was associated with lower severity once patients had tested positive for it," Horne said. While Horne said that more research is needed to understand why intermittent fasting is associated with better Covid outcomes, he said it's most likely due to a host of ways that it affects the body. For example, fasting reduces inflammation, especially since hyperinflammation is associated with poor Covid-19 outcomes. In addition, after 12 to 14 hours of fasting, the body switches from using glucose in the blood to ketones, including linoleic acid. "There's a pocket on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 that linoleic acid fits into -- and can make the virus less able to attach to other cells," he said. Another potential benefit is that intermittent fasting promotes autophagy, which is "the body's recycling system that helps your body destroy and recycle damaged and infected cells", Horne added. Horne stressed that these results are from people who have been practising intermittent fasting for decades -- not weeks -- and that anyone who wants to consider the practice should consult their doctors first, especially if they are elderly, pregnant, or have conditions like diabetes, heart, or kidney disease. Researchers also stressed intermittent fasting shouldn't be seen as a substitute for Covid vaccination. (Agency) Read More► Reducing Air Pollution May Improve Brain Development in Children

एक अध्ययन के अनुसार, 69 फीसदी लोगों ने कोविड संक्रमण से पहले सिरदर्द की शिकायत की है, यह इस बीमारी का प्रमुख लक्षण बन गया है। किंग्स कॉलेज लंदन के शोधकर्ताओं ने जोई कोविड लक्षण अध्ययन ऐप के डेटा का विश्लेषण किया और स्थिति के पहले लक्षणों में से एक के रूप में सिरदर्द पाया। एक्सप्रेस डॉट को डॉट यूके की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, यह बुखार, खांसी और हानि या स्वाद और गंध में बदलाव जैसे अन्य क्लासिक कोविड लक्षणों की तुलना में अधिक सामान्य है। अध्ययन में बताया गया है कि कुछ कोविड रोगियों को प्रारंभिक संक्रमण की तुलना में अधिक समय तक सिरदर्द के साथ देखा गया, यह संकेत भी लंबे कोविड के लिए एक विशेषता है। अध्ययन के अनुसार, हमारे डेटा से पता चलता है कि ये सिरदर्द अक्सर आते हैं और जाते हैं, लेकिन शुक्र है कि वे समय के साथ धीरे-धीरे कम हो जाते हैं। हालांकि यह दर्दनाक लक्षण बच्चों में कम आम लगता है, कोरोनोवायरस सिरदर्द सभी आयु समूहों में देखा जाता है। अध्ययन के अनुसार, इसलिए, हालांकि कोविड -19 वाले कई लोग सिरदर्द का अनुभव करते हैं। जरूरी नहीं है कि सिरदर्द वाले अधिकांश लोगों को कोविड -19 नहीं होगा। थकान और गंध की कमी के साथ सिरदर्द कोविड को संकेत दे सकता है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि अन्य लक्षण जो वायरस की दिशा को भी इंगित कर सकते हैं, उनमें गले में खराश, बुखार, मांसपेशियों में असामान्य दर्द और लगातार खांसी और चक्कर आना शामिल हैं। यह भी पढ़े► कोविड रोगियों ने माना स्वस्थ्य होने में योग ने की मदद

London: Dogs are more effective at detecting Covid-19 infections through human sweat samples than the existing rapid antigen tests, according to a study. The study, published in the PLOS ONE, showed that dogs were 97 per cent effective at detecting Covid infection compared to PCR tests - the most accurate Covid test. On the other hand, the nasal antigen tests detected 84 per cent of positive Covid infections. The findings suggest a potentially less invasive and quicker Covid testing alternative. For the study, researchers at the Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris included PCR and sweat samples from 335 people and antigen tests from 234 people recruited in Paris from March 16 and April 9, 2021. The researchers examined five dogs trained to sniff out Covid-19 by examining both positive and negative tests to see if they could tell. They found canines were 100 per cent accurate in detecting positive Covid cases in asymptomatic individuals compared to PCR test results. The canines were slightly less effective at identifying negative coronavirus infections, detecting 90 per cent of negative cases compared to antigen tests that were 97 per cent accurate. "Non-invasive detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection by canine olfaction could be one alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs RT-PCR when it is necessary to obtain a result very quickly according to the same indications as antigenic tests in the context of mass screening," the researchers wrote in the paper. Previous studies have shown dogs to detect malaria, prostate cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's disease and also breast cancer. (Agency) Read More► Diabetes Almost Doubles Risk of Death From Covid: Study

London: People with diabetes were almost twice as likely to die with Covid and almost three times as likely to be critically or severely ill compared to those without diabetes, finds a study. The study conducted by researchers from the University of Aberdeen, UK found patients with diabetes had a significantly higher risk of requiring an intensive care admission and supplementary oxygen or being admitted in a critical condition in comparison to patients without diabetes. However, good control of blood sugar in these patients can significantly reduce this risk. "We found that following a Covid-19 infection, the risk of death for patients with diabetes was significantly increased in comparison to patients without diabetes," said Stavroula Kastora from the varsity. "We also show that good glycaemic control may be a protective factor in view of Covid-19 related deaths," she added, in the paper published in the journal Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. The team reviewed findings from 158 studies that included more than 270,000 participants from all over the world to determine how Covid affects people living with diabetes. The pooled results showed that people with diabetes were 1.87 times more likely to die with Covid, 1.59 times more likely to be admitted to ICU, 1.44 times more likely to require ventilation, and 2.88 times more likely to be classed as severe or critical, when compared to patients without diabetes.AA Further, the researchers found that patients in China, Korea and the Middle East were at higher risk of death than those from EU countries or the US. They suggest this may be due to differences in healthcare systems and affordability of healthcare. Diabetes is a serious medical condition where blood sugar levels are too high. In 2021, approximately 537 million adults between the 20-79 years were living with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation. The total number of people living with diabetes is projected to rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045. While diabetes increased severity of Covid, a recent study published in the journal Diabetologia, also showed people who have had Covid-19 infection are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. "In light of the ongoing pandemic, strengthening outpatient diabetes clinics, ensuring consistent follow up of patients with diabetes and optimising their glycaemic control could significantly increase the chances of survival following a Covid infection," Kastora noted. (Agency) Read More► Double-Masking Does Not Improve Protection Against Covid: Study