Earth Essences.Com

90% of cancer patients had high antibody levels 4 months dose two

Cancer patients are likely to develop high antibody levels within four months of receiving the second shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, a new study finds. 

Researchers from Israel compared a group of cancer patients to a group of controls without the disease.

The team found that 87 percent of cancer patients were still generating high antibody levels four months later.

The team, from Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Israel, says the findings are promising because it shows that people who have weakened immune system due to cancer may actually not be at risk of developing a breakthrough Covid case.

For the study, published in JAMA Oncology, the team gathered 95 participants with cancer and 66 others controls.

All of the participants were a part of a previous study, in which researchers measured antibody levels 5.5 weeks after receival of the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

At the time of the first study, all 78 members of the control group had high antibody levels, and 90 out of 102 cancer patients had appropriate antibody levels.

However, cancer patients still had lower levels than the others on average.

In between the two studies, five cancer patients died and two withdrew from the study. Among the control group, 12 participants withdrew.

All of the remaining participants were tested for antibodies once again around four months after receiving the second dose to see if they had maintained appropriate antibody levels.

Everyone in the control group still had high antibody levels.

Of the cancer patients, 83 of the 95, or 87 percent, had antibody levels that were considered protective against Covid.

Just as in the previous study, the cancer patients with high antibody levels still had lower levels than the control group.

The findings do support the idea that the vaccines are effective in all people long-term, though, and in cancer patients. 

While there has not yet been a proven scientific link between higher COVID-19 antibody levels and more immunity, many scientists - including the Israeli research team - believe that is the case.

'Although the correlation between antibody levels after vaccination and clinical protection is yet to be proven, the accumulating evidence supports antibody response as a potential correlate of disease protection,' researchers wrote. 

'Long-term cellular memory could call into question the need for a third [Pfizer] booster dose.' 

Previous studies have found that cancer patients, and those with blood-based cancers, are among those who develop lower antibody levels and could be at risk of developing breakthrough COVID-19 cases.

But the research does show that those who do develop high antibody levels after two doses are likely to stay at a high level.

It also suggests that those with low antibody levels, ten percent of participants with cancer, are also likely to stay that low.

Researchers write that booster doses could be the answer for helping those who are not developing antibody responses at a high level.

Booster doses could be coming soon, with both Pfizer and Moderna having launched trials for their third shots within the past few months.

The booster doses could be available to high-risk populations, such as the elderly and immunocompromised, as early as fall 2021. 

Sydney woman ‘pretended to be a doctor at hospital for 8 months during Covid’

A woman in Australia is being investigated after she allegedly faked a series of documents to get a job as a doctor at a major hospital during the pandemic.

Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital said the 27-year-old, who had been working at the hospital for eight months, was not registered by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency which gives medical staff their accreditation.

The woman “was immediately removed” from her job at the hospital in Sydney and could now face criminal charges.

New South Wales police force were called to investigate.

“Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital discovered on Monday an employee was not registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency,” a hospital spokeswoman said.

“This person was immediately removed from their duties and Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital referred the matter to NSW Police for investigation.

“This person worked at the hospital from January to August 2021 and was fully supervised throughout that time.

“The hospital is also conducting an internal investigation, and has reported the matter to AHPRA.” 

Reference: Evening Standard: Abbianca Makoni

Marburg virus case confirmed in Guinea after man dies of haemorrhagic fever disease

The first case of Marburg virus has been confirmed in West Africa after a man died of the haemorrhagic fever disease in Guinea.

The virus, which belongs to the same family as Ebola, spreads from human to human through bodily fluids and can have a fatality rate of up to 88%.

Symptoms include a high fever and muscle pain, but some patients later suffer bleeding from their eyes and ears.

After the male patient sought treatment and died in Gueckedou, the case was confirmed by a laboratory in Guinea and again by the Institut Pasteur in nearby Senegal.

© Associated Press Marburg virus has been detected in Gueckedou where Ebola outbreaks have occurred. File pic: AP

Contact tracing is under way, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Gueckedou was the location of Guinea's 2014 to 2016 Ebola outbreak, which went on to kill 11,325 people.

The town, which sits on the border with Sierra Leone and Liberia, also suffered a smaller Ebola epidemic earlier this year, leaving 12 people dead.

Cases of Marburg virus have been identified across Africa in Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, but this is the first known infection in the West.

WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said: "The potential for the Marburg virus to spread far and wide means we need to stop it in its tracks.

"We are working with the health authorities to implement a swift response that builds on Guinea's past experience and expertise in managing Ebola, which is transmitted in a similar way."

WHO director-general Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus tweeted: "Confirmation of Marburg virus in Guinea. Response requires a concerted effort to prevent transmission and protect communities.

"@WHO colleagues have been in the field with local partners since first alerts emerged and will continue to provide all needed support."

Marburg virus spreads to humans from infected animals and has no vaccine or dedicated drug treatment. 

Reference: Sky News: 

1 vaping session increases stress in the body that causes lung damage

Just one vaping session can cause stress that leads to severe lung damage and puts a person at risk for heart or neurological diseases, a new study finds. 

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) compared  oxidative stress in the lungs of routine cigarette smokers, vapers and people with no history of long term use of tobacco or nicotine devices. 

Oxidative stress describes the harmful effects that free radicals (unstable molecules) have on the body. 

Vaping for only 30 minutes caused oxidative stress levels two to four times higher than baseline levels in those with no history of previously smoking.

While vapes have been seen as a 'safer' alternative to tobacco and cigarette use by some, data in recent years have found there are many negative effects of using the devices.

For the study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, the UCLA researchers gathered 32 participants from the study aged 21 to 33.

They were split into three groups based on their history with cigarette or nicotine use.

Among the volunteers, there were nine regular cigarette users, 12 e-cigarette or vap, users and 11 participants who were non-smokers.

The team collected a type of immune cell called CD45 from all participants both before and after a 30-minute vaping session.

While those with little smoking history still had lower oxidative stress levels than the regular smokers, their CD45 immune cells were testing positive for oxidative stress at a two to four-fold increased rate. 

'We were surprised by the gravity of the effect that one vaping session can have on healthy young people,' said Dr Holly Middlekauff a professor of cardiology and physiology at UCLA. 

'This brief vaping session was not dissimilar to what they may experience at a party, yet the effects were dramatic.' 

Even a person that does not regularly use nicotine products can still be opening themselves to certain dangerous conditions, researchers found.

'Over time, this imbalance can play a significant role in causing certain illnesses, including cardiovascular, pulmonary and neurological diseases, as well as cancer,' said Middlehauff.   

Smoking is a common cause of oxidative stress, and the damage it can cause to the lungs is responsible for the well-known link between lung cancer and smoking. 

E-cigarettes, and the brand JUUL which has become almost synonymous with the devices, have become widely used by teens and young adults.

JUUL first rose to prominence in 2015 as an easy, trendy and discrete way for people to smoke nicotine.

Their use among school-aged children can be attributed to their flavors, and the devices resemblance to a USB stick, allowing kids to easily carry them at school without getting caught.

Devices like JUULs are largely blamed for a recent increase in nicotine use by teens and young adults.

In 2020, nearly 40 percent of high schoolers who regularly smoke nicotine did so using an e-cigarette, according to a report by Tobacco Free Kids.

There has also been a legislative effort across the country to ban devices like vapes, e-cigarrettes and even menthol cigarettes that are blamed for the recent uptick in teen nicotine and tobacco use.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radical cells and antioxidants.

Free radicals are harmful oxygen cells that can cause tissue damage, and antioxidants are responsible for combatting their harmful cells.

The tissue damage can leave a person more vulnerable to diseases like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes, among many other potential conditions.

Last year, sale of all electronic cigarettes was banned in San Francisco and Chicago banned the sale of flavored nicotine.

The entire state of New York became the first to do so when they banned the sale of flavored tobacco products last year.

A bill in Florida that would have done the same passed through the state legislature in 2020, but was vetoed by Governor Ron DeSantis. 

Menthol cigarettes, which have a mint-type flavor, have recently been targeted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and are being pulled off of shelves.

The FDA claims the cigarettes are more likely to hurt minority and younger Americans, though some disagree with the potential ban.

Menthol cigarettes are already banned in Massachusetts, and also in the United Kingdom, Brazil and other countries.

A previous study finds that these types of bans could have a reverse effect though, and cause an increase in teenage tobacco use. 

Reference: Mansur Shaheen For Dailymail.Com