But some people with long Covid symptoms have had success — even without a positive coronavirus test — if they are able to demonstrate a substantial downturn in their health and ability to work.
Steven Trompeter, 49, was unable to perform his job as an industrial mechanic after getting sick with Covid symptoms, including cough, fever, muscle aches and loss of taste and smell, in February 2020. He applied for disability in December 2020 and was approved six months later.
Mr. Trompeter, a Navy veteran who lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho, said he believed that the extensive medical records documenting his past health and his repeated visits to a Veterans Affairs medical clinic in 2020 helped show how sick he had become, with ongoing “brain fog” and other difficulties.
“I’ve heard nightmares where you have to get denied three times and then get a lawyer to go before a judge, and I didn’t have to do any of that,” he said. “I just had to wait.”
Ms. Tiggemann said a determination of whether people qualify for benefits has more to do with how their symptoms affect their ability to function than the exact diagnosis. So a positive Covid test, while helpful, might not be necessary if the other evidence clearly shows an inability to work, she said.
“No two cases are the same, each case is individual,” she said. “We look at doctor’s tests, medical records, past treatments and whether they have other conditions.”
Long Covid has proved similar to other diseases that can be difficult to diagnose, including myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome), fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome — conditions that can also cause fatigue, memory issues and joint pain.
Most people suffering from the condition are usually unaware of it initially. Here are some simple tips to prevent hypertension.
Regular checkup
Get your blood pressure checked regularly to get the diagnosis and treatment as soon as it kicks in.
Salt intake
Lower the amount of salt in your daily diet. Do not add extra salt to your food and try to consume a low-salt diet. You can add other spices and herbs to make up for low salt in your food.
Bodyweight
Maintaining healthy body weight is the first step towards staying healthy. Exercise, maintain your weight and cholesterol levels to maintain normal blood pressure.
Stay active
Keep yourself physically active. Working out regularly reduces the risk of hypertension and keeps your heart healthy. If not much, including at least a 30-minute workout in your daily routine.
Avoid processed and oily food
Fatty foods, smoking, lack of physical activity, and processed foods can increase your risk of high blood pressure.
Alaska on Tuesday reported 11 more virus-related deaths, 753 new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations near record levels.
Alaska’s case rate over the past seven days remains the highest in the country and nearly five times the national average, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The deaths reported Tuesday involved an Anchorage man in his 50s; a man and a woman from Anchorage in their 60s; two women and one man from Anchorage in their 80s or older; a Fairbanks man in his 50s; a Fairbanks man in his 80s or older; a man and a woman from North Pole, both in their 70s; and a nonresident in his 50s who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in Fairbanks.
[Alaska Railroad rescinds employee vaccine mandate just days after announcing policy]
A total of 688 residents and 26 nonresidents in the state have died with the virus. Over the past week, Alaska’s death rate per 100,000 is the ninth-highest among U.S. states, but looking at the pandemic overall, Alaska has the fourth-lowest death rate in the country, according to CDC data.
While the state’s daily virus counts have plateaued recently, virus-related hospitalizations and deaths typically follow a few weeks behind spikes in cases, and hospital administrators say it may take weeks for a decline in cases to be reflected in hospitalization numbers.
As of Tuesday, hospitals reported having 234 COVID-positive patients, including 37 people on ventilators — a reflection of continued stress on the state’s health care system brought on the rapid spread of the delta variant in recent months.
About 64.8% of eligible Alaskans have received at least one vaccine dose, and around 60% of eligible Alaskans are considered fully vaccinated.
Statewide Tuesday, 9.32% of tests came back positive based on a seven-day rolling average.
[FDA advisers endorse reduced dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5 to 11]
You might know that the size of the pupils in our eyes changes depending on how well lit our environment is, but there’s more to the story: Scientists have now discovered that the pupil also shifts in size depending on how many objects we’re observing.
The more objects in a scene, the bigger the pupil grows, as if to better accommodate everything that it has to look at. This “perceived numerosity” is a simple and automatic reflex, the new research shows.
In a new study, researchers observed the pupil sizes of 16 participants while they looked at pictures of dots. In some of the pictures, the dots were linked together in dumbbell shapes – creating the illusion that there were fewer objects – and pupil size then shrank.
How the pupil reacts to different objects and patterns. (Castaldi et al., Nature Communications, 2021)
“This result shows that numerical information is intrinsically related to perception,” says psychologist and neuroscientist Elisa Castaldi from the University of Florence in Italy.
“This could have important, practical implications. For example, this ability is compromised in dyscalculia which is a dysfunction in mathematical learning, so our experiment may be useful in early identification of this condition in very young children.”
Even though the numbers of black or white dots in the pictures being viewed didn’t change, the perceived number of objects did, because of the joining lines. The participants were asked to look at these images passively, without paying special attention to the overall number of items and without a specific task to complete.
As for where this reaction comes from, it’s likely to be linked to the need for survival – most species are thought to have a dedicated ‘number sense’ that enables them to spot enemies in the wild, find food, get back home, and more besides.
When it comes to humans, being able to weigh up numbers is something that seems to appear as soon as a few hours after birth – even if you’re terrible at math, you have a built-in aptitude for judging numerosity, and it appears the dilation of our pupils is part of a response to that.
“When we look around, we spontaneously perceive the form, size, movement and color of a scene,” says psychologist David Burr from the University of Sydney in Australia, and also affiliated with the University of Florence.
“Equally spontaneously, we perceive the number of items before us. This ability, shared with most other animals, is an evolutionary fundamental: it reveals immediately important quantities, such as how many apples there are on the tree, or how many enemies are attacking.”
Previous research had indicated that pupil size wasn’t just affected by light: visual illusions involving brightness, size, and context have an effect too, backing up the idea that this dilation in our eyes is at least partly controlled by signals higher up in the brain.
The researchers are keen to dig further into why this is happening, and what else could be having an impact on pupil size – such as the movement required by the eye to take in everything that appears in a scene.
And there’s lots more to explore here as well. Our eyes seem to be more sensitive to the number of items we’re looking at rather than how they’re spaced or arranged, which is another reaction that can be analyzed in future studies.
“Recent research from our laboratory shows that pupil size is also regulated by cognitive and perceptual factors,” says physiologist Paola Binda from the University of Pisa in Italy.
The research has been published in Nature Communications.
Gov. Kate Brown, left, and Salem Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ralph A. Yates speak to members of the media after Brown received a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine at Salem Health Edgewater Clinic in Salem, Ore., on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021.
Brian Hayes
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown received her COVID-19 booster shot Tuesday, and a flu shot for good measure.
Brown received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in March, along with a handful of other governors, as many states were trying to boost confidence in the one-dose shot.
More recent research published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown the Johnson & Johnson shot is the least effective of the three vaccines available in the United States, though it still reduces hospitalizations from COVID-19 by about 70%.
The CDC is recommending a booster dose for everyone 18 and up who got the Johnson & Johnson shot at least two months ago.
People can choose which shot they prefer as a booster, and Brown opted for Moderna for her second dose. She’s urging eligible Oregonians to get their boosters and to receive a flu shot at the same time, as she did.
“When you get your COVID-19 vaccine, it’s quick and easy to get your flu shot, too. You can help prevent the flu from spreading in your community, and help our doctors, nurses, and health care workers to preserve resources to treat COVID-19 patients,” she said in a statement issued to the press.
The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has fallen dramatically since September, but it’s still about five times higher than before the delta variant hit Oregon. More than 500 people are currently hospitalized in Oregon due to COVID-19, and about 5% of all emergency room visits statewide are for COVID-19-like illness.
The CDC’s recommendation on eligibility for booster shots for people who earlier received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines is different. Check their website.
Moderna co-founder and chairman Noubar Areyan indicated during an interview with Maria Bartiromo that COVID-19 vaccine boosters could potentially be needed annually.
“And so we just don’t know how this virus is going to travel from being a pandemic all the way to potentially an endemic virus we have to get used to living with,” said Areyan, the founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering.
“If that’s where it ends up … it may well need a, an annual booster, potentially varying … on a year to year or every few years basis as the virus varies, a little similarly to what, what we do with the flu vaccine. And so, I think if we end up there, there will be a continuous need for boosting,” Areyan said.
Moderna says COVID booster, like flu vaccine, could be yearly
youtu.be
Many in the U.S. are currently eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine boosters and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that when obtaining a booster people can choose to get a vaccine other than the one they received for their initial vaccination.
“There are now booster recommendations for all three available COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose,” according to the CDC. “Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received, and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots.”
Last week Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky indicated that the definition of what it means to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 could potentially be altered at some point in the future.
“Right now we don’t have booster eligibility for all people currently,” Walensky said. “We have not yet changed the definition of fully vaccinated. We will continue to look at this. We may need to update our definition of fully vaccinated in the future. But right now what I would say is, if you’re eligible for a booster, go ahead and get your booster, and we will continue to follow.”
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Tuolumne County Public Health reports the death of a woman in her 60s due to COVID-19. There are 27 new COVID-19 cases since yesterday’s report with 19 unvaccinated and 8 vaccinated. There are 49 fewer active cases, the 212 active cases include 19 who are hospitalized, two more than yesterday. Regarding the recent expansion of the Pfizer vaccine Emergency Use Authorization to 5 to 11-year-olds, the recommendation by the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) is an important first step in the approval process. The vaccine has more steps before it will be approved and made available to the age group. Officials state, “We will relay updates as they become available.”
Today’s newly reported cases had 5 cases age 17 or younger and 8 cases age 60 or older. New COVID-19 cases by gender and age: 1 boy age 0 to 11, 1 girl and 3 boys age 12 to 17, 3 men age 18 to 29, 2 men age 30 to 39, 3 women and 3 men age 40 to 49, 2 women and 1 man age 50-59, 1 woman and 4 men age 60 to 69, 2 women age 70 to 79, and 1 man age 90 or older.
The total current case rate, a 14-day average for Tuolumne County declined to 53.7 from 34.1 per 100,000 population Monday. A total of 75 were released from isolation since Friday, in all 5,228 have been released from isolation. There have been 5,558 community cases and 1,620 inmate cases. Of Tuolumne County’s population eligible to be vaccinated 61% have been vaccinated. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reports one active COVID-19 case at the Sierra Conservation Center. The SCC manages 3,285 inmates including all the southern fire conservation camps. There have been 118 community deaths due to COVID-19, three were vaccinated.
Calaveras County Public Health reports a death due to COVID-19, a woman in her 70s. There are 28 new cases since yesterday and active cases increased by 11 to 87, including two Covid hospitalizations. There are 6 new cases age 17 or younger and 8 new cases age 65 years old or older. Since the pandemic began Calaveras has had 648 Covid-19 positive children who are 17 and under and 670 Covid-19 positive people 65 and over. Calaveras has vaccinated 55.4% of their eligible population.
Calaveras Public Health and Dignity Health and Mark Twain Medical Center are collaborating for a Drive-Thru Flu Clinic at Calaveras High School in San Andreas (350 High School Street, San Andreas, CA 95249) on Saturday, November 6, 2021 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM Flu Shot Appointments can be scheduled through myturn.ca.gov
Mariposa County Public Health reports a new death due to COIVD-19. There are 3 new cases and 39 active cases including 8 hospitalizations, there were 31 new cases yesterday.
Mariposa Health Officials note their vaccine clinics for this Thursday and next Thursday do not have any more appointments available for boosters. You can schedule your booster vaccine for November 6th at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds.
Last Week’s Overview (Oct. 15 – 22) Tuolumne reported a total of 172 new cases up from 145 last week and Calaveras has reported 82 cases up from 65 last week. This week there were five Covid deaths of residents reported in Tuolumne County and one in Calaveras. There were 66 new cases in Mariposa and one death of a resident due to Covid.
COVID-19 Testing The LHI testing site at the fairgrounds has moved to a self-swabbing process. If you are 12 or older and are able to do the swabbing yourself, you will be instructed to do so. Self-swabbing had previously been optional but is now part of the regular testing protocol. Public health recommends if you believe you have been exposed to Covid, schedule an appointment to get tested 5 days after exposure and if you are having any symptoms, please get tested right away. The Tuolumne County State testing site is open 7 days a week beginning from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds. Appointments can be scheduled at www.lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123 the same website and phone number can be used to schedule tests in other counties. Testing is also available through some pharmacies, at Rapid Care, the hospital emergency department if you are experiencing any symptoms, or contact your healthcare provider.
COVID-19 Vaccine appointments can be made through myturn.ca.gov or by calling 833-422-4255. COVID-19 vaccine appointments are also available at local pharmacies as detailed here.
COVID-19 Booster Vaccines are available:
◾ If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine over two months ago, and are age 18 or older. ◾ If you received the Moderna of Pfizer vaccine over six months ago and: ◾ If you are 65 years and older, or ◾18+ living in long-term care settings, or ◾18+ with underlying medical conditions, or ◾18+ who work or live in high-risk settings
Individuals eligible for a booster may receive either the same or a different COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose, depending on advice from a health care provider, individual preference, availability, or convenience. To determine if you fall into one of these groups, please visit https://www.cdph.ca.gov/…/COVID-19/Vaccine-Booster-QA.aspx
Free flu shots every Tuesday at the Tuolumne Public Health Department from 8:30-11:30 a.m. by appointment only. Call 209-533-7401 to schedule your appointment. Their office is located at 20111 Cedar Road North, Sonora, CA 95370.
In late October 2021, accounts of a “flesh eating” sexually transmitted infection circulated in international media publications when it was reported that cases were on the rise in the United Kingdom.
An article published on Oct. 21 by Birmingham Live, a tabloid newspaper based in England, reported that doctors were “warning” of the infection, describing it as “terrifying” because of its ability to “eat human flesh.”
“Though donovanosis cases remain relatively rare when compared with other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and diseases (STDs), they have been steadily rising and pose a genuine risk to public health,” read the Birmingham Live article.
And in the days that followed, the claim took off like a bacterial infection as media outlets, including USA Today and Fox News, contributed to concerns surrounding the prevalence of the disease both in the U.K. and in the U.S. But many headlines and social media posts were more alarmist than perhaps was warranted.
While it is true that such an STI exists, infection rates are still rare.
Donovanosis, or granuloma inguinale, is described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a “genital ulcerative disease” caused by a bacterium called Klebsiella granulomatis.
“The disease occurs rarely in the United States; however, sporadic cases have been described in India, South Africa, and South America,” wrote the CDC. “Although granuloma inguinale was previously endemic in Australia, it is now extremely rare.”
A microscopic look at donovanosis. Public Domain
Typically spread through vaginal or anal sex, infection is characterized by painless sores or lesions on the genitals that exhibit a “beefy red appearance” that can bleed. (You can view images of these ulcers here, here, and here. Fair warning, they are graphic.) These “snake-like” lesions can also progress outside of the genital area to the pelvis, organs, bones, or mouth and can also develop secondary bacterial infections that may coexist with other sexually transmitted pathogens. Infection is difficult to culture, and diagnosis typically requires that a medical professional collect a biopsy from the ulcer or a tissue smear and look at it under a microscope.
Donovanosis is more common in places like India, Brazil and New Guinea. And while it may be on the rise in the U.K. and U.S., it is still less common than other bacterial STIs like gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. In fact, the U.S. National Library of Medicine estimates that there are about 100 cases reported each year, most of which occur in people who have traveled to or are from places where the disease is common, mostly in people between 20 and 40 years old. As The Washington Post reported, those numbers were equally as low in the U.K. Between 2016 and 2020, there were between 18 and 20 cases detected in England annually.
“Eighteen infections were logged in 2020, down from 30 in 2019, as widespread social distancing curbed its spread, along with those of other STIs,” wrote the publication.
Though rare, infection can be chronic, and relapse can occur between six and 18 months after seemingly successful treatment, which typically involve a prescription of antibiotics like azithromycin or doxycycline.
But because donovanosis is more common in low-income nations, the science surrounding infection, transmission, and treatment remains lacking.
“Although the disease has been described for more than a century, it is often overlooked due to its geographical distribution and low incidence. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are few published data on its incidence, even in endemic areas,” wrote Brazilian Professor of Dermatology Walter Belda Junior in a 2020 issue of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology’s scientific journal, Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia.
The Birmingham Live article did not give an explanation as to why cases of donovanosis were rising, but a 2021 article published in the online educational medical library StatPearls noted that incidence had been decreasing worldwide “most likely due to the realized role in HIV transmission.” HIV infection prolongs the healing time of donovanosis and because ulcers often bleed easily, they increase the risk of also becoming infected or transmitting HIV. As global health initiatives focused on eradicating HIV in the last several decades, cases of donovanosis have subsequently also largely decreased around the world.
Experts recommend that a person diagnosed with donovanosis avoid contact and sexual activity until the sores are healed. If a person had sex with a diagnosed patient within 60 days before onset of symptoms, they should be examined and given treatment.
Sources
“A ‘Flesh Eating’ STI Causing ‘beefy Red’ Sores Is Becoming More Common. Should Americans Worry?” USA TODAY, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/10/25/flesh-eating-sti-donovanosis-becoming-more-common-uk/6171385001/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2021.
Arif, Tasleem, and Mohammad Adil. “Donovanosis in a Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Female.” Indian Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS, vol. 41, no. 1, 2020, pp. 131–33. PubMed
Central, https://doi.org/10.4103/ijstd.IJSTD_18_17. Belda Junior, Walter. “Donovanosis.” Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, vol. 95, no. 6, 2020, pp. 675–83. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abd.2020.07.002
“Donovanosis.” Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, vol. 95, no. 6, 2020, pp. 675–83. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abd.2020.07.002. “Did Controversial AZT Treatment Kill More Patients than AIDS in ’80s, ’90s?” Snopes.Com, https://www.snopes.com/news/2021/09/21/did-azt-kill-more-patients-than-aids/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2021.
“‘Flesh-Eating’ STD That Causes ‘Beefy Red’ Sores Is Spreading in UK.” New York Post, 24 Oct. 2021, https://www.foxnews.com/health/flesh-eating-std-spreading-uk.
“What Is Donovanosis? So-Called ‘Flesh-Eating’ STI Sparks Fears in Britain, but Case Numbers Are Low.” Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/10/26/donovanosis-flesh-eating-sti-symptoms/.
The garlic snot trend is pretty gnarly…and pretty unsafe.
In today’s episode of ~regular people give medical advice on TikTok~, we have a trend claiming that if you shove giant cloves of garlic up your nose, it’ll clear your sinuses:
THE CAPTION SAYS “THIS IS NOT DANGEROUS,” BUT I AM FOR SURE QUESTIONING IT!!!
My nose is literally itching as I type this — I can’t wait any longer, so let’s get to the info! BuzzFeed spoke to ear, nose, and throat (ENT) Dr. Tonia L. Farmer, who has been in practice for 20 years. She is the co-owner of Lippy Group for ENT and Lippy Surgery Center.
Dr. Farmer said that while garlic does have several health benefits, putting large cloves in your nose to clear congestion is not one of them. “It can lead to inflammation and irritation of the mucous membrane lining in the nose and sinuses. Also, the garlic cloves may slip too far into the nostrils, causing them to get lodged in the sinuses.”
So, what exactly happens when you put garlic up your nose, because clearly snot does come out? Dr. Farmer said that the garlic is actually blocking the sinus passage — not clearing it — and your body will produce MORE snot as a reaction to the garlic. “Oils from the garlic are an irritant and worsen congestion and drainage. Inserting garlic into the nostrils causes the nose and sinuses to be temporarily blocked. The nose and sinuses react naturally to blockage and irritants by producing more mucus as a protective reaction,” she explained.
Nickelodeon
She added, “People attempting to do this dangerous TikTok challenge believe that loads of snot draining from their nose is proof that the garlic is working to ‘clear’ the sinuses when it’s actually an expected natural reaction to an irritant.”
“Garlic has been used for thousands of years and has numerous health benefits when used correctly. It is full of vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients. It has been shown to reduce high blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, and boost immunity. Garlic contains allicin and this component reduces the risk of infections. Allicin has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties,” said Dr. Farmer.
She added, “Garlic can be crushed and added to food as a seasoning. It can be placed in olive oil and eaten or used as a spread. Garlic can be boiled and inhaled as a sinus steam or sipped as tea. Garlic supplements can also be taken daily with other vitamins, but check with your physician to make sure adding garlic supplements is safe for you. But too much garlic can increase your risk of bleeding, especially if you are taking blood thinner medication, and it can worsen gastroesophageal reflux.”
So, what are some safe ways to clear your sinuses? Dr. Farmer said that both over-the-counter and non-medicated remedies can work well.
And, if you’ve been on TikTok, you may have seen videos stating that there are certain pressure points on your face that can clear sinus congestion. Dr. Farmer says that acupressure — or a sinus massage — can also be a beneficial complementary treatment for both sinus pressure and congestion.
“The concept is based on the practice of acupuncture but instead of using needles, specific points on the face are triggered using pressure from the hands and fingers. A firm but gentle pressure is applied to areas overlying the sinuses using a constant pressure for two to three minutes. The pressure should not be painful and can also be applied in a rubbing or circular motion. Acupressure may not completely relieve symptoms after one use, and multiple sessions may be necessary,” she explained.
So, when it comes to getting medical advice on TikTok, Dr. Farmer said that one of the most important things to consider is the source of the information. “There are some amazing medical professionals sharing information that has helped many people. But there is also information being shared that is not based on clinical practice standards, factual medical knowledge, or scientific studies. I suggest users do some research and more importantly, consult with their own physician before acting on any TikTok trend,” she said.
Special thanks to Dr. Farmer for her expertise on this topic. You can follow her on TikTok and Instagram.
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Infectious mononucleosis – also known as “mono” or “the kissing disease” – in childhood or adolescence is associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) as an adult, according to a new study.
In order to reach these conclusions, researchers from Sweden and the United Kingdom used data from nearly 2.5 million Swedish people.
In the population-based cohort study, published earlier this month in the journal JAMA Network Open. the authors wrote that they had used the Swedish Total Population Register to identify Swedish-born individuals from Jan. 1, 1958, to Dec. 31, 1994, who reached 25 years of age from Jan. 1, 1990, to Dec. 31, 2019, with both parents alive in 1990, in order to aid in the identification of all first-degree relatives as well as MS diagnoses in parents.
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS DIAGNOSIS: WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS?
Participants aged 20 years were followed up from Jan. 1, 1978, to Dec. 31, 2018, and the data was analyzed from October 2020 through July of this year.
The researchers used the unique individual Swedish personal identification number to link data across various registers and identify cohort members’ hospital-based diagnoses and their first-degree relatives.
They estimated the risk of an MS diagnosis associated with MS in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood using STATA for data analysis and Conventional Cox proportional hazards regression models.
The authors adjusted for sex, parental MS diagnosis, birth order and parental age at birth, and the group said second-degree fractional polynomials suggested that parental age at birth was linearly associated with risk of an MS diagnosis.
The team also took into account the health of the participants’ siblings – which could make the difference in confirming or discounting the role of familial genetics in the development of MS – and fractional polynomials for the stratified Cox proportional hazards regression also suggested that parental age at birth was linearly associated with risk of an MS diagnosis.
Of the 52.63% who were men and the 47.37% who were women, doctors diagnosed nearly 6,000 with MS after the age of 20.
‘FLESH-EATING’ STD THAT CAUSES ‘BEEFY RED’ SORES IS SPREADING IN UK
Results from stratified Cox proportional hazards regression indicated that being female and older maternal age at birth were associated with increased risk of an MS diagnosis, while later-born children were at lower risk of being diagnosed with MS compared with first-born children. The paternal age at birth was not associated with an increased risk of an MS diagnosis.
Infectious mononucleosis in childhood and adolescence – with a higher risk in adolescence – was associated with an increased risk of an MS diagnosis that remained significant after controlling for shared familial factors in stratified Cox proportional hazards regression. Infectious mononucleosis in early adulthood was also associated with risk of a subsequent MS diagnosis, but the risk was attenuated and was not significant after the researchers controlled for shared familial factors.
“These findings suggest that IM in childhood and particularly adolescence is a risk factor associated with a diagnosis of MS, independent of shared familial factors,” the authors said.
The researchers also found that the risk of developing MS falls, the older a person contracting mono gets.
“Hospital-diagnosed [mono] in childhood and most notably in adolescence was associated with increased risk of a subsequent MS diagnosis, independent of measured and unmeasured shared familial factors addressed by stratified Cox proportional hazards regression. There was less evidence of an independent association of MS with IM in early adulthood,” they said. “This age-defined pattern of risk may reflect variation in susceptibility to environmental exposures due to developmental changes of the immune system and [central nervous system].”
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Mono is a contagious disease spread most commonly through bodily fluids, including saliva. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the most common cause of infectious mononucleosis, but other viruses can cause the disease.
MS is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system, ranging from relatively benign to devastating. There is currently no cure for MS, though several drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat one or more forms of multiple sclerosis.
According to a National MS Society study, nearly 1 million Americans are living with MS.
