PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Mass General Brigham experts develop laboratory toolkit for patients with viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Marburg virus disease

New resource provides guidance for healthcare facilities to perform basic laboratory testing in a safe and effective manner for patients at risk for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers

2024-10-25
(Press-News.org) Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) such as Marburg virus disease have been in the news recently, with more than 60 cases of Marburg confirmed in Rwanda. Although there are currently no cases of Marburg in the United States, and the risk of infection in the U.S. remains low, Mass General Brigham experts have collaborated with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Region 1 Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC) at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to support frontline healthcare facilities in ensuring that patients who are being evaluated for VHF receive critical laboratory testing.  As part of their work, the team developed a toolkit available for use in facilities across the U.S. A paper detailing the new toolkit is published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 
 

“While the risk of Marburg virus disease in the U.S. is currently low, early identification and isolation of persons presenting with signs and symptoms, and epidemiological risk factors for this infection is essential for patient and healthcare personnel safety. However, once an at-risk patient is identified and isolated, diagnostic capacity is critical to patient evaluation,” said co-lead author Sarah E. Turbett, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital.  “As a Marburg virus disease suspect can present to any healthcare facility in the U.S., ensuring hospitals have a practical action plan for the isolation and initial care of these individuals is necessary. Our toolkit provides generalizable and scalable resources to facilitate development of this plan.” 

The toolkit includes a “base plan” that outlines how to collect, process, and report laboratory test results from VHF suspects, as well as guidance on infection prevention and control, waste management, and occupational health practices.  

“Because of the care that must be taken in handling laboratory samples in patients with possible VHF, getting a diagnostic program in place can appear quite daunting, especially for smaller facilities. But it’s just not an option to be unprepared,” said co-lead author Jacob E. Lazarus, MD, PhD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital. “We wanted to provide a place to start.”  Documents, templates and checklists are also provided which healthcare facilities can adapt for local needs.  

“In the 2014-2016 West African Ebola Virus Disease outbreak, the CDC reported failures to diagnose and treat malaria in travelers returning to the U.S. who were thought to potentially have Ebola,” said senior author Erica S. Shenoy, MD, PhD, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Infection Control, Mass General Brigham. “We need to do better. Safe and effective care relies on the diagnostic capacity of every frontline facility. Our team is hopeful that the tools provided can bolster local preparedness efforts.” 

The Region 1 RESPTC provides tools and resources for healthcare organizations in New England to ensure appropriate readiness and preparedness for emerging pathogens. For more information, contact the Region 1 RESPTC at Mghbrt@partners.org. 

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Ripples of colonialism: Decarbonization strategies perpetuate inequalities in human rights

2024-10-25
Photos A University of Michigan study of a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo finds that the necessary process of decarbonization is repeating and recreating colonial inequalities.   The researchers argue that human rights abuses associated with contemporary cobalt mining, such as child labor, social displacement and structural marginalization, are new forms of old colonial practices. Their study is published in the journal Cities.   "We show how those colonial practices emerged through the creation of mining companies and through ...

Christine Schmidt elected to prestigious National Academy of Medicine

Christine Schmidt elected to prestigious National Academy of Medicine
2024-10-25
University of Florida Distinguished Professor Christine Schmidt has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine. This prestigious honor follows her election earlier this year to the National Academy of Engineering, making her one of the few exceptional individuals to be recognized by both academies. Election to the National Academy of Medicine recognizes outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service in the fields of health and medicine. The Academy announced the names of its 100 new members today during its annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Schmidt, the Pruitt Family Endowed Chair in the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, was selected ...

Move along moose, SFU study reveals the ‘most Canadian’ animals

2024-10-25
What is the “most Canadian” animal? Spoiler: it’s not the beaver, or the moose.   Published today in the journal The Canadian Field-Naturalist, the study from a team of Simon Fraser University researchers ranks, for the first time ever, species of terrestrial vertebrates in Canada by their level of Canadian evolutionary distinctness: the amount of time animals have evolved independently from other Canadian species.   High ranked species have no close national relatives and can embody up to a hundred million years of evolution shared with none other in the country.   The study found that, overall, amphibians ...

Diabetes drug Ozempic also has positive effect in chronic kidney disease and obesity

2024-10-25
This was shown in an international study led by clinical pharmacologist Hiddo L. Heerspink of the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands. This is the first time that it has been shown that this diabetes drug, now best known as a means of losing weight, is also effective for patients with chronic kidney damage. The results of this study have been published in Nature Medicine and presented simultaneously at the annual congress of the American Society of Nephrology. Does a diabetesdrug also work in chronic ...

Report summarizes findings from a decade of unprecedented gambling research

2024-10-25
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have released a comprehensive, 194-page report assessing their decade-long examination of the social and economic impacts that followed the introduction of casino gambling in Massachusetts. UMass Amherst’s SEIGMA (Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Massachusetts) is believed to be the most comprehensive investigation of casino impacts ever undertaken. The report was presented Thursday to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission during a public meeting. It synthesizes the findings from 55 interim reports and academic publications.  “We wanted to do a comprehensive ...

New lung cancer screening model removes barriers for central Texas' most vulnerable

2024-10-25
AUSTIN, Texas — A new lung cancer screening initiative has made significant strides in overcoming barriers to care for low-income, uninsured and minority populations in Central Texas — a critical step toward reducing disparities in lung cancer outcomes. The effort, led by Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin and CommUnityCare Health Centers, implemented a patient-centered approach that includes bilingual support, mailed outreach, and no-cost screening to patients. “Federally Qualified Health Centers like CommUnityCare serve a higher-risk population, making them great places to offer ...

Applications now open for Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship

Applications now open for Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship
2024-10-25
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a fellowship open to all U.S. students pursuing doctoral degrees in fields that use high-performance computing to solve complex science and engineering problems. Established in 1991 and currently carrying a $45,000 annual stipend, the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF) program provides outstanding benefits and opportunities, fostering a community of energetic and committed Ph.D. students, alumni, DOE laboratory staff, and other scientists who want to have an impact on the nation while advancing their research.  Fellows ...

Astronauts return to Earth following seven-month science expedition on International Space Station

Astronauts return to Earth following seven-month science expedition on International Space Station
2024-10-25
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), October 25, 2024–After seven months of living and working onboard the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station), astronauts of NASA’s eighth rotational SpaceX crew mission (Crew-8) splashed down safely off the coast of Florida. The mission, which is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, included NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. During their mission on station, ...

Alliance Bioversity-CIAT inaugurates the most advanced respirometry chambers in Latin America to measure methane emissions from livestock

Alliance Bioversity-CIAT inaugurates the most advanced respirometry chambers in Latin America to measure methane emissions from livestock
2024-10-25
The most advanced respirometry chambers in Latin America were inaugurated at the Alliance Bioversity-CIAT campus in Colombia. These are hermetically sealed spaces designed to precisely measure and analyze the concentrations of gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide, produced by animals. This advance is part of the Low-Methane Forages, project led by the Alliance Bioversity-CIAT in collaboration with the CGIAR research centers ILRI and ICARDA and their Germplasm Banks. The project is evaluating thousands of forage ...

Study finds bariatric surgery declined with rise in GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity

2024-10-25
Researchers from Mass General Brigham and collaborators found that use of GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity more than doubled from 2022 to 2023 while rates of surgery dropped by one quarter. KEY TAKEAWAYS Researchers from Mass General Brigham and collaborators assessed national trends in the number of patients with obesity prescribed GLP-1 drugs and the number who underwent metabolic bariatric surgery. Researchers documented a 132.6% increase in patients prescribed GLP-1 drugs between 2022 and 2023, and a 25.6% decrease in patients undergoing bariatric ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Searching for hidden medieval stories from the island of the Sagas

Breakthrough study reveals bumetanide treatment restores early social communication in fragile X syndrome mouse model

Neuroscience leader reveals oxytocin's crucial role beyond the 'love hormone' label

Twelve questions to ask your doctor for better brain health in the new year

Microelectronics Science Research Centers to lead charge on next-generation designs and prototypes

Study identifies genetic cause for yellow nail syndrome

New drug to prevent migraine may start working right away

Good news for people with MS: COVID-19 infection not tied to worsening symptoms

Department of Energy announces $179 million for Microelectronics Science Research Centers

Human-related activities continue to threaten global climate and productivity

Public shows greater acceptance of RSV vaccine as vaccine hesitancy appears to have plateaued

Unraveling the power and influence of language

Gene editing tool reduces Alzheimer’s plaque precursor in mice

TNF inhibitors prevent complications in kids with Crohn's disease, recommended as first-line therapies

Twisted Edison: Bright, elliptically polarized incandescent light

Structural cell protein also directly regulates gene transcription

Breaking boundaries: Researchers isolate quantum coherence in classical light systems

Brain map clarifies neuronal connectivity behind motor function

Researchers find compromised indoor air in homes following Marshall Fire

Months after Colorado's Marshall Fire, residents of surviving homes reported health symptoms, poor air quality

Identification of chemical constituents and blood-absorbed components of Shenqi Fuzheng extract based on UPLC-triple-TOF/MS technology

'Glass fences' hinder Japanese female faculty in international research, study finds

Vector winds forecast by numerical weather prediction models still in need of optimization

New research identifies key cellular mechanism driving Alzheimer’s disease

Trends in buprenorphine dispensing among adolescents and young adults in the US

Emergency department physicians vary widely in their likelihood of hospitalizing a patient, even within the same facility

Firearm and motor vehicle pediatric deaths— intersections of age, sex, race, and ethnicity

Association of state cannabis legalization with cannabis use disorder and cannabis poisoning

Gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia and future neurological disorders

Adoption of “hospital-at-home” programs remains concentrated among larger, urban, not-for-profit and academic hospitals

[Press-News.org] Mass General Brigham experts develop laboratory toolkit for patients with viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Marburg virus disease
New resource provides guidance for healthcare facilities to perform basic laboratory testing in a safe and effective manner for patients at risk for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers