11 Comments

Thank you for the update, and good to see some progress in understanding LC. I was also relieved to learn that “at the last minute the FDA decided to go ahead with the KP.2 vaccine booster for September instead of JN.1 that was the plan from the advisory committee. The neutralizing antibody levels induced by the KP.2 booster were more than 3-fold increased compared to that induced by a JN.1 booster. The plan is that Moderna and Pfizer will have a KP.2 booster ready, and Novavax will go with JN.1.” I feared, from reading Katelyn Jetelina’s excellent report on the advisory meeting, that they would go with JN.1 to avoid confusion. I tend to think it’s always a mistake to make decisions like this based on concern about confusion; instead, that should be dealt with separately, as a public communications issue.

Also, just a silly side note: I was in San Diego last week visiting my almost 96 year old mom, and at one point we passed by Scripps. So of course I reminded her that’s where you work, and about all the good information you’ve put forth—and continue to put forth—about Covid (and so many other things). I truly don’t know how you read, grasp, and synthesize so much complicated information at what appears to be lightening speed! Even though a good bit of the detail is often above my pay grade, I am endlessly appreciative, and Mom was impressed too!

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Thank you Susan. Great on your almost 96-year-old mother!

You can be assured I will keep it going, sharing worthwhile new medical stuff in my DNA

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Should we be screening blood donations for long covid if it is easily transferred to mice?

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Good question. People with Long Covid are unlikely to be donors but it's worth thinking more about the implications

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The inconsistent nature and difficulty in diagnosing the disease could lead people believe they are well enough to donate, especially when the need is high. I wonder how many long haulers donated in the beginning of the pandemic (before we knew about long covid) when everyone was trying to do their part.

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Our dear friend and amazing guide, Eric is a bonafide genius ... that surely helps, no doubt :-))👍👍

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Thank you so much and for your support of Ground Truths!

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My pleasure Dr. Topol, and it's entirely earned!

Be well, Shannon

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The concept of autoimmunity with PASC was also described in the work from the Palladin Institute with its team of molecular biologists, immunologists and biochemists. Transferring Ig from “infected” mice to naive WT and -/- mice demonstrated the role of brain inflammation that is coupled with critical a7NAChRs modulation by a7R agonists. Details: Dysfunctional a7nAChRs and PASC:

The role of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in post-acute sequelae of covid-19. Maryna Skok

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocel.2024.106519

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Hi Dr. Topol,

I have been following your work on Long COVID and read Dr. Svetlana Blishteyn's interview.

I am an interventional cardiologist in practice for 33 yrs. I have, like you, been in the thick of cardiology for many years and have been a faculty at TCT since 2001.

Due to my fellowship days interest in syncope and curiosity about systemic vascular inflammation, I pursued investigating autonomic system pathophysiology since 1998. I have developed definitive testing and treatment protocols for dysautonomia through my work and established RENU-CA dysautonomia institute in 2005.

I have identified dysautonomia patterns in DM 2, advanced heart failure and vasculopathy. I have published my work on dysautonomia,DM2 and vasculopathy.

I have also successfully identified underlying pathophysiology for ME/FS,FM,E,POTS and have a large patient database for dysautonomia that include these conditions and patients with EDS, PCOS and Mast cell syndrome that we have successfully treated over the last 18 yrs.

In the last 3 yrs we have >250 Long COVID patients that are being followed with treatment at our institute.

Vagus nerve at the crux of dysautonomia, GUT-brain axis, Brian-CV-body axis are all pathways that I have identified through my work for years. You know very well how dysautonomia in disregarded in medicine that created an uphill battle for me to push my agenda.

Long COVID has brought dysautonomia to limelight.

Would love to share my work with you in detail with the circuits that I have developed that involve substantia Nigra, Central vagal nucleus, hypothalamus and several other brainstem nuclei - Central Clinical Autonomic Loop (CCAL), and how it plays a key role in the Brain-Body axis regulating systemic inflammation,CV system and endothelial integrity, hormonal and cellular receptor regulation.

My contact information:

RAMESH ADIRAJU MD,FACC

renu-ca@comcast.net

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Dr. Topol, your generosity in these reports is something of high value, very appreciated indeed, for myself, family, and it is very clear, so many persons.

The Washington University brain involvement study sounds it should add one more strong impetus to nasal vaccines, doesn't it? A lot of hope there, for those of us who must take all care with any public presence, which includes the medical, balancing risks against needs.

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