Infectious Diseases | Penn Today

Top row: Dennis Discher, Michael Correa-Jones, and Cherie Kagan. Bottom row: Sophie Rosenfeld and Susan Weiss.

Five Penn faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Dennis E. Discher, Michael Jones-Correa, Cherie R. Kagan, Sophia Rosenfeld, and Susan R. Weiss are being recognized for their contributions to engineering, political science, history, and biology.

3 min. read

Measles: An explainer

Judy O’Donnell, the associate chief medical officer for Healthcare Epidemiology for the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and the chief of Infectious Diseases at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, explains what people need to know about measles.

NPR

If bird flu jumps to humans, immunity from seasonal flu may offer some protection

Penn researchers have shown that people born roughly before 1965 had higher levels of antibodies—proteins that bind to parts of the virus—which cross-react to the current strain of bird flu.

New protein discovery sheds light on autoimmune disease triggers

Researchers co-led by Jonathan Miner of the Perelman School of Medicine have identified a protein in cells that spurs the release of infection-fighting molecules.

Reuters

Health Rounds: Older adults may be less vulnerable in a bird flu pandemic

Early childhood influence exposures can elicit immune responses that last a lifetime, according to Scott Hensley of the Perelman School of Medicine.

CBS Philadelphia

Third confirmed case of bird flu in Philadelphia was at live market, health officials say

Aliza Simeone of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that most people who’ve been exposed to bird flu and have then become sick or tested positive had very close contact with infected poultry or cattle elsewhere in the country.

A petri dish in a lab labeled Avian Flu HSN4

Older adults might be more resistant to bird flu infections than children

New research from Penn Medicine finds that previous exposures to older flu strains prime the immune system to produce antibodies against H5N1, and children would likely benefit the most from H5N1 vaccinations.

NBC News

Measles is unlike other viruses: What to know about long-term complications

E. John Wherry of the Perelman School of Medicine says that relearning viral immunity can lead people to be especially prone to other infections right after measles.

Healio

Children, teens face 25% higher risk for adverse GI outcomes after COVID-19 infection

According to a study by Ph.D. student Dazheng Zhang of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues, children and adolescents experienced increased risk for gastrointestinal symptoms and disorders after COVID-19 infections.

WESA Radio (Pittsburgh)

Migratory birds mainly responsible for bird flu outbreak, experts tell Pa. lawmakers

Louise Moncla of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that avian flu viruses are being spread far geographically because of wild migratory birds.

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