Veterinary Medicine
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SHIELD program a model for effective pandemic management, data show
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In the fall of 2020, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign welcomed students back for in-person instruction amid the powerful first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The university successfully maintained operations throughout the semester – with zero COVID-19-related deaths or hospitalizations in the campus community – thanks to its “SHIELD: Target, Test, Tell” […]
Can pet dogs be infected with coronavirus?
On Feb. 6, a team led by pathobiology professor Ying Fang, a virologist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, diagnosed a pet dog in Chicago with infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. This is the first dog in Illinois to test positive for the coronavirus. Fang spoke with News Bureau life […]
Do kids need a COVID-19 vaccine?
Children ages 5 to 11 now can receive a COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech under emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration and recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rebecca Lee Smith, an epidemiologist and professor in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine and the College of Veterinary Medicine at the […]
Which animals can catch the coronavirus?
On Oct. 6, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories announced confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – in two previously uninfected animal species at a zoo in Illinois. Dr. Leyi Wang, a virologist and professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, first tested the samples in the university’s […]
Can people take a livestock drug to treat a deadly virus?
Demand has surged for ivermectin, a drug widely given to horses and cows to treat worms and other parasitic infections, as a possible treatment or preventative for COVID-19. Some seekers have turned to over-the-counter animal formulations, despite Food and Drug Administration warnings against their use, resulting in a spike in calls to poison control centers. […]
Frequent COVID-19 testing key to efficient, early detection, study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The chance of detecting the virus that causes COVID-19 increases with more frequent testing, no matter the type of test, a new study found. Both polymerase chain reaction and antigen tests, paired with rapid results reporting, can achieve 98% sensitivity if deployed at least every three days. “This study shows that frequent […]
How do July 4 celebrations affect wildlife?
Celebrating the nation’s Independence Day with fireworks is an enduring tradition, but fireworks can be a source of distress and danger to wildlife. Dr. Sam Sander, a clinical professor of zoo and wildlife medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, spoke with News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates about how fireworks affect wildlife and […]
Study links prenatal phthalate exposure to altered information processing in infants
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Exposure to phthalates, a class of chemicals widely used in packaging and consumer products, is known to interfere with normal hormone function and development in human and animal studies. Now researchers have found evidence linking pregnant women’s exposure to phthalates to altered cognitive outcomes in their infants. Most of the findings involved […]
Lipid epoxides target pain, inflammatory pathways in neurons
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When modified using a process known as epoxidation, two naturally occurring lipids are converted into potent agents that target multiple cannabinoid receptors in neurons, interrupting pathways that promote pain and inflammation, researchers report. These modified compounds, called epo-NA5HT and epo-NADA, have much more powerful effects than the molecules from which they are […]
Childhood trauma could affect development, treatment of multiple sclerosis, mouse study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Childhood trauma could affect the trajectory of multiple sclerosis development and response to treatment in adulthood, a new study in mice found. Mice that had experienced stress when young were more likely to develop the autoimmune disorder and less likely to respond to a common treatment, researchers at the University of Illinois […]
Study finds fungal disease of snakes in 19 states, Puerto Rico
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a collaborative effort between scientists and personnel on U.S. military bases in 31 states and Puerto Rico, researchers surveyed for an infection caused by an emerging fungal pathogen that afflicts snakes. The study found infected snakes on military bases in 19 states and Puerto Rico, demonstrating that the fungus is more […]
Repurposed anti-malarial compounds kill diarrheal parasite, study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A class of compounds used for malaria treatment also kill the intestinal parasite Cryptosporidium, a leading cause of diarrheal disease and death in children that has no cure, a multi-institution collaboration of researchers found in a new study. The compounds, called bicyclic azetidines, specifically target an enzyme responsible for protein production within […]