June 20 at 4:06 PM BUTEMBO, Congo — A dozen young men revved their motorcycle engines in front of the wooden gate of a makeshift checkpoint — too impatient to have their temperatures checked or to wash their hands with chlorinated water. Health workers manning the post had little choice but to let them pass. Every day, thousands of people travel this road through the epicenter of Congo’s ongoing Ebola outbreak, where they are supposed to comply with field nurses toting gun-shaped thermometers testing for fevers. But that operation is far from perfect, and extinguishing the nearly year-old outbreak is months away at best. Days with a dozen new cases are normal. “Ebola is like water. If you don’t build a perfect dam, even a small hole can lead to a flood of new cases,” said Marie Roseline Belizaire, the World Health Organization’s deputy manager for the response. Health officials are confident the outbreak is not spiraling out of control but are worri...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Sunlenca (lenacapavir), a new type of medication for the most common variant of HIV, HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus type 1). Lenacapavir is designed for heavily treatment-experienced adults with multidrug-resistant HIV who are not able to adequately manage the virus with their current treatment regimen. It is an injectable medication administered under the skin (subcutaneously) once every six months. Developed by Gilead Sciences, lenacapavir is the first of a new class of HIV medications called capsid inhibitors, which work by blocking the virus's protein shell (the capsid), thereby interfering with essential steps of the virus's life cycle. In a clinical trial, lenacapavir was able to lower the viral load in patients who were not responding adequately to other therapies. "Today's approval ushers in a new class of antiretroviral drugs that may help patients with HIV who have run out of treatment options,...
Hormones play an important role in regulating bodily functions and can affect a person's mood. A hormonal imbalance may cause symptoms of depression. Changes in hormone levels can alter mood and emotional well-being. Finding out the underlying cause and taking steps to balance and regulate hormone levels may help relieve hormonal depression. This article discusses the link between hormonal conditions and depression, treatment options, and when to seek help. Changes in hormone levels, from factors such as pregnancy, menopause, or birth control, can alter neurotransmitters that affect mood. A drop in hormones can lead to a reduced level of serotonin, which can result in increased levels of sadness, anxiety, and irritability. A drop in testosterone levels may also affect mood and may cause: depression increased anxiety increased irritability low sex drive reduced energy levels The following conditions may cause hormonal depression: PMDD Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is simila...
Comments
Post a Comment