Scientists from Johns Hopkins University reported that they had found the first direct evidence that coronavirus can infect the human brain and reproduce its cells. Their findings could complicate the search for ways to treat the disease
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The coronavirus can infect cells of the human brain and to develop within them. To such conclusion scientists from Johns Hopkins University in the United States that tracks statistics of infections with coronavirus in the world, writes Financial Times.
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Trials in the USA showed the effectiveness of one dose of vaccine against coronavirus
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Toxicologist Thomas Hartung, together with colleagues conducted the study on the mini-brains grown from stem cells. It added the small particles of Sars-Cov-2, causing coronavirus infection. As a result, the neurons in a mini-brain was infected through protein АПФ2. For humans, this enzyme is a receptor and the entry point into the cage of some coronaviruses. Once infected, the virus multiplied in the neurons: in three days the number of infected cells increased at least 10 times.
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“It is very important to know that the virus can directly affect our most important organ,” said Professor Hartung. It is still unclear how many patients with the coronavirus was faced with it, he added.
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Scientists have discovered the ability of masks to reduce the spread of coronavirus 40%
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The results of the study, which has not yet been published in a scientific journal, can be correlated with reports of neurological symptoms in patients with mers, which were apparent, including during the initial outbreak in Wuhan, the newspaper said. More than a third of the infected, who were hospitalized in this Chinese city, had neurological symptoms, including dizziness, headache and convulsions, the newspaper said. First, however, it was unknown whether the virus acts on the brain and nerve cells directly or the symptoms are secondary and caused by damage to the immune and cardiovascular systems of patients. Furthermore, it is unclear whether to include the loss of smell to normal symptoms of the disease or is the result of brain damage.
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Scientists have recognized repeatedly sick COVID-19 non-contagious to others
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To hit the brain cells of the person, the virus will have to overcome the blood-brain barrier between the blood and Central nervous systems. “Will the virus Sars-Cov-2 this barrier or not, is not clear. But we know that serious inflammation, such as in patients with COVID-19, destroy this barrier,” said Hartung.
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Research is essential to search for methods for the treatment of coronavirus, writes the FT. The ability of the virus to attack the brain could complicate efforts to fight the disease with drugs because it is often contained in these substances are unable to cross the blood-brain barrier.
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