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HIV drugs may curb Covid-19 risk
The Surprising COVID Protector Hiding in Your HIV Medicine
Picture this: you’re saying “thank you, protease inhibitors” to your HIV meds, and little Dr. COVID feels a bit left out. A recent French study suggests that those powerful drugs may actually be doing a double duty—helping keep the new coronavirus at bay. That could explain why people living with HIV haven’t seen the “big scary COVID” surge that the medical world feared.
What the French Doctors Did
- They reviewed over 500 people with HIV.
- About a third were taking long‑term protease inhibitor therapy.
- They kept track of COVID cases for a full year.
The Numbers that Surprised Everyone
- Only 12% of the protease‑inhibitor group caught COVID.
- In contrast, 22% of those not on these drugs got infected.
That’s a big difference—almost a 10‑point dip—in infection rates. It looks like those HIV meds might be shrinking the risk window for COVID, giving people living with HIV a silver lining in the fight against the virus.
Why This Matters
People with HIV are often more susceptible to infections, so seeing them dodge the worst of COVID feels like a victory for science (and the original “smart” doctors who mixed up their meds). It’s a reminder that sometimes the body’s immune tweaks can work in unexpected ways—turning a once‑harsh treatment into an extra shield.
Bottom Line
If you’re rocking protease inhibitors, you might just have a side‑effect that’s got your back against COVID. And if you’re not, it could be a call to keep one eye on these promising findings—maybe the next big break in COVID defenses is already in your prescription bottle.
<img alt="" data-caption="Staff in personal protective equipment (PPE) work by a barrier of an area under lockdown amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, in Shanghai, China, on March 26, 2022.
PHOTO: Reuters” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”d5e9b1e9-d094-4926-bb86-f1828c92c489″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/ZXEUNXG74NNIJPC4O5BTZ52WVM.jpeg”/>
Protease Inhibitors: The Unexpected Hero of Covid‑19
While four patients in the “non‑protease‑inhibitor” group ended up in the hospital with Covid‑19, the data that’s set to surface at the upcoming European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases paints a surprisingly optimistic picture.
What the Numbers Say
After tossing aside other risk factors, the figures show that people on protease inhibitors were 70% less likely to get infected with SARS‑CoV‑2 than their counterparts who weren’t taking the drugs. That’s a pretty solid protective effect, especially considering these meds are already a staple in many antiviral regimens.
How Protease Inhibitors Work
These drugs block a key step in the virus’s life cycle—its ability to multiply. Dr. Steve Nguala from the Intercommunal Hospital Center of Villeneuve‑Saint‑Georges explained: “Protease inhibitors have a long track record, a solid safety profile, and most people tolerate them quite nicely.” In other words, they’re the kind of meds you’ve already trusted for other viral infections.
Why It Matters & What’s Next
- They could halt the spread of infections.
- They might prevent the emergence of future variants.
- More exhaustive studies are needed to confirm these promising results.
So, while we’re still waiting for vaccine boosters and vaccine updates, keep an eye on protease inhibitors—they might just be the underrated sidekick we didn’t know we needed.
Covid-19 and flu make for a dangerous combo
When Covid‑19 Meets Flu: A Double‑Trouble Dilemma
Picture this: you’re admitted to the hospital, wrapped up in Covid‑19 like a bad rash, and then the flu rushes in as the next bad rap. Sounds like a comic‑book villain team‑up, but the science says it’s actually a nightmare.
The Study That Turns Up the Heat
- Nearly 7,000 patients were studied — 227 of them had both Covid‑19 and the flu.
- The co‑infected folks were more than four times as likely to need ventilators (those fancy mechanical breathing machines).
- When it comes to survival, they were 2.4 times more likely to face a fatal outcome.
Why the Duo is So Deadly
Dr. Kenneth Baillie, who led the research, didn’t do a theatrical spin‑out. He said:
“The mix of the two viruses is especially dangerous. We anticipate that Covid‑19 will circulate alongside flu for longer than we expected, and that means co‑infection becomes a bigger risk.”
He added that hospitals should double‑down on flu testing for Covid patients. If you’re a doctor, a new mantra is emerging: “Test, test, test, and test again for the flu.”
Put Together Both Vaccines: A Smart Move
Surprisingly, Dr. Peter Openshaw from Imperial College London pointed out that the two vaccines are not the same. He made a simple, yet powerful, observation:
“The vaccines that protect against Covid‑19 and flu are different, and people need both.”
Buy both shot, keep that door closed to the combined villain. It’s a simple protocol that could save countless throats and lungs.
Bottom Line
- Get your Covid vaccine and your flu shot—both are essential.
- Hospitals might start checking for the flu on Covid patients more aggressively.
- A combined infection can triple your risk of needing a ventilator and more than double your risk of death.
So next time the winter weather hits, remember: you’re not just fighting the flu or Covid‑19 alone; you’re defending against a double‑agent threat. Stay protected, stay cool, and keep those vaccines on tap!
Experimental Covid drug may be preventive and therapeutic
Sniff‑And‑Save: A Nose‑Spray That Might Keep COVID‑19 at Bay
Imagine a tiny drug you can spray into your nose that could both ward off an infection and treat the disease if you do get it. That’s the wild idea behind N‑0385, a new experimental compound that’s been promising in lab mice—at least against some scary coronavirus strains.
How the Spray Works (and Why Nasal Mmm‑Mmm Matters)
N‑0385 is a small molecule that targets an enzyme called TMPRSS2—think of it as a key that certain coronaviruses need to unlock the door to our cells. The virus also uses a protein called ACE2 on the outside of the cell to plug in. By jamming that enzyme, N‑0385 stops the virus in its tracks.
In experiments at Cornell, mice that got the spray before exposure to the original SARS‑CoV‑2 or the Delta variant never had the virus get in. And if the mice were given the spray up to 12 hours after being exposed, they didn’t get seriously sick. Pretty neat—like a superhero cape for your nasal passages.
What This Means (And What It Doesn’t)
- Effective against original and Delta variants: The drug shows promise against those two lineages.
- Not a match for Omicron: Some variants don’t rely on the blocked pathway, so N‑0385 won’t help there.
- A Simple & Cheap Solution: Because it’s a small molecule, mass production should be easier and more affordable than pricey monoclonal antibodies.
Hector Aguilar‑Carreno—one of the researchers—said the treatment would require only a handful of daily sprays, making it a real game‑changer if it can keep costs low.
What’s Next?
California‑based EBVIA Therapeutics is stepping in to raise money for human trials, development, and scale‑up production. If safety and efficacy hold up in people, the team thinks the spray could be a handy partner to other antiviral meds—cutting the odds that the virus mutates into a treatment‑resistant form.
Key Takeaway: More than Just a Nasal Relief
While the study is still in the animal testing phase, the idea of a surgical‑ly precise spray that could help prevent and treat COVID‑19 is a fresh—and thrilling—approach. Keep an eye on this because, if it pans out, you might soon have a nasal spray that’s as natural as a breath of fresh air and as potent as a superhero’s punch.
