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This is a roundup of relevant news and media stories involving the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. We appreciate you relaying information that is relevant to faculty members in your respective areas.

TOP STORIES

Allison Carroll, a pediatric respirologist at the U of A, says mask-wearing will be just one aspect of COVID prevention in a school setting, and hand hygiene becomes increasingly important for kids who will be constantly putting on or removing masks from their faces. Coverage appears in multiple newspapers and media outlets across the country.

Two coronavirus drugs used in cats might help humans infected with the novel coronavirus, according to a preliminary study recently published in the journal Nature. Joanne Lemieux, a professor of biochemistry at the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, is quoted. Coverage also appears on , , stations across Canada, , , , a and in several other media outlets.

A new piece of medical equipment created at the U of A may give doctors a quicker and safer way to resuscitate patients who go into cardiac arrest due to COVID-19. Matthew Douma, a registered nurse and assistant adjunct professor of critical care medicine, is quoted. The Canadian Press article also appears in media outlets across the country including the Globe and Mail, National Post, Global News and The Star. Additional coverage appears on , , and .

RESEARCH

Getting a formula-fed baby out into green spaces can improve their gut microbiome and guard against obesity, asthma and allergies. Pediatrics researchers led by Anita Kozyrskyj believe that exposure to a wild environment encourages the growth of specific bacteria, types that are associated with a healthy gut. 

An intriguing new study by psychiatry professor Vincent Agyapong suggests that people under 25 are most likely to be seriously anxious, depressed or stressed about the coronavirus and its fallout, and those 60 and older were least likely to show signs of such conditions in a survey of people who use the province’s unique new COVID mental-health app. Story also appears in several other Postmedia newspapers across the country.

A U of A study is examining the antibodies of Edmonton children who had COVID-19 in an effort to better understand the virus. Piush Mandhane, associate professor of pediatrics, will be leading the two-year study. Coverage also appears on and .

Adverse birth outcomes and related maternal risk factors happen more frequently in the province’s poorest rural regions, new research out of the U of A shows. Lead researcher Maria-Beatriz Ospina is interviewed. Story runs in 40 Postmedia outlets.

A research project led by U of A professor of medicine Nicola Cherry will receive just over $1 million to study the impact of COVID-19 on health-care workers across Canada. The project is one of 22 across Canada receiving a total of $12.4 million in funding from the Canadian government’s Immunity Task Force, in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The story also runs in the Calgary Herald/Sun and Cherry is highlighted in a as well.

Almost one out of every five COVID-19 cases comes with only gastrointestinal symptoms, signalling the need for abdominal radiologists to remain vigilant during the pandemic, experts advised Monday. Kevin Lui from the Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging is quoted.

A new study shared in by the U of A has revealed that young people are reporting higher levels of stress and anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic compared to those over age 60, despite their significantly lower risk of dying from the virus itself.

U of A cell biologist Luc Berthiaume is developing a potentially life-saving new drug. Later this year or early in 2021 (due to a pandemic-related delay), clinical trials will begin on a promising new cancer drug, known as PCLX-001, based on myristoylation-inhibition research done in Berthiaume’s lab. Related coverage also appears on (Sept.18 at 8:48 a.m.).

Six syphilitic stillbirths in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ in the first six months of 2020 signal the province’s syphilis outbreak declared in July 2019 is far from over, despite a temporary case drop related to the COVID-19 pandemic. U of A infectious disease expert Ameeta Singh, who also works at an Edmonton clinic for sexually transmitted infections, said there are a number of factors affecting Edmonton’s high rates, including meth use. Coverage also appears on and . Related coverage about a syphilis outbreak in Saskatchewan appears in the as well.

In response to the pandemic, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research has awarded $11.3 million to 13 U of A research projects in the faculties of medicine & dentistry and nursing, and the school of public health, to learn more about the rapidly developing situation of COVID-19. John Lewis, a professor of oncology, will receive $4.23 million to develop a potential COVID-19 vaccine. 

A new U of A study shows injuries related to electric-powered scooters and bikes are on the rise. Periodontist Liran Levin is quoted. Coverage also appears on Global News in the form of an .

A multinational team of scientists has created a detailed cellular and molecular map of six anatomical adult heart regions. U of A professor of medicine Gavin Oudit contributed to the work and says it’s the first step toward understanding heart disease and developing new targeted treatments to stop it. Coverage also appears in .

Antiviral drug acts like a roadblock, stopping or slowing the spread of coronavirus, according to a study led by U of A microbiology researcher Matthias Gotte. Related coverage also appears on CBC Radio One.

U of A psychiatry researcher Vincent Agyapong conducted an online survey of ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈns who have reached out for help during the COVID-19 crisis. Results suggest the pandemic is taking a toll on mental health, with increased signs of obsessive behaviour, stress and depression. Related coverage also appears on and .

The grants from provincial Crown corporation ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Innovates will support five projects at the U of A totalling $1.4 million. Two of the projects selected involve faculty researchers Andrei Drabovich and Puneeta Tandon. Story appears across the local media landscape.

U of A oncology researcher John Lewis and his team with Entos Pharmaceuticals have been working overtime to develop one of Canada’s leading vaccine candidates. Lewis said the early results are promising so clinical trials will begin in the next few weeks with a vaccine being ready for distribution in early 2021. Coverage also appears in a that aired in markets across Canada.

EXPERTS

Sabrina Eliason, a developmental pediatrician and clinical lecturer with the Department of Pediatrics, writes that despite government claims, doctors are not asking for more money for themselves. Doctors are asking to work with the government to find ways to save money within the health-care system that prioritize patient care and limit the waste of existing infrastructure and labour.

Staying healthy as work resumes for some and others leave their homes for more formal work settings is going to require employees to not only strictly adhere to preventive measures—such as hand hygiene and physical distancing—but to know their rights, say experts in infectious disease and occupational health and safety law. Infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger is interviewed. She also comments in a related Covid-19 Q & A piece and is broadcast on several CBC radio stations.

Breast implants have long been considered a safe medical device. But increasingly, women complain of a wide variety of symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, itching, hair loss and much more, which they attribute to the implants. These symptoms are summarized as Breast Implant Illness. Jan Willem Tervaert, a professor of medicine at the U of A, offers expert comment.

630 CHED: COVID-19 mask-wearing, research discussed

Lorne Tyrrell, director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, is interviewed about the hunt for a vaccine, immunity and the work the U of A is doing on the virus. (No link)

New research shows the coronavirus could contribute to a variety of cardiac issues. Gavin Oudit, a professor of medicine at the U of A, is quoted. Coverage also appears on .

"We cannot afford to wait," said health economist Christopher McCabe, executive director and CEO of the non-profit Institute of Health Economics. "We need to be set up to roll out the vaccine as close to the time it's approved as possible," he said. Related coverage appears on and .

Lynora Saxinger, an infectious-diseases specialist and associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the U of A, said she believes teens deserve some credit for doing reasonably well at complying with public health restrictions during the pandemic.

Researchers at the U of A held a virtual panel in September examining what has been learned about COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Lorne Tyrrell, director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, shared his perspective on vaccine development in the lead-up to the event.

Some mental health experts say ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ is poised to lead a new field of psychiatry emerging from the pandemic. Because of ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ's history with natural disasters, psychiatrists in this province tend to have more experience in the area of crisis psychiatry. Serdar Dursun, a professor of psychiatry at the U of A, is quoted.

U of A infectious-disease expert Lynora Saxinger said you will often find a single case in a classroom but not find any secondary cases. However, it is inevitable that a case in a classroom means there's been infection spread there as well.

Pediatric respirologist Christopher Ewing said children love to help, so if parents explain to their children that the reason they need to wear a mask is because it helps others, they will be more likely to do it. It also helps to have them choose the mask they want to wear, but to make sure it fits snugly around the nose.

Austin Mardon, an assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry, along with a group of former and current U of A students, wrote that although ultimately it is each person’s individual choice to travel internationally, it is vital to consider how travel could affect the place being visited and whether the positives outweigh the negatives. 

Samina Ali, an emergency physician at Stollery Children’s Hospital and a professor of pediatrics at the U of A, discusses how pediatric hospitals have changed to become more welcoming for patients and their families.

Infectious-disease specialist Ilan Schwartz said recent spikes in the number of cases is cause for concern but it doesn't necessarily mean that we are on the verge of another large outbreak of COVID-19.

Individual families will have to determine the level of risk they're comfortable with when debating excluding grandparents from their social circles, said U of A infectious-disease specialist Ilan Schwartz. "The smaller that bubble, the more hope there is for it to retain its integrity."

U of A assistant clinical professor of psychiatry Krishna Balachandra said about 100 patients across the province are currently enrolled in the treatment program. Without injection treatment, patients will likely return to using street drugs and a dangerous cycle of addiction.

U of A injury prevention researcher Louis Hugo Francescutti said vehicles pose a bigger danger than the coronavirus on Halloween night.

U of A virologist David Evans said countries around the world signed up to ban biological weapons in the 1970s because they knew it was a foolish military activity, as anything they created would eventually bounce back on their own population. What Evans worries about are the well-meaning people with scientific curiosity and some know-how who just want to re-engineer these things.

Infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger said it is important for people to focus less on who in a school might have COVID-19 and more on whether the conditions in schools are allowing for transmission. She also discusses scenarios around quarantine after a positive case in a school.

A panel of experts, including Lynora Saxinger, answers questions during CBC Radio's Cross Country Checkup program.

Infectious-disease expert Stephanie Smith said during viral respiratory season, there is an increased number of patients admitted to hospital and health-care resources are stretched.

Peter Brindley, a professor of critical care medicine at the U of A, describes the typical ICU stay for a COVID-19 patient. A stay in the ICU is a traumatic event on the body and treatment is lengthy, with patients often remaining on the unit for two to three weeks before moving to another ward and then home.

One of the pillars of the global effort to find a COVID-19 vaccine will be human testing. It’s a process that all new drugs must undergo, but the scale of the pandemic and the urgency with which teams around the world are working have put trials under scrutiny like never before. Michael Good, an adjunct professor in medical microbiology and immunology at the U of A is interviewed.

Edmonton doctor Krishna Balachandra, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the U of A, says moving people with severe opioid-use disorders out of specialized clinics, set to close next March, will be devastating for those patients.

An uptick in COVID-19 cases across the country has prompted many public health officials to remind Canadians to follow set guidelines to limit the spread. But the relatively stable hospitalization data should not provide too much comfort, as ICU units may begin to fill if cases continue to increase. Lynora Saxinger is interviewed.

Infectious-disease specialist Ilan Schwartz is interviewed about playing sports, the performative aspects of 'deep-cleaning' and whether you should steer clear of exhaling smokers.

According to infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger, public transit has not so far proven to be a high risk for COVID-19 transmission. 

The Fort McMurray region, which has been under a COVID-19 watch, will not be bringing in a mandatory mask bylaw this month, after regional council opted to delay a third reading of the bylaw. Lynora Saxinger noted that although mask bylaws are becoming more common, there is debate about how effective they are. Saxinger is also quoted in a story commenting on the efficacy of face shields and in a Q & A COVID-19 story on .

A resurgence in coronavirus infections in several provinces has raised alarms about current disease-control measures in place and what steps need to be taken to curb the spread of the virus. Infectious-disease specialist Stephanie Smith is interviewed.

Infectious-disease specialist Ilan Schwartz is interviewed about playing sports, the performative aspects of 'deep-cleaning' and whether you should steer clear of exhaling smokers.

Infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger is interviewed about this shift in testing in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ.

Louis Hugo Francescutti, a professor with the U of A’s School of Public Health and the Department of Emergency Medicine, is interviewed about the dangers of riding e-scooters.

Samina Ali, an emergency doctor and professor of pediatrics at the U of A, gives expert comment on the work happening in hospitals across Canada to make pediatric emergency rooms more comforting for young patients and their family members.

U of A psychiatry chair Peter Silverstone said the decision some teachers may make to remove family members from their cohorts could be a hard change.

Article makes reference to a 2017 study in which a research team at the U of A created from scratch horsepox—an extinct relative of smallpox—by stitching together fragments of mail-order DNA.

Infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger says that, while not disastrous, the lack of masks in schools is concerning.

Case numbers have been consistently high in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ the last several weeks, and experts say the province appears to be in a transition period between waves of the novel coronavirus. Lynora Saxinger gives expert comment.

The U of A hosted a virtual panel titled Pandemic Perspectives: What we’ve learned from COVID-19. Lynora Saxinger addresses her biggest takeaways since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

A new study out of China suggests wearing glasses might protect against COVID-19 infection. Lynora Saxinger gives expert comment.

Lynora Saxinger answers multiple COVID-19 related questions from viewers.

A higher uptake of the flu vaccine is expected this year as the fall influenza season looms amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Lynora Saxinger gives expert comment, saying that the province's plan to secure more doses of the flu vaccine this year and focus on vulnerable populations first is a reasonable one.

As demand remains high on supply chains connected to COVID-19 testing, some provinces are moving towards a new type of test: a gargle test involving saliva, which is an option the province of ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ is exploring. Lynora Saxinger gives expert comment.

The COVID-19 outbreaks at Foothills hospital in Calgary are raising concerns about how hospitals around the province will be able to cope as cases mount. Stephanie Smith, an infectious-disease physician and director of infection prevention and control at the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Hospital gives expert comment, saying, “If we end up starting to get larger numbers needing hospitalization we won't have the health-care workers to take care of them."

U of A pediatrics professor Todd Alexander said the latest revelations are just another fallacy that have helped build vitamin D into a multibillion-dollar wonder vitamin 30 years in the making.

Psychiatry professor Peter Silverstone said anxiety rates are jumping again, especially in young people, as the season changes and kids head back to school.

U of A infectious-disease expert Lynora Saxinger said that while the currently available COVID-19 test is relatively accurate, it's not perfect.

Lynora Saxinger said she's noticed a varying degree of compliance to public health orders. "It's almost like it's a permissive environment for people to pretend that we're not in a pandemic anymore and that could be a concern." 

Lynora Saxinger said there are too many "permissive environments" where people stop being vigilant when it comes to safety and that those who arrange spaces can do more to ensure physical distancing continues.

Infectious-disease specialist Ilan Schwartz said Canada is behind when it comes to rapid testing and that a new million-dollar deal is probably a good idea, but the test they've targeted has not yet been approved by Health Canada.

Ilan Schwartz says an online option for your turkey toast—similar to the ones that gained popularity early in the pandemic with Easter and Passover—is the safest way to go.

Bioethicist and palliative care physician Cheryl Mack says we need to acknowledge the longstanding history of faith-based organizations in the provision of care to the sick and suffering. "Historically, Christians have considered care for the dying a special duty. The modern hospice movement within the western tradition as well can be traced back to the Catholic medical/nursing traditions."

PEOPLE, PARTNERSHIPS AND EDUCATION

The academic, medical and LGBTQ communities in Edmonton are mourning the death of a psychiatrist and professor who helped them live better lives. Lorne Warneke was a psychiatrist, U of A professor and medical director at the gender clinic at the Grey Nuns Hospital until he retired in 2017. Coverage also appears on and .

Dentists Kaveh and Svitlana Mirsaeidi graduated from the University of Toronto’s dental school in 2018, but have some specialized dental training in sedation from the U of A.

Neil Graham, who was 19 years old when he began studying medicine at the U of A, recently retired after 60 years on the job.

Alanna Blanchette, a fourth-year dental hygiene student, has helped organize the “Team 4 Fighters” who are participating in this year’s Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope to pay tribute to instructor Patricia Gainer. Story also run by , and .

While physician recruitment continues to be an issue in Ponoka, Battle River Medical Clinic is seeing some relief with the addition, although temporary, of Kyla Adams, a recent graduate from the rural family physicians program at the U of A.

Organizers of the World’s Longest Baseball Game officially received confirmation that they are indeed the Guinness Book of World Records’ successful entry for staging the world’s longest baseball game in August 2019 in Sherwood Park. Money raised from the game is supporting the clinical trial of a new cancer drug—PCLX-001—at Edmonton’s Cross Cancer Institute.

The U of A is considering three options to save money, each of which would see faculties consolidated. Similar stories also ran on the and the .