Study of UK key workers shows around half who had COVID-19 symptoms probably did not have the disease

New research from Public Health England (PHE) presented at this week's ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID) shows up to half of UK key workers from a cohort of just under 3,000 individuals recruited (including police, fire and healthcare workers) who had self-reported symptoms of COVID-19 did not test positive for antibodies to the disease. This suggests that their symptoms were due to other conditions. The study was presented by Ranya Mulchandani, PHE, Birmingham, UK in collaboration with PHE colleagues and academic partners across the UK.

Older Western Europeans could already have systemic 'profile' that makes them susceptible to severe COVID-19

New research presented the ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID, online 23-25 September) shows that the severe COVID-19 immunological profile, represented by changes in cell populations and circulating inflammatory proteins, is already partly present in older healthy individuals.

Novel neuroimaging study on dissociative symptoms reveals wounds of childhood trauma

Being traumatized can cause what are known as dissociative symptoms—such as experiencing amnesia, an out-of-body experience, feeling emotionally numb—which may help people cope. Experiencing these symptoms intensely or for a long time, however, can negatively impact an individual's ability to function.