Dr. Kieran Moore, the chief medical officer of health for Canada’s Ontario province, verified on Friday that a resident of Brantford-Brant had tested positive for rabies. Direct contact with a bat in Ontario is believed to have been the source of the infection.

Dr. Moore stated in a statement that no additional information regarding the individual will be disclosed in order to protect the family’s privacy.

In addition, he stated that family members, health care providers, and other close contacts were being evaluated and administered post-exposure prophylaxis as a precaution.

“Cases of human rabies are extremely rare due to effective public health prevention and control measures,” Moore asserted.

 

According to CP24, the most recent human incidence of rabies in Ontario was in 2012, but it was contracted outside of the country. The last detection of human rabies in Ontario occurred in 1967.

The Brant County Health Unit announced in a separate news release that the resident is current hospitalised.

“We are holding this individual and their loved ones in our thoughts and prayers during this extremely challenging period.” Rabies, despite its rarity, is a severe virus that affects humans, according to a statement from the county’s medical officer of health.

Rabies Cases in Canada

The bat is considered to originate from the Gowganda region of the Timiskaming region, according to the health unit.

Since 1924, there have been only 26 additional documented cases of rabies in humans on a national scale, with seven of these cases occurring in Ontario. All of those cases were fatal, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Through direct contact with the secretions of an infected animal, rabies can induce inflammation in the brain and spinal cord.

Moore stated that skunk, fox, and raccoon rabies variants are circulating in the province, despite the fact that rabies infections are prevalent in bats.

“If anyone in Ontario has direct physical contact with a bat, even if there is no visible bite or scratch, or if they have been bitten or exposed to saliva or infectious tissues from another animal species, they should seek immediate medical attention,” Moore asserted.

He emphasised the importance of obtaining urgent medical attention after encountering suspected rabies.

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A groundbreaking study published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2024 offers a fresh perspective on assessing long-term heart disease risk.

Traditional methods typically rely on cholesterol levels, particularly LDL or “bad” cholesterol, to gauge cardiovascular health. However, this new research suggests that incorporating additional biomarkers can significantly enhance the accuracy of these predictions.

Dr. Paul Ridker, the study’s lead author and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, emphasizes that relying solely on cholesterol levels overlooks crucial risk factors.

“We have other biomarkers that tell us about other kinds of biological problems our patients who are destined to have cardiovascular disease are likely to have,” Ridker explains.

The research identified two additional markers—lipoprotein (a), or Lp(a), and C-reactive protein (CRP)—as significant predictors of heart disease. These markers, along with LDL cholesterol, can provide a more comprehensive risk assessment.

Study Details and Findings

The study analyzed data from nearly 30,000 U.S. women enrolled in the Women’s Health Study between 1992 and 1995. At the study’s start, participants had their LDL cholesterol, Lp(a), and CRP levels measured.

Over the 30-year follow-up period, approximately 3,600 participants experienced serious cardiovascular events, including heart attacks, strokes, or death from heart disease.

Dr. Ridker’s team found that high levels of each marker were individually linked to increased risk. Women with elevated LDL cholesterol had a 36% higher risk of heart disease, while high Lp(a) levels were associated with a 33% increased risk.

Elevated CRP levels indicated a 70% higher risk.

When all three markers were considered together, women with the highest levels were 1.5 times more likely to suffer a stroke and over three times more likely to develop coronary heart disease over 30 years compared to those with the lowest levels.

Implications for Heart Disease Prevention

Traditionally, heart disease risk assessment has focused on well-known factors such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The addition of Lp(a) and CRP testing could uncover less obvious risk factors that are not addressed by lifestyle changes alone.

Dr. Rachel Bond, director of women’s heart health at Dignity Health, advocates for one-time Lp(a) testing, noting that high levels, once identified, remain a lifelong risk factor. Post-menopausal women might consider retesting due to potential changes in Lp(a) levels.

Dr. Steven Nissen, chief academic officer of the Heart, Vascular, and Thoracic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, stresses the importance of early intervention.

“Although exercising, eating well, and not smoking are all crucial, people with elevated levels of Lp(a), LDL, and CRP will likely require medication,” he says. He suggests that the combined use of these biomarkers could lead to earlier and more effective treatment strategies.

Study Limitations and Future Directions

While promising, the study has limitations. The participant pool was predominantly white, which may affect the applicability of the findings to more diverse populations.

Additionally, the study’s methodology included stopping Lp(a) measurement once it reached a certain threshold, potentially underestimating its risk.

Dr. Kunihiro Matsushita from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health highlights that while CRP is an important marker, it might not be the best predictor of cardiovascular risk.

He suggests further research to explore the optimal combination of biomarkers for predicting heart disease.

This new approach to heart disease risk assessment represents a significant shift in cardiovascular health management.

By incorporating multiple biomarkers into routine blood tests, physicians can gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of an individual’s long-term risk. As Dr. Ridker aptly notes, “Physicians will not treat things they don’t measure.”

This enhanced diagnostic method could pave the way for more personalized and effective prevention strategies in the fight against cardiovascular disease.

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for an updated version of Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine.

This new formulation is now approved for individuals aged 12 and older and is specifically designed to target the JN.1 strain of the virus. The announcement comes amid a fluctuating COVID-19 landscape and varying levels of vaccine uptake.

Key Details of the Authorization

The updated Novavax vaccine is tailored to address the ‘parent strain’ of currently circulating variants, with demonstrated strong cross-reactivity against several lineages of the JN.1 variant, including KP.2.3, KP.3, KP.3.1.1, and LB.1.

According to Novavax’s CEO, John Jacobs, this vaccine aims to offer protection against the evolving virus strains that have been circulating.

Peter Marks, Director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, highlighted the significance of the authorization, stating, “Today’s authorization provides an additional COVID-19 vaccine option.”

This move expands the range of available vaccines, which is crucial as different variants continue to circulate.

Following the FDA’s announcement, Novavax’s shares experienced a notable increase, rising 2.2% in extended trading after a strong closing that saw a gain of 8.6%. This uptick reflects positive investor sentiment regarding the company’s updated vaccine offering.

Novavax has indicated that doses of the new vaccine could be available as early as the end of next week, subject to distribution logistics. This timely release is aimed at addressing the needs of individuals seeking updated protection against current virus strains.

Comparison with Other COVID-19 Vaccines

Earlier this month, the FDA approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, which target the KP.2 variant. JN.1 was the dominant strain in the U.S. earlier in the year but has since decreased in prevalence.

As of August 31, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that JN.1 now accounts for approximately 0.2% of COVID-19 cases.

In contrast, the KP.2 subvariant represents about 3.1% of cases, while the KP.3.1.1 subvariant has surged to become the dominant strain at 42.2%.

The evolving nature of the virus has prompted the FDA to request vaccine makers to focus on the KP.2 strain for the 2024-25 vaccine updates.

Vaccine Technology and Public Health Context

Novavax’s vaccine utilizes a traditional protein-based technology, offering an alternative to the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech.

While mRNA vaccines like Moderna’s Spikevax and Pfizer’s Comirnaty have been at the forefront of the pandemic response, Novavax’s approach provides an additional option for those who may prefer or require different technology.

Despite a recent increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. over the past three months, the demand for COVID-19 vaccines has significantly declined since the pandemic’s peak.

Novavax has projected that overall vaccine demand will remain consistent with last year’s figures, although it anticipates a better performance for its updated vaccine.

As COVID-19 continues to evolve, the availability of updated vaccines like Novavax’s provides crucial options for maintaining public health protection.

The new EUA for Novavax’s vaccine highlights ongoing efforts to adapt to the changing virus and offer effective solutions to combat it. The coming weeks will be pivotal in assessing the vaccine’s impact and its role in the broader fight against COVID-19.