Long covid is not the only chronic condition triggered by infection
Finding similarities between post-infectious illnesses could lead to better treatments
SOME INFECTIONS—HIV/AIDS, for example—are chronic. If you catch one you are stuck with it indefinitely, unless a treatment exists to clear away the guilty pathogen. Many, though, are acute. Unless they kill you, your immune system will do the clearing and you can carry on as before.
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This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Peering through the fog”
From the February 24th 2024 edition
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An interstellar object is cruising through the solar system
Its appearance puts a new branch of astronomy to the test
RFK junior wants to ban an ingredient in vaccines. Is he right?
Studies show that thimerosal does more good than harm
AI is helping to design proteins from scratch
They could treat diseases, test drugs and boost crop yields
A new project aims to synthesise a human chromosome
The tools developed along the way could revolutionise medicine
How sea slugs give themselves superpowers
Their slimy shenanigans might have applications for humans, too
Is being bilingual good for your brain?
Perhaps. Learning languages offers other, more concrete benefits