A study by researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences found that patients undergoing active chemotherapy had a lower immune response to two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. A third dose increased patients’ response. “We wanted to make sure we understand the level of protection the COVID-19 vaccines are offering our cancer patients, especially as restrictions were being eased and more contagious variants were starting to spread,” said Rachna Shroff, MD, MS, chief of gastrointestinal medical oncology at the UArizona Cancer Center.

Researchers at the University of Arizona have successfully tested a Valley fever vaccine for dogs. It's a two-dose vaccine designed to help them fight the disease, which is caused by a fungus called Coccidioides posadasii. "The idea of a vaccine to prevent Valley fever has been the holy grail since the 1950s," said John Galgiani, MD, director of the UArizona Valley Fever Center for Excellence and a professor of medicine. "We created a vaccine that worked. The dogs had all sorts of laboratory evidence of active, very widespread disease, and the vaccine prevented it."

Researchers identified a compound that acts as a Trojan horse for copper, effectively killing pathogens that cause some upper respiratory infections.

During the summer of 2020, Arizona’s health authorities activated crisis standards of care, and hospitals began rationing medical supplies. The situation has improved, but the persistently high levels of cases and deaths following a long period of low community transmission are concerning, according to a recent report written by Joe K. Gerald, MD, PhD, associate professor at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, and Patrick Wightman, PhD, MPP, a researcher at the Center for Population Science and Discovery.

Data from an ongoing research study at the University of Arizona Health Sciences show that first responders – including firefighters, law enforcement, correctional officers and emergency medical service providers – are at elevated risk of COVID-19 infection compared with other essential workers and frontline health care personnel.

During the summer of 2020, Arizona’s health authorities activated crisis standards of care, and hospitals began rationing medical supplies. The situation has improved, but the persistently high levels of cases and deaths following a long period of low community transmission are concerning, according to a recent report written by Joe K. Gerald, MD, PhD, associate professor at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, and Patrick Wightman, PhD, MPP, a researcher at the Center for Population Science and Discovery. This article originally published in The Washington Post.

Women with endometriosis appear to have a greater risk of stroke, even after taking into account known risk factors for stroke, according to a study presented at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Leslie Farland, ScD, MSc, an assistant professor at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and colleagues, examined data from the Nurses’ Health Study II, where women were followed from 1989 until 2017 for development of incident stroke.

In one week, vaccine mandates may force some healthcare workers out of their jobs. Some still don't want the COVID-19 shot, but several hospital systems require all employees to be vaccinated by November 1. "I think there's going to be somewhat of an exodus of people who are reluctant to get it," said Shad Marvasti, MD, associate professor and director of Public Health, Prevention and Health Promotion Curriculum at the College of Medicine – Phoenix.

Arizona accounted for about 10,000 out of 18,000 reported Valley fever cases in 2019, according to the latest statistics from the CDC. Coccidioidomycosis is frequently mistaken not only for cancer, but also for rheumatic conditions and bacterial infections, according to Valley fever specialist John Galgiani, MD, director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona in Tucson. "Where Valley fever is common, it should very frequently be in the differential for masses that are thought to be cancer," Galgiani said in an interview.

AZ HEROES study finds first responders have higher incidence of COVID-19 infection, supporting need for increased vaccination and mitigation measures.