geoffrey modest medical blogs

  In the midst our current Covid scourge, many of us may have lost sight of another recent viral attack (of considerably less magnitude), that of Zika virus. A new adenovirus-based vaccine by Janssen/J&J seems likely to be beneficial (see  zika vaccine AIM2021   in dropbox, or doi:10.7326/M20-5306)    Details:  -- phase I randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study with 100 healthy young adult volunteers for an adenovirus-vector vaccine (Ad26.ZIKV.001), a replication-incompetent human serotype 26 adenovirus vector encoding the Zika membrane (M) and Env proteins, in a 1- or 2-dose regimen of low and high dose (5x10 10  or 1x10 11  ) viral particles (LD or HD)  -- median age 29, BMI 26, 55% female, 72% white/20% Black  -- study done at the Johnson County Clin-Trials in Kansas and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston  -- participants were randomized to one of 5 groups for 2 injections: LD/LD, LD/PL (placebo, 0.9% saline), HD/HD, HD/PL, PL/PL on day 1 and da

  The US Preventive Services Task Force just released their new colorectal cancer screening guidelines for asymptomatic adults at an average risk of colorectal cancer,   in particular lowering the age recommended to 45; average risk =  no prior diagnosis of colorectal cancer, adenomatous polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease, and no personal diagnosis of family history of known genetic disorders that predispose adults to high lifetime risk of colorectal disease (e.g. Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis): see   https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/colorectal-cancer-screening   or   https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/colorectal-cancer-screening#fullrecommendationstart   Recommendations:  -- adults age 50-75: screening recommended for all adults (grade A recommendation) -- adults aged 45-50: screening recommended (grade B recommendation) -- adults age 76-85: selective screening recommended; evidence suggests the