MGH Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit

Join the Boston COVID-19 Recovery Cohort on August 12th for a discussion on Long Covid, community engagement, and the latest advancements in Long Covid advocacy. Your thoughts and input are crucial in sustaining these vital dialogues. Sign up now! 😄

August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week. Raising Awareness and support for Breastfeeding Mothers: The first 6 months of an infant's life are critical for nutrition and growth. Breastfeeding enhances the baby's immune system, offering protection against infections. Read more about the WHO's efforts, and learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding here:

Breastfeeding Breastfeeding

The CDC typically coordinates between 17 and 36 investigations of foodborne illnesses involving multiple states each week. On this table is a list of active investigations, and links to any current CDC outbreak notices.

Active Investigations of Multistate Foodborne Outbreaks View foodborne outbreaks CDC is investigating each week.

The FLiRT and LB.1 variant of Covid-19 are raising concerns about a potential wave of infections this summer. Based on spikes in emergency room visits and detections of the virus in the wastewater, the CDC reports a significant uptick in several states. The newly mutated virus may continue to evolve before the winter. Learn more about these strains here:

3 Things to Know About FLiRT and LB.1, the New Coronavirus Strains A Yale Medicine expert discusses the FLiRT and LB.1 strains, COVID subvariants that emerged in the first half of 2024.

Meet Tabasom, the ID CRU's newest Clinical Research Coordinator! Tabasom graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Her thesis work focused on antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. Welcome, Tabasom!

It's officially summertime! 😎 ☀️ As it gets hotter outside, it's important to take precautions for a safe and happy summer season. Read the CDC guidance for dealing with extreme heat here: https://buff.ly/4bfnNUs

Happy Fourth of July! Here are some safety tips from the CDC for enjoying the holiday.

Prepare to be patriotic! | Blogs | CDC CDC - Blogs - Public Health Matters Blog – Prepare to be patriotic! - Sharing our stories on preparing for and responding to public health events

Want to enjoy the outdoors this summer? Be sure to bring supplies to make outdoor water safe -- some bacteria and viruses can pass through water filters alone! Boil and treat with chemicals to fully remove any dangerous pathogens (CDC:

Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling | Drinking Water | Healthy Water | CDC Drinking contaminated water can make you sick with diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Learn how to make water safe when hiking, camping, or traveling abroad.

June 27th is National HIV Testing Day! Today, we highlight the importance of HIV testing, knowing your status, and learning about options for HIV prevention and treatment. The only way to your find out your HIV status is to get tested. can provide results in as little as 20 minutes and no matter your test results, you have options. Learn more: https://buff.ly/3vNfGJG

As Pride Month comes to a close, we appreciate the activism in the LGBT+ community that led to greater awareness and research around HIV. Ending the stigma around HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases is possible through education!

Let's Stop HIV Together: HIV Stigma We all have a role to play in stopping HIV stigma.

Summer is HERE ☀️ and with it come longer and sunnier days.~
Did you know most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to UV lights?
Take a look at the CDC's website on how to practice sun safety this summer. 🏖️ 😎
https://buff.ly/4cdYMcX

Sun Safety Facts Ways to protect your skin from the sun.

As the weather gets warmer, more folks will choose to cool off in the water! Algae and cyanobacteria can quickly grow out of control or "bloom", which can create toxins that make people sick. Learn about algal blooms, health impacts and preventative measures here:

Harmful Algal Blooms and Your Health Harmful algal blooms grow in water and can make you and your pets sick.

Meet Joshua, the ID CRU's 🦠 newest Clinical Research Coordinator! Joshua graduated from UMass Amherst recently as a dual degree recipient in Microbiology and Portuguese🎓 . As an undergrad, he produced his honors thesis on metformin as an anti-chlamydia drug in the progression of Alzheimer's Disease🧠🧫 . Outside of academics, he was a tour guide, a student mentor, and the president of his acapella group. In his free time, you can find him singing and beatboxing his way around Boston! Welcome Joshua!

Summer is here and ticks are everywhere. With climate change causing an upsurge in tick population, getting bitten by these pests will increase risk for Lyme disease, an illness with flu-like symptoms. Bug sprays containing DEET and appropriate clothing may be your solution! Click here to learn more:

Here’s Exactly What to Do If You Find a Tick on You A step-by-step guide from experts.

The Spanish Flu. Accurate description or Unfortunate Misnomer? The flu of 1918 was wrongly named "The Spanish Flu" as Spain was the nation to best cover the disease's global spread amongst the backdrop of tight-lipped nations fighting in World War attempting to appear strong and unbothered by the virus. The pandemic most likely started in the US, with one of the first recorded cases being in Kansas: https://buff.ly/4aXeIQy).

Congratulations to our inaugural class of Clinical Research Coordinators (CRC) as they embark on new academic pursuits and exciting opportunities. We will miss them dearly and wish them the very best in all their future endeavors!

MGB's Birth Partners Doula project is working towards addressing inequities in pregnancy health outcomes! Doulas are trained non-medical professionals who are paired with birthing parents to offer physical and emotional support throughout the stages of birthing. Learn more here

Doula Program Aims to Improve Pregnancy Health Outcomes | Mass General Brigham The Birth Partners Doula project matches pregnant patients with doulas. Learn more about doulas and how their support benefits pregnant people and babies.

After seeing confusion in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of 500 experts from the WHO have reached an agreement on the definition of airborne disease. The new definition, which considers risk of exposure and severity, allows for more diseases to fall in this airborne disease category. This change in language can lead to positive changes in practice and disease prevention methods. Read more about this definition here: https://buff.ly/4dd9JwI

A case of Avian Flu A was detected in the U.S. in April, with the infection possibly originating from an interaction with an infected dairy cow. The person was prescribed an antiviral and advised to self-isolate. Read more here: https://buff.ly/3vMiWeK, https://buff.ly/49H8jrt

Avian Influenza A(H5N1) – United States of America The World Health Organization (WHO) was notified about a laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with an influenza A(H5N1) virus on 1 April 2024 by the United States of America IHR National Focal Point (NFP). The patient developed symptoms on 27 March and had a history of exposure to dairy catt...

Life can be stressful. If you are struggling to cope, or the symptoms of your stress or anxiety won’t go away, it could affect your health. For National Stress Awareness month, take the time to familiarize yourself with some healthy ways to manage stress and anxiety!

April is Autism Acceptance Month. Join us to promote autism awareness, celebrate neurodiversity, and continue to advance inclusivity! Visit CDC’s website to learn more about early identification and support: https://buff.ly/3xH00yh

Autism Research and Resources from CDC Use this partner toolkit of free resources

Researchers from the Broad Institute have found that certain species of Oscillibacter bacteria consume cholesterol and can decrease one's risk of cardiovascular disease. This research contributes to a growing theory that the bacterial composition of the gut can have affects on other parts of the body, like the heart, and can be harnessed to decrease cholesterol levels in humans! Read all about it here:

Scientists link certain gut bacteria to lower heart disease risk Study finds several species of cholesterol-metabolizing bacteria in people with lower cholesterol levels.

What is Alaskapox? Health officials in Alaska have identified the first known death linked to a recently discovered virus called Alaskapox. Learn more about this virus and how to stay safe.https://buff.ly/3PVryGt

Try out these new recipes from our RECOVER cookbook! RECOVER is a research project to better understand the long-term health effects of Long COVID and explore possible diagnoses and treatments. https://buff.ly/3UKaOp2

Please join us for the 2nd Annual Regional Northeast Clinical Research Nurse Symposium, co-directed by our own dynamic nurse manager, Diane! We enjoyed attending this invigorating Symposium last year and cannot wait to do so again. See the attached flyer for more details 😆!

C. auris, a deadly fungus is currently spreading across the US. Click on the link below to learn more about C. auris infections and how to stay safe amidst this outbreak.https://buff.ly/2UXeVQ5

Candida auris: A Drug-resistant Germ That Spreads in Healthcare Facilities | Candida auris | Fungal Diseases | CDC Candida auris (also called C. auris) is a fungus that causes serious infections. Patients with C. auris infection, their family members and other close contacts, public health officials, laboratory staff, and healthcare personnel can all help stop it from spreading.

Do you flush the toilet 🚽 with the lid open or closed? When it comes to germs 🦠, it might not matter... For more, see the study published in American Journal of Infection Control by University of Arizona researchers. https://buff.ly/49nWFSO

Do you flush with the lid open or closed? When it comes to germs, it might not matter. What kind of flusher are you? A new study found germs spread whether the toilet lid is up or down. Disinfect your toilet and flusher to kill germs.

Planning on travelling internationally this summer? Use the Travelers’ Rapid Health Information Portal (TRhIP) to make sure you are ready for safe and healthy trip!

TRhIP | Global TravEpiNet Welcome to the Travelers’ Rapid Health Information Portal (TRhIP)! TRhIP is sponsored by the Global TravEpiNet (GTEN) and provides health advice for safe international travel based on the recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You should visit a health care provide...

March is Women's History Month!

Did you know that over 75% of workers in healthcare and social assistance are women? (https://buff.ly/42M7xYc). Mass General Brigham's very own President and CEO Dr. Anne Klibanski was honored with the Top 25 Women Leaders' Luminary Award in 2023 by Modern Healthcare for her commitment to advancing new research and anti-discrimination programs (https://buff.ly/3OTq5jI ). To the women in every area of our healthcare system, we thank you for your wonderful work!

(Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik)

MGH kicked off the month of March celebrating National Employee Appreciation Day! Featured here is one of our wonderful coordinators, Gillian, giving a shoutout to our staff team here at the ID CRU.