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How COVID-19 May Lead to Diabetes?

Diabetes

With Covid 19 virus becoming more and more dangerous with each and at every stage of mutations, there have been many recent discussions over the role of this virus in developing diabetes in the Covid affected persons. We have been witnessing SARS-CoV-2 induced pneumonia, blood clots, and other serious health concerns, some studies have also identified another troubling connection with people developing diabetes after an acute COVID-19 infection.

The well-documented fact that people with severe diabetes issues are at greater risk with Covid-19 needs extra health care and precautions to avoid severe risks of illness and death. Several studies across the world have now proven the fact that the person with diabetes is more prone to die than a non-diabetic person when infected with Covid 19, and cases of death also have been recorded with governments releasing the statements of people who died with co-morbidities.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes occurs when there is not sufficient insulin production in the pancreas. Beta cells, the source of insulin secretion in the pancreas, don’t secrete enough insulin, thus affecting the body’s metabolic function after a meal. With insulin insufficiency blood glucose levels rise, the hallmark of diabetes.

Damage and death to beta cells-insulin producing cells

Does COVID lead to Diabetes?

Recently, studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health, which is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research, confirm the damage to the insulin-producing cells by the Covid 9 virus. Lab studies pointed that the virus can easily affect the beta cells, and also carry the potential to replicate in these insulin-producing beta cells, thus generating more copies of the virus. This event is called ‘Covid induced diabetes’.

Islets- the pancreatic tissue

The survey findings conducted by NIH also supported the fact that the coronavirus infection alters the function of islets. Islets are the pancreatic tissue that contains beta cells. Research teams report evidence that infection with SARS-CoV-2 leads to reduced production and release of insulin from pancreatic islet tissue.

“Covid could be causing diabetes from scratch. These cases are coming from every corner of the world and every continent,” Rubino told Reuters said Dr. Francesco Rubino, a diabetes researcher and chair of metabolic and bariatric surgery at King’s College London.

Excessive steroids usage

Recently the excessive and irrational use of steroids was in the news all across the country. The large doses of steroids, dexamethasone, which is used in severe cases of COVID-19 led to new-onset diabetes and also to an acute exacerbation of mild diabetes if present.

 

You can search for vaccine slot availability on the ‘Vaccine Slot Finder’ on the OneDios app. It allows you to have a streamlined and uncomplicated experience while searching for your vaccine slot. You have to simply enter your Pincode to get the relevant information about slot availability. OneDios COVID 19 Vaccine Slot Finder empowers you to efficiently check available vaccine slots in your area by making the process easygoing, painless, and reliable.

You can also track vaccine-related statistics on the “Vaccination Dashboard” available on the OneDios app. The data for the dashboard is sourced from official Co-Win Statistics. Through this dashboard, you can stay informed about the number of sites conducting vaccination and total vaccination doses in real-time. Relevant data and trends are presented in user-friendly graphs, categories, and visual formats for greater access. You can also check updated data by selecting your state or district to know about specific statistics.

 

 

 
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Industry Talk

COVID 19 Mutations and Variants.

The novel Coronavirus has caused havoc throughout the world and impacted every phase of life, disrupting normal day-to-day activities. Covid-19, caused by SARS- Cov-1, is one of the large family of viruses distinctly recognized for having crown-like spikes on its outer layer, which it uses to attach itself with human receptor cells, causing the disease. According to WHO, these viruses can mutate several times in their natural lifecycles resulting in new variants. These variants can be more virulent and even more fatal in most cases. In other cases, the impact of mutations on human health might eventually die down and become harmless to human beings, as the Darwin theory stipulates.

 

 

There are currently multiple virus mutations in circulation, of which two are of particular concern to the medical community. These are primarily the variants that have caused the second wave of infections in several countries, resulting in a massive spike in positivity rates.

 

What is a mutation?

A mutation refers to a change that occurs in our DNA sequence. This may cause a change in its behavior and effectiveness. In current variants, one mutation, in particular, has improved the capability of the virus to bind with proteins in human cells called receptors. This binding affinity seen in current mutants is 40-80% more transmissible during the second wave. The new ‘double mutant’ has been identified in 80-82% of samples collected from India, which is causing immune-escape in the body of an infected individual and chances of increased transmissibility, but it has been said to be less deadly according to studies. It has proven to be at least 15% more virulent in preliminary studies.

 

What are the mutations circulating in India?

WHO has recently classified COVID mutation in India as a “variant of concern”. Indian mutation of COVID 19 has been named B.1.617, which is highly contagious. Epidemiologists suggest that this variant famously called “double mutant” is a result of thirteen mutations. Out of all thirteen mutations, two are of particular concern, hence called a ‘double mutant’. These mutations have caused modifications in the spike protein on the Coronavirus. Mutations are natural in any virus and there can be multiple numbers of them floating in the population. India has detected 24,000 mutations in 7000 variants of the COVID 19 virus. But only a few are the cause of concern.

In some samples in India, a UK-type variant of the COVID 19 virus is detected. B.1.1.7 is it’s name. It has accumulated 23 mutations across 5 genes. 

Experts have also suggested that these mutations might even escape the RT-PCR tests. But such incidences are very rare. 

 

Is the new mutant a cause of worry?

Mutations of the virus in new variants can potentially evade the neutralizing effect of natural bodily immune-response. It means that even if you have recovered from a previous variant, you can still get reinfected with it. However, ICMR notifications say that infected people who have already recovered from a primary infection would be very mild. It points towards the fact that vaccines would shield you from the possibility of severe infection in the future. The good news is that COVAXIN has been confirmed to be effective against this mutant, one of the two vaccines currently available in India, It is the only silver lining of hope people can rely on in current scenarios.

 

How does a vaccine impact virus mutation?

As the virus changes its nature, it is necessary to consider whether already developed vaccines are going to be effective against them or not. Research is going on to understand the modification of their genetic material and how it might affect vaccine development. But, a general medical view holds that even if the vaccine becomes less effective towards any new mutant, there is a possibility to make changes in the vaccine’s component raw material to improve antibody response and vaccine efficacy.

There is no need to worry about the effectiveness of a vaccine as a vaccine can be altered as per the need.  it is necessary to get vaccinated as soon as you can. Vaccination is the last line of defense to protect oneself against infection by the Experts.