Everyone poops. I learned that from children's books from when my kids were little. I've also earned a living learning that lesson (i.e I'm a gastroenterologist). Since COVID is shed in poop, one way to track population experience of the pandemic is by testing wastewater. In communities throughout [Read More]
Dr. Kumar
Increase in COVID-19 cases
The Fall Surge (The Third Wave) The Fall Surge is upon us. It has arrived by all telling. We are early in it's course and there is opportunity for mitigation. The 1918 Pandemic of the Spanish flu also had 3 waves. The Spring, the Fall, and the Winter waves of 1918. The Winter of 1918 saw the end [Read More]
Do genetics or nature impact a person’s health more?
DNA or zip code? Which has greater impact on your health? Of course the answer is the same as it ever was. Both! This study in Nature was interesting though in it's methodology. It used the Aetna database and found 56,000 twin pairs and studied them until age 24 (while they were on their parents [Read More]
Acute Flaccid Myelitis
Acute Flaccid Myelitis has been occurring in relatively high numbers every other year since 2014. This year the season is winding down, but ended up affected about 135 children, most (16) of them here in Texas. We don't know what causes this polio like illness characterized by paralysis. It's likely [Read More]
