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Let's Talk: Kayla Aalpoel

Kayla Aalpoel was in the sixth grade when she was diagnosed with common variable immune deficiency (CVID), cytopenia and irritable bowel syndrome. Despite an extremely dificult childhood filled with numerous doctor visits and hospital stays, Kayla has grown into a remarkable and resilient young woman who excels at sports and refuses to let chronic illness put her on the sidelines. As a rising high school senior, she displays an optimism and zeal for life that inspires those around her… full article (pdf)

Product Guide

Take a Deep Breath of Purified Air

A sniffle here. A cough there. The flu season is officially upon us, which means a snot- and fever-fighting arsenal is critical. Thankfully, the shelves are fully stocked again, but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead in case there's another run on antiviral supplies.… full article (pdf)

Ask the Experts

Reader: Is Antibody Testing Being Performed on Vaccinated and Recovered Individuals to Measure Protective Levels Against the Virus?

Abbie: I spoke with Marc Riedl, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology, allergy and immunology at the University of California, San Diego, who said monitoring/surveillance studies are ongoing. There is currently evidence most people have detectable antibodies for at least eight months after symptomatic COVID-19 infection and at least six months after receiving the COVID-19 vaccines. This difference is due only to the period of time data has been collected (longer for infection than vaccine), so as time elapses, we will better understand how long vaccine-induced antibodies last. The vaccines appear to produce much higher antibody levels than natural infection in most people, although… full article (pdf)