News

In the coronavirus prevalence study led by the University of Tartu, researchers continue to determine the spread of the virus but now also start to estimate how many people have developed antibodies to the virus. This way, besides the spread of the virus, it is possible to get an idea of the percentage of adult population who have potentially acquired immunity.

Outstanding researcher, educator, and raising star in nanomedicine, Prof. Hélder A. Santos, joins the Laboratory of Precision and Nanomedicine of University of Tartu as a Visiting Professor.

Medical researchers of the University of Tartu published the first Estonian data on SARS-CoV-2 antibody persistence after asymptomatic or mild infection – 80% of subjects still had antibodies eight months later.

Yesterday, members of the Rector’s Office discussed the organisation of teaching and studies in February and March, and decided that in both months, teaching will be largely conducted online. However, we are trying to gradually move towards greater openness. We make decisions about teaching and studies in the spring semester for one month at a time – for each month, by the middle of the previous month. The rector’s decree with more detailed guidelines will take effect after passing the bylaw approval process.

The recently ended stage in the coronavirus prevalence study, conducted by the University of Tartu, shows that although the number of infected adults has somewhat decreased since the holidays, the general infection level remains high. A cause for concern is the large proportion of asymptomatic infected people, as well as the behavioural patterns of potential close contacts.

A study led by medical researchers of the University of Tartu aims to find currently unknown hereditary factors that affect testicular development and cause a severe disorder of spermatogenesis and testis descent. Nearly 7% of men are infertile and 60% of these cases remain unexplained. Broadly speaking, the causes of male infertility can be divided into two: disorders in spermatogenesis (the development of sperms) and congenital genital or, more generally, urogenital developmental disorders, among which abnormal testis descent is the best known.

Led by researchers of the University of Tartu, a pilot study has been conducted to assess whether gene donors’ awareness of their risk of cardiovascular disease changes their health behaviour for the better and thus reduces the likelihood of developing the disease. The study revealed that if family doctors use genetic data to provide risk-based counselling, regular intervention leads to the improvement of health parameters.

Researchers of the University of Tartu Faculty of Medicine are starting a new research project the results of which could lead to developing new biomarkers for drug addiction and open a new path in the treatment of drug addiction. According to the National Institute for Health Development, from 1999 to 2018, as many as 1.678 people died in Estonia as a result of a drug overdose. These deaths are overshadowed by the fact that there is currently no cure for addiction induced by psychostimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine.

Today a student of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tartu was confirmed to have coronavirus disease COVID-19. The student took part in studies from Tuesday to Wednesday.

The University of Tartu’s study on the prevalence of coronavirus reveals that the number of the infected has doubled in Estonia over the recent month. The virus is spreading in all counties. Compared to the survey stage that was conducted in December, people have started to travel much more extensively in Estonia. Also, there has been an increase in the number of people who do not change anything in their behaviour after possible contact with an infected person.

To date, none of the so-called British or South African coronavirus strains, presumably more rapidly spreading, have been detected in Estonia, as reveals the whole-genome analysis of coronavirus conducted in the project KoroGeno-EST-2 by medical researchers of the University of Tartu. There has been a lot a talk lately about several new and hypothetically even more infectious strains of SARS-CoV-2. The so-called South African and British strains have received the most attention and been associated with increased infection rates.

Researchers from seven countries, including Estonia, envision future reusable face masks to be based on smart nanotechnology. According to the plan, these 3D-printed masks will be more comfortable to wear, have excellent filtration efficiency, self-disinfection capacity and an integrated humidity dissipation system.

Researchers of the University of Tartu begin this year’s first stage of the coronavirus prevalence study on 7 January. In the study they estimate the impact of nationwide restrictions imposed in mid-December, regional restrictions placed shortly before the end of the year, and the holiday season on the spread of the virus.

The Estonian government has decided to support the study on the strains of SARS-CoV-2 with an additional 400,000 euros to allow the early detection of the possible occurrence of the new and potentially more rapidly spreading strains in Estonia.

The results of the coronavirus prevalence study conducted by the University of Tartu show that the virus is widespread and the number of infected people is high, while the number of virus carriers remains largely the same as a few weeks ago. According to researchers, this refers to the efficiency of restrictions imposed at the end of November.

The government decided on Thursday, 17th December 2020 that it is necessary to continue the research on the spread of COVID-19’s and waste water analysis. The Ministry of Social Affairs provides the Ministry of Education and Research 4 000 750 euros to conduct the studies.

Researchers and doctors of the University of Tartu, Tartu University Hospital and South-Estonian Hospital are studying how COVID-19 affects patients over the course of three years after infection. At the third- and sixth-month follow-up, more than half of the patients reported various health concerns, although their routine analyses were fine. In the third-month follow-up, the main complaint was a decrease in physical exercise capacity. By the sixth month, the number of patients with complaints had increased and problems with joints were added to the decreased exercise capacity.

More than 40 medical students of the Univeristy of Tartu are training as nurses to help treat coronavirus patients after the University of Tartu Clinic asked for additional help as the number of patients in hospitals rises. The 43 fourth, fifth and sixth-year students are undertaking a five-day training course in nursing at Tartu Health Care College, ETV's "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) reported on Wednesday.

Analysis by medical researchers of the University of Tartu indicates that focusing solely on respiratory symptoms may mean that COVID-19 is diagnosed late or left undiagnosed. For people older than 50, more attention must be paid to diarrhoea and fever without cough or runny nose.

Taking place from 10 to 21 December, the new stage of the coronavirus prevalence study aims also to assess the impact of the restrictions imposed on 24 November on the spread of the virus. The study helps to estimate the growth rate in the spread of the virus and thereby gives important information to decision-makers in addition to the daily statistics by the Health Board.