Dr. Klotman’s Week 248 video address is all about the genome – human and dog genomes in particular. Cat genomes are also being studied, but Klotman is a dog person who doesn’t even notice cats.
It turns out that hominids and canines have been partners for about 100K years, and their genomes have undergone parallel evolution – well side-by-side if not actually parallel. Modern dogs are descendants of the Gray Wolf that lived in close proximity to early hominids.
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The respiratory virus news this week is that there has now been a severe case of H5N1 bird Flu diagnosed in a 65+ year old in Southwestern Louisiana. The patient has some underlying health issues and had had contact with a backyard flock that included some sick and dead birds. You can read the news report here.
On a more personal note. I am wearing my mask religiously when I go grocery shopping. I notice more people than usual doing the same. The stores are much more crowded during the holidays, and at least in Austin, folks seem to have a heightened awareness of the risk of respiratory illness in such situations. It’s a good thing.