copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: Toxic vaccine ingredients in the MMR vaccine cause encephalopathy (Del Bigtree, 2017-05-04)
Evidence (2019-06-21): Severe neurological disease is a rare complication of vaccine administration and typically involves a patient with immunocompromised status and/or underlying neurological disease (44,45). Varicella vaccine can, in rare cases, lead to disseminated varicella infection in immunocompromised persons with eventual meningitis, pneumonia, or hepatitis, and vaccine strain viral reactivation leading to meningitis or encephalitis (20,46). Rare cases are reported of MMR-induced measles inclusion body encephalitis in persons with immunocompromised status from the measles component of the vaccine (20,47). [...] A now-retracted paper was published in Lancet in 1998 linking autism to the MMR vaccine by claiming it causes "autistic enterocolitis". That work fueled the hysteria against vaccines, mercury, and vaccine components (2,3). The author’s status as a registered physician in the UK was revoked. Additionally, since that time a number of studies have carefully looked at the potential link between the MMR vaccine, other vaccines, mercury or other vaccine adjuvants, and autism and found no plausible scientific evidence to support this myth (2,20,57). Despite all this, people continue to cite such fears as reasons they avoid vaccinating their children.
Claim: Toxic vaccine ingredients in the MMR vaccine cause encephalopathy (Del Bigtree, 2017-05-04)
Evidence (2023-10-31): The following cases were reported in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) between November 1990 and July 1992: a 50-year-old male who developed syncope, visual disturbance, and hypoglycemia 1 day after receiving tetanus toxoid; a 14-year-old male who developed encephalitis and transverse myelitis 2.5 months following Td administration; and a 17-year-old male who developed lymphocytic meningoencephalitis 10 days following receipt of Td and measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR).
Claim: Toxic vaccine ingredients in the MMR vaccine cause encephalopathy (Del Bigtree, 2017-05-04)
Evidence (2020-10-28): Some people concerned about vaccine safety wonder whether vaccines may enter the brain and cause neurological conditions. In order to affect the brain, vaccine components would need to reach the brain. Importantly, our brains are protected by a barrier, called the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which keeps foreign substances from entering the brain. [...] - Vaccination – Vaccines can protect against several infections that can cause meningitis or encephalitis, including measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox (varicella), meningococcus, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), pneumococcus, and Japanese encephalitis virus.
Claim: Toxic vaccine ingredients in the MMR vaccine cause encephalopathy (Del Bigtree, 2017-05-04)
Evidence (2011-08-25): The committee reviewed nine studies to evaluate the risk of encephalitis or encephalopathy after the administration of vaccines containing diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, and acellular pertussis antigens alone or in combination. Seven studies (Geier and Geier, 2004; Gold et al., 1999; Isomura, 1991; Kuno-Sakai and Kimura, 2004; Rosenthal et al., 1996; Stetler et al., 1985; Zielinski and Rosinska, 2008) were not considered in the weight of epidemiologic evidence because they provided data from passive surveillance systems and lacked unvaccinated comparison populations. [...] The committee identified five publications reporting encephalitis or encephalopathy after the administration of vaccines containing diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid, and acellular pertussis antigens alone or in combination. Four publications did not provide evidence beyond temporality (Casella et al., 2007; Ehrengut, 1986; Pollock and Morris, 1983; Sivertsen and Christensen, 1996). In addition, two of the publications also reported the administration of additional vaccines making it difficult to determine which, if any, vaccine could have been the precipitating event (Casella et al., 2007; Ehrengut, 1986). Furthermore, Ehrengut (1986) reported that one patient was sick 1 week prior to vaccination. These publications did not contribute to the weight of mechanistic evidence. [...] The committee reviewed three studies to evaluate the risk of arthropathy after the administration of vaccines containing diphtheria toxoid and tetanus toxoid antigens alone or in combination. One study (Stetler et al., 1985) was not considered in the weight of epidemiologic evidence because it provided data from a passive surveillance system and lacked an unvaccinated comparison population.
Claim: Toxic vaccine ingredients in the MMR vaccine cause encephalopathy (Del Bigtree, 2017-05-04)
Evidence (2023-10-31): Presumably, the vaccine lots that have been suspected of causing irreversible encephalopathy in children have passed the intracerebral mouse protection test or the intranasal mouse protection test for vaccine potency and the mouse weight gain test for toxicity. Therefore, the capacity to cause serious encephalopathy in mice, if present, has been missed. The endpoint of the intracerebral mouse protection test is death from active infection within 14 days. The interval between injection of vaccine and intracerebral injection of viable organisms, a matter of a few weeks, might not be sufficient for detection of late neurologic effects. More importantly, neurologic sequelae that might relate to changes in memory, learning ability, emotional control, and the like might not be obvious in mice. Similar considerations apply to the mouse weight gain test, which is carried out for up to 7 days and which focuses on weight gain as an endpoint. In summary, it is not evident that the studies in animals completed to date provide information useful to understanding the possible relation of encephalopathy to pertussis immunization in children. The possibility has been raised that the aluminum salts regularly present in DPT vaccines might play a role in the occurrence of encephalopathy following DPT immunization (see Appendix E for discussion). There are no data bearing on this possible mechanism. [...] Griffin MR, Ray WA, Mortimer EA, Fenichel GM, Schaffner W. 1990. Risk of seizures and encephalopathy after immunization with the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine. Journal of the American Medical Association 263:1641-1645. [PubMed: 2308203]
Claim: Toxic vaccine ingredients in the MMR vaccine cause encephalopathy (Del Bigtree, 2017-05-04)
Evidence (2024-05-14): All of the ingredients in vaccines are safe in the amounts used. You may have heard or read that some vaccine ingredients are harmful, but this is true only at much higher amounts than those present in vaccines. Any substance, even water, can be harmful at a high dose. [...] - The gelatin used in vaccines must be sourced from countries whose cattle are free of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease in cattle). [...] The ingredients in vaccines have not been proven to cause harm (disease or illness) in the small amounts used in vaccines, with the exception of allergic reactions in people with hypersensitivity to a specific ingredient. Before administering a vaccine, your health care provider will:
Claim: Toxic vaccine ingredients in the MMR vaccine cause encephalopathy (Del Bigtree, 2017-05-04)
Evidence (2023-01-01): Several reports of encephalopathy following measles vaccination can be found in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) (submitted between November 1990 and July 1992). As with many VAERS reports, the information that is supplied is frequently inadequate to support or reject a diagnosis or to exclude the possibility that other factors are responsible for the disorder, if the case was encephalopathy or encephalitis. The committee found that 17 VAERS reports were suggestive of encephalopathy or encephalitis in vaccinees (mostly MMR) from ages 5 months to 16 years. Reported latencies ranged from 1 to 14 days after immunization. The patients presented with symptoms such as fever, ataxia, somnolence, convulsions, and flaccid paralysis. Several reports contained too little information to suggest a diagnosis or to shed light on causality. [...] There is demonstrated biologic plausibility that measles vaccine might cause encephalopathy. Although there are a number of reports of encephalitis or encephalopathy following immunization with measles vaccines of various strains, the rates quoted are impossible to distinguish from background rates. Good case-control or controlled cohort studies of these conditions in similar unvaccinated populations, which are necessary for determining the causal relation between measles and mumps and encephalopathy and encephalitis, are lacking. No conclusive evidence of the occurrence of encephalopathy or encephalitis resulting from the administration of measles vaccine was identified. There are no data regarding the occurrence of encephalopathy following administration of monovalent mumps vaccine. It is therefore not possible to implicate specifically either the measles or mumps component of MMR.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2020-04-22): Scientists have not determined the ideal pH environment for SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the cells of the tissues that SARS-CoV-2 primarily targets, including the lungs and intestines, maintain a very tightly controlled pH both inside and out in order to maintain cellular metabolism and proper enzyme activity. Altering pH in cells and tissues beyond a very narrow range would likely result in death.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2023-05-10): Measured influenza activation pH values across all subtypes and species range from ∼5.0 to 6.0, trending higher in highly pathogenic H5N1 and H7N9 strains whereas seasonal human strains are more acid-stable (pH of fusion 5.0 to 5.6). Similar to IAV, SARS-CoV-2 can use mutually exclusive routes to penetrate cells: one fast pH-independent TMPRSS2-mediated plasma route, and one pH-dependent slow clathrin-mediated endocytosis via cathepsin L. The clathrin-mediated endocytosis through cathepsin L occurs only in cells devoid of TMPRSS2. Unlike TMPRSS2, which is active at the cell surface regardless of pH conditions, cathepsin L requires a low-pH environment typical of endolysosomes. Although several studies support the view that TMPRSS2-dependent early entry route is more efficient and results in a more productive infection than the cathepsin L-activated mechanisms for some SARS-coronavirus strains, recent studies indicate that Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants favor the low-pH endosomal entry route. For fusion activity in SARS-coronavirus, cathepsin Ls have been shown to require reduced pH of at least 6.0 or lower. Although research has verified that the envelope E-protein serves as an ion channel when pH levels decrease, there have been certain inconsistencies observed between various studies and tests. [...] Citation: Aganovic A (2023) pH-dependent endocytosis mechanisms for influenza A and SARS-coronavirus. Front. Microbiol. 14:1190463. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1190463
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2014-11-01): Effect of pH and temperature on the infectivity of human coronavirus 229E - PMID: 2819602 - DOI: 10.1139/m89-160 Effect of pH and temperature on the infectivity of human coronavirus 229E The stability of human coronavirus 229E infectivity was maximum at pH 6.0 when incubated at either 4 or 33 degrees C. However, the influence of pH was more pronounced at 33 degrees C. Viral infectivity was completely lost after a 14-day incubation period at 22, 33, or 37 degrees C but remained relatively constant at 4 degrees C for the same length of time. Finally, the infectious titer did not show any significant reduction when subjected to 25 cycles of thawing and freezing. These studies will contribute to optimize virus growth and storage conditions, which will facilitate the molecular characterization of this important pathogen.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2020-08-11): The Effective Range of the pH Scale [...] The pH scale does not have an upper nor lower bound. Negative pH values are possible [...] - Certain crops thrive better at certain pH range.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2022-08-19): An image containing the claim that eating alkaline foods can "defeat" SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been shared at least 800,000 times on Facebook since early April 2020. This claim is incorrect and displays a fundamental misunderstanding of basic science principles. First, viruses do not have their own pH. Sarah Stanley, an associate professor of infectious diseases and vaccinology at the University of California, Berkeley, explained to The Associated Press that "pH is something that applies to a water-based solution, which a virus is not." [...] In summary, food at any pH will not alter the very tightly controlled pH of tissues targeted by SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, an alkaline diet will neither prevent nor treat SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2023-01-11): Explanation: Dr. Shaheed Jameel, a leading virologist, said that viruses do not have pH values. Read the Full Article (The Quint)This false claim originated from: Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp The #CoronavirusFacts database records fact-checks published since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic and its consequences are constantly evolving and data that was accurate weeks or even days ago might have changed. Remember to check the date when the fact-check you are reading was published before sharing it.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2021-08-20): Acid pH Increases SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Risk of Death by COVID-19 - PMID: 34490283 - PMCID: PMC8417536 - DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.637885 Acid pH Increases SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Risk of Death by COVID-19 [...] Keywords: Barrett's esophagus; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; pH; proton pump inhibitors.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2024-09-21): Period blood, for example, is slightly alkaline and can raise levels temporarily (they return to normal after menstruation ends).Taking antibiotics: These medications raise pH levels because they kill all bacteria in your body, including good bacteria.Using hygiene products: Certain products intended to clean the vagina or improve its smell can increase pH levels by altering the vagina's microbiome. An example is douching, which involves using a tool to insert a liquid into the vagina.Sexual activity: Bacteria can be introduced through sexual intercourse or other sexual activity, raising pH levels. Semen is alkaline, so semen in the vagina can temporarily increase the pH. Some lubricants also have a higher pH, which can increase vaginal pH levels. How to Balance Vaginal pH If you think you have an infection stemming from an unbalanced vaginal pH, over-the-counter creams or ointments may help. Your doctor may also prescribe medication that you can apply or take in pill form.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2023-01-01): Blood pH and COVID-19 - PMID: 36690587 - DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202200558 Blood pH and COVID-19 The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a worldwide war. Raising the blood pH might be a crucial strategy to chase COVID-19. The human blood is slightly alkaline, which is essential for cell metabolism, normal physiology, and balanced immunity since all of these biological processes are pH-dependent. Varieties of physiologic derangements occur when the blood pH is disrupted. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) proliferates in acidic blood that magnifies the severity of COVID-19. On the other side, blood acidemia is linked to increased morbidity and mortality because of its complications on immunity, especially in the elderly and in critical diseases such as cancer, musculoskeletal degradation, renal, cardiac, and pulmonary disorders, which result in many pathological disorders such as osteomalacia, and disturbing the hematopoiesis. Additionally, acidemia of the blood facilitates viral infection and progression. Thus, correcting the acid-base balance might be a crucial strategy for the treatment of COVID-19, which might be attributed to the distraction of the viral spike protein to its cognate receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and supporting the over-taxed immunity.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2021-08-20): By going from disease (Barrett's esophagus) to molecule (ACE2) to cells (in vitro experiments) and back to clinical findings (COVID-19 patients), we showed that pH may have a great influence on SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity. Additional studies should be performed to not only confirm the clinical findings on a larger scale but also to assess the molecular mechanism related to pH-induced ACE2 expression. [...] Keywords: COVID-19, pH, SARS-CoV-2, proton pump inhibitors, Barrett's esophagus Citation: Jimenez L, Campos Codo A, Sampaio VdS, Oliveira AER, Ferreira LKK, Davanzo GG, Brito Monteiro Ld, Victor Virgilio-da-Silva J, Borba MGS, Fabiano de Souza G, Zini N, Andrade Gandolfi Fd, Muraro SP, Luiz Proença-Modena J, Val FA, Cardoso Melo G, Monteiro WM, Nogueira ML, Lacerda MVG, Moraes-Vieira PM and Nakaya HI (2021) Acid pH Increases SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Risk of Death by COVID-19. Front. Med. 8:637885. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.637885
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2020-04-22): Eating alkaline food cannot prevent or cure COVID-19 [...] An image containing the claim that eating alkaline foods can "defeat" SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been shared at least 800,000 times on Facebook since early April 2020. This claim is incorrect and displays a fundamental misunderstanding of basic science principles. [...] In summary, food at any pH will not alter the very tightly controlled pH of tissues targeted by SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, an alkaline diet will neither prevent nor treat SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2021-04-30): CLAIM: Eating alkaline foods will stave off the novel coronavirus, which has a pH level of 5.5 to 8.5. [...] THE FACTS: A false post circulating on social media claims that COVID-19 has a pH level between 5.5 to 8.5, and in order to fend off the virus people must consume alkaline foods. "This is to inform us all that the pH for corona virus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. All we need to do, to beat coronavirus, we need to take more of an alkaline foods that are above the pH level of the virus," the post falsely states, citing the "Journal of Virology & Antiviral Research."
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2020-06-29): Eating more acidic or alkaline foods is not related to an increased or decreased risk of COVID-19 infection. Widely circulated social media posts falsely suggest that the pH of COVID-19 ranges from 5.5 to 8.5. Often these posts advise readers to eat alkaline foods (specifically fruits and vegetables) with a pH of more than 8.5 to prevent COVID-19. Viruses themselves do not have pH levels, because they are not water-based solutions.In chemistry, pH (power of hydrogen, or potential for hydrogen) is a scale used for water-based solutions to indicate if they are acidic (pH below 7, with a lower pH indicating a stronger acid), neutral (pH around 7), or basic (pH above 7, with a higher indicating a stronger base). Since viruses are not water-based, the pH scale does not apply to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the disease that causes COVID-19.While some illnesses or medications may cause blood pH levels to increase or decrease in our bodies, foods eaten as part of a regular diet do not have a significant impact on blood pH. Saliva and urine pH may change in response to diet, but these changes are variable from person to person and **will not prevent or cure COVID-19**.
Claim: The pH for the coronavirus varies from 5.5 to 8.5. What we need to do to defeat the coronavirus is to consume more alkaline foods above the virus’ pH level. (Facebook users, 2020-04-22)
Evidence (2022-10-10): The pH scale Universal Indicator pH Color Chart diagram acidic alkaline values common substances. Image Credit: Trgrowth / Shutterstock pH of Different Body Fluids Although the pH of blood ranges from 7.35-7.45, the pH of other body fluids is different. pH indicates the level of H+ ions, where low pH indicates too many H+ ions and high pH indicates too many OH- ions. If the pH levels drop below 6.9, it can lead to coma. However, different body fluids have different pH values. The pH of saliva is ranges from 6.5 to 7.5. After swallowing, the food reaches the stomach where upper and lower parts of stomach have different pH values. The upper part has a pH of 4−6.5, while the lower part is highly acidic with a pH of 1.5−4.0. It then enters the intestine which is slightly alkaline, with a pH of 7−8.5. Maintaining the pH values of different regions is critical for their function. [...] Different organs function at their optimal level of pH. For example, the enzyme pepsin requires low pH to act and break down food, while the enzymes in intestine require high pH or alkaline environment to function. Similarly, any increase or decrease in the blood pH can lead to several disorders.