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Drugs targeting neutrophils could reduce ARDS in severe COVID-19

Scientists in Taiwan recently published a report on their use of anti-neutrophil strategies to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) – a life-threatening condition that can arise in critical COVID-19 cases – in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics.

15 Nov 2020

New saliva-based test found to accurately detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

A new saliva-based test developed by a team at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has been found to accurately detect the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from small samples of saliva, according to a study led by Bloomberg School researchers.

15 Nov 2020

High prevalence of cross-reactive anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in sub-Saharan Africa

A recent study published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases has explained the lower prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in sub-Saharan Africa compared to that in the US, Europe, and Asia.

15 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 immunity may last over six months through antibody evolution and B cell memory

With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic infecting over 52.7 million people around the world, and killing over 1.2 million, a large amount of research has tried to better understand immune responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen that causes COVID-19.

15 Nov 2020

Antimalarials could disrupt SARS-CoV-2’s Nsp1 translation termination

A research team from the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology in Russia have shown that Nsp1 – a non-structured protein present in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogen – stimulates translation termination in the stop codon recognition stage. Studying and developing drugs that compete with Nsp1 for binding with the termination complex could therefore be a potential strategy for fighting against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Nov 2020

250,000 cases of child abuse or neglect may have gone unreported in U.S. COVID pandemic

A recent study published in the journal Child Abuse and Neglect has reported that the number of child maltreatment reports and child welfare interventions decreased significantly in New York City during the initial phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

12 Nov 2020

Hantavirus can also be transmitted by wild or domesticated rats

A group of researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have confirmed Germany's first-ever case of animal-to-human transmission involving a specific species of virus known as the 'Seoul virus'.

12 Nov 2020

Promising SARS-CoV-2 N epitope for more accurate diagnostic and surveillance antibody testing

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 describes the virus's N protein as a promising epitope for serology.

12 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2-induces temporary loss of smell in mice

Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 presents the onset of olfactory dysfunction (loss of smell) in mice infected with the virus, examining this process at the cellular level. In doing so, this study throws more light on this curious symptom and COVID-19’s manifestations outside the lungs.

12 Nov 2020

Convalescent plasma in COVID-19 can be effective, especially early in disease

A team of researchers in the United States have conducted an extensive literature review looking at the usage of convalescent plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to treat those with an impaired immune system. Their study, titled “Therapeutic use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients with immunodeficiency: A systematic review,” has been released on medRxiv*, the preprint server.

12 Nov 2020

Common spike mutation may make SARS-CoV-2 more susceptible to a vaccine

A new study published in Science confirms that SARS-CoV-2 has mutated in a way that's enabled it to spread quickly around the world, but the spike mutation may also make the virus more susceptible to a vaccine.

12 Nov 2020

Discovering a new role for a protein that could cause breast cancer to spread to the lungs

In this interview, News-Medical speaks to Dr. Cristina Branco from Breast Cancer Now about the spread of breast cancer cells to the lungs.

12 Nov 2020

Disinfectants with "virucidal activity against enveloped viruses" effective against SARS-CoV-2

A recent study demonstrated that two commercially available surface disinfectant formulations and one hand disinfection formulation that claim "virucidal activity against enveloped viruses" are effective in inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Their study has been published on the preprint server bioRxiv.

11 Nov 2020

Researchers identify acrylamides that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 main protease

A new study in the preprint server bioRxiv published in November 2020 describes the discovery of acrylamide fragments that can effectively disable key enzymes in both the hand, foot and mouth virus and SARS-CoV-2 virus.

11 Nov 2020

Human coronaviruses cause processing body loss

Researchers continue to expand their knowledge of coronaviruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogen. Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 describes a vital mechanism whereby the novel SARS-CoV-2 pathogen can restrict the human host response. In doing so, the study explores how this novel feature of SARS-CoV-2 works and how it results in a reshaping of the human host's immune response.

11 Nov 2020

Nafamostat mesylate initially reduces SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in hamsters, study finds

Researchers have found that nafamostat mesylate, when injected in the nasal cavity of Syrian hamsters, can decrease initial SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in their nose. However, this effect was temporary and further testing is required to determine clinically significant effects. The research group's findings are available on the preprint server bioRxiv*.

11 Nov 2020

Researchers use machine learning algorithm to identify common respiratory pathogens

The ongoing global pandemic has created an urgent need for rapid tests that can diagnose the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the pathogen that causes COVID-19, and distinguish it from other respiratory viruses.

11 Nov 2020

How SARS-CoV-2 blocks immune response

An international research team has confirmed the mechanism by which the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Their article titled, “SARS-CoV-2 Orf6 hijacks Nup98 to block STAT nuclear import and antagonize interferon signaling,” is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

11 Nov 2020

Lessons from USS Theodore Roosevelt on limiting shipborne COVID-19 outbreaks

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in November 2020 discusses such a scenario in terms of various possible approaches. It suggests that a viable strategy could be evacuating everyone from the ship and extensive surveillance testing.

10 Nov 2020

Endothelial cells resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection

A team of scientists from Imperial College London has conducted a series of in vitro studies to investigate the susceptibility of endothelial cells to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

10 Nov 2020

Pathogen News and Research

Drugs targeting neutrophils could reduce ARDS in severe COVID-19

New saliva-based test found to accurately detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

High prevalence of cross-reactive anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in sub-Saharan Africa

SARS-CoV-2 immunity may last over six months through antibody evolution and B cell memory

Antimalarials could disrupt SARS-CoV-2’s Nsp1 translation termination

250,000 cases of child abuse or neglect may have gone unreported in U.S. COVID pandemic

Hantavirus can also be transmitted by wild or domesticated rats

Promising SARS-CoV-2 N epitope for more accurate diagnostic and surveillance antibody testing

SARS-CoV-2-induces temporary loss of smell in mice

Convalescent plasma in COVID-19 can be effective, especially early in disease

Common spike mutation may make SARS-CoV-2 more susceptible to a vaccine

Discovering a new role for a protein that could cause breast cancer to spread to the lungs

Disinfectants with "virucidal activity against enveloped viruses" effective against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers identify acrylamides that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 main protease

Human coronaviruses cause processing body loss

Nafamostat mesylate initially reduces SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in hamsters, study finds

Researchers use machine learning algorithm to identify common respiratory pathogens

How SARS-CoV-2 blocks immune response

Lessons from USS Theodore Roosevelt on limiting shipborne COVID-19 outbreaks

Endothelial cells resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection

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