Pathogen News and Research

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Can memory T cell responses to seasonal coronaviruses protect against severe COVID-19?

In a recent study published in the journal Science Immunology, scientists have revealed that the presence of CD8+ T cells against conserved epitopes of seasonal coronaviruses is associated with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These immune cells exhibit a memory phenotype and provide protection against severe disease.

7 Jul 2021

New study reports low SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in vaccinated healthcare workers

Researchers examined cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in fully and partially vaccinated healthcare workers, finding that vaccination provided strong immunity to the virus even though VOCs are on the rise in the non-vaccinated community at large.

7 Jul 2021

Study addresses potential interrelations between AID/APOBECs and the SARS-CoV-2 virus

Together with their multifaceted action mechanisms, activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) and so-called APOBEC proteins are important factors in the body's immune response and offer fast and effective protection against a large number of DNA and RNA viruses.

7 Jul 2021

Developing a face mask that can detect COVID-19

A face mask has been developed that can detect COVID-19. News-Medical spoke to the researchers behind this idea to find out more about how it works.

6 Jul 2021

Dimeric IgA antibodies help identify recent SARS-CoV-2 infection

A fascinating new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, adds a highly appealing tool to the armory of detection techniques for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Its validation could allow the early and accurate detection of recent or active infection, which is valuable in tracing contacts and preventing forward transmission of the virus.

5 Jul 2021

Varenicline blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection in cells and animal models

A new paper released on the bioRxiv* preprint server suggests that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nACHR) agonist, varenicline tartrate, has antiviral activity against the virus.

5 Jul 2021

Scientists identify natural SARS-CoV-2 super immunity against 23 variants

The antibodies are capable of neutralizing a wide range of SARS-CoV-2 variants even at sub-nanomolar concentrations. In addition, the combinations of these antibodies reduce the risk of generating escape mutants in vitro. The study is published in the journal Science.

5 Jul 2021

Researchers develop random priming amplification method for whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 and H1N1

Researchers from the UK recently compared the performance of 4 different random priming amplification methods to recover SARS-CoV-2 RNA. In method 1 (H-P), the reverse transcriptase (RT) step included random hexamers, whereas, in methods 2-4, RT incorporated an octamer primer with a known tag. This study is published on the bioRxiv preprint server.

5 Jul 2021

Structure-guided T cell vaccine design could offer broad protection SARS-CoV-2 variants

Gaurav Gaiha, MD, DPhil, a member of the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, studies HIV, one of the fastest-mutating viruses known to humankind.

2 Jul 2021

Research pinpoints a molecular component responsible for modulating flu damage

New experimental data pinpoints a molecular component responsible for modulating the damage the flu can wreck on the lungs.

2 Jul 2021

Salivary markers of oxidative stress during severe COVID-19

An interesting study from researchers at the University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, presents evidence that an elevated level of expression of oxidant molecules may be correlated with severe infection and lung injury.

2 Jul 2021

The use of flavonoids as antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in Iran have undertaken a comprehensive review of flavonoids and their antiviral potential against SARS-CoV-2.

2 Jul 2021

Research associates prior encounter with seasonal coronavirus to milder COVID-19 symptoms

A study by Stanford University School of Medicine investigators hints that people with COVID-19 may experience milder symptoms if certain cells of their immune systems "remember" previous encounters with seasonal coronaviruses -- the ones that cause about a quarter of the common colds kids get.

2 Jul 2021

Study explores lectins from plants, fungi, algae and cyanobacteria as pan-coronavirus inhibitors

In a recently published article scientists have provided a detailed description of the utility of mannose-specific lectins in preventing coronavirus infections. They have specifically explained how mannose-specific lectins derived from plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria selectively bind N-glycans present on the surface of viral spike protein and how such interactions can be medically utilized to control coronavirus transmission.

1 Jul 2021

Could peridomestic mammals act as zoonotic reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2?

In new research from researchers in the USA and Australia peridomestic mammals, which live in and around human habitations, have been investigated to ascertain how SARS-CoV-2 can affect species external to, but in close proximity to, the human population.

1 Jul 2021

Zinc-embedded polyamides inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A

The researchers show that the fabric retains its virus-inactivating property and stable zinc content over 50 standardized washes.

1 Jul 2021

Researchers identify proteins that contribute to the pathogenicity of COVID-19 virus

Researchers at Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) have narrowed down the proteins enabling SARS-CoV-2 to cause disease.

1 Jul 2021

New article focuses on drug discovery targeting SARS-CoV-2

The July edition of SLAS Discovery is a Special Edition featuring the cover article, "Development of a High-Throughput Screening Assay to Identify Inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 Guanine-N7-Methyltransferase Using RapidFire Mass Spectrometry" by Lesley-Anne Pearson, Charlotte J. Green, Ph.D., De Lin, Ph.D., Alain-Pierre Petit, Ph.D., David W. Gray, Ph.D., Victoria H. Cowling, Ph.D., and Euan A. F. Fordyce, Ph.D., (Drug Discovery Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK).

1 Jul 2021

Alpha variant mutations help SARS-CoV-2 overcome evolutionary weaknesses

The study, published in the journal Cell Reports, showed that the mutations in the virus, particularly the deletion of two amino acids H69/V70 seen in the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), enables the virus to overcome weaknesses as it evolves.

30 Jun 2021

Antibody development against SARS-CoV-2 following Moderna vaccine

In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv* by Belda et al. (June 27th, 2021) two seroconversion panels containing the sera of individuals that received the Moderna (mRNA-1273) vaccine are compared, and the impact on neutralizing IgG antibody titers in these individuals is analyzed.

30 Jun 2021

Pathogen News and Research

Can memory T cell responses to seasonal coronaviruses protect against severe COVID-19?

New study reports low SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in vaccinated healthcare workers

Study addresses potential interrelations between AID/APOBECs and the SARS-CoV-2 virus

Developing a face mask that can detect COVID-19

Dimeric IgA antibodies help identify recent SARS-CoV-2 infection

Varenicline blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection in cells and animal models

Scientists identify natural SARS-CoV-2 super immunity against 23 variants

Researchers develop random priming amplification method for whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 and H1N1

Structure-guided T cell vaccine design could offer broad protection SARS-CoV-2 variants

Research pinpoints a molecular component responsible for modulating flu damage

Salivary markers of oxidative stress during severe COVID-19

The use of flavonoids as antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2

Research associates prior encounter with seasonal coronavirus to milder COVID-19 symptoms

Study explores lectins from plants, fungi, algae and cyanobacteria as pan-coronavirus inhibitors

Could peridomestic mammals act as zoonotic reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2?

Zinc-embedded polyamides inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A

Researchers identify proteins that contribute to the pathogenicity of COVID-19 virus

New article focuses on drug discovery targeting SARS-CoV-2

Alpha variant mutations help SARS-CoV-2 overcome evolutionary weaknesses

Antibody development against SARS-CoV-2 following Moderna vaccine

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