Respiratory Virus News and Research

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Researchers use mass spectrometry to study immunogenic SARS-CoV-2 epitopes

A new study has been published on the bioRxiv* preprint server, which has used MS to identify T cell epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 conserved protein, i.e., the membrane glycol protein (MGP) and the non-structure protein-13 (NSP13).

23 Jul 2021

Wildfire smoke drives people in low-vaccinated areas indoors, raising outbreak fears

Missoula's new downtown library was teeming with people who might typically spend a Saturday afternoon hiking, biking or otherwise making the most of Montana's abundant outdoor recreation. One look at the soupy haze blanketing the city and it was clear why.

22 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants show distinct humoral response and transcriptional profiles in hamster model

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel, highly infectious respiratory virus, and the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. SARS-CoV-2, which first originated in Wuhan, in Hubei province of China, is a member of the Coronavirdae family and has a large, non-segmented RNA genome.

14 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in the salivary glands, study finds

In Brazil, researchers at the University of São Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP) have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in the salivary glands.

6 Jul 2021

Study explores the effects of SARS-CoV-2 (and other betacoronaviruses) on cellular mRNA processing

A new study has been released on the bioRxiv* preprint server, which deals with a comprehensive survey on alternative splicing concerning SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study has also included two other betacoronavirurses (SARS-CoV and MERS), a control set of unrelated viruses, and a bacterium, namely, Streptococcus pneumonia. The study findings suggest that several cellular parameters are affected owing to a betacoronavirus infection, which in turn affects some genes and invariably various biological functions.

6 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

Specific lung cell exhibits immune properties and improves respiratory viral disease outcomes

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have discovered that a specific type of lung cell exhibits unconventional immune properties and may contribute to the outcome of respiratory viral infections.

28 Jun 2021

Vaccines and drugs must be adapted to combat emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, says study

A new review of the emerging variants of concern (VOCs) of the SARS-CoV-2, which has caused the COVID-19 pandemic, shows that there is a major need to constantly re-evaluate the utility of existing therapeutics and vaccines against the virus and to develop new ones.

28 Jun 2021

Scientists develop low-cost lab-on-paper device for rapid and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists from the University of Connecticut, USA, has developed a low-cost lab-on-paper technology to rapidly and easily detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The work has recently been published in a Royal Society of Chemistry’s Lab on a Chip journal.

18 Jun 2021

Exposure to common cold virus can protect against COVID-19 infection

Exposure to the rhinovirus, the most frequent cause of the common cold, can protect against infection by the virus which causes COVID-19, Yale researchers have found.

15 Jun 2021

Immune memory responses differ between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A

Researchers in Canada have shown that the long-lasting immunity that develops following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is characterized by different T cell responses than those observed for influenza A virus-specific immune memory.

14 Jun 2021

Are pre-existing Vitamin D deficiencies linked to COVID-19 severity and mortality?

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread and new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge, much remains to be known about why severity varies so unpredictably between individuals. A new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, elucidates the relationship between Vitamin D and COVID-19 severity.

10 Jun 2021

Researchers review the therapeutic potential of resveratrol nasal formulations in COVID-19

In a recently published article in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, scientists have reviewed the existing literature on antiviral and anti-inflammatory efficacy of resveratrol-based inhaled formulations in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and reducing COVID-19 severity.

9 Jun 2021

People who received Pfizer-Biontech vaccine have lower antibody levels targeting the delta variant

Levels of antibodies in the blood of vaccinated people that are able to recognise and fight the new SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant first discovered in India (B.1.617.2) are on average lower than those against previously circulating variants in the UK, according to new laboratory data from the Francis Crick Institute and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, published today (Thursday) as a Research letter in The Lancet.

4 Jun 2021

Plant-based oil blend shows virucidal activity against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses in vitro

A new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv* server offers a potential candidate for disinfecting the respiratory tract and mouth during and after exposure to the virus, in the form of proprietary herbal oil named Viruxal.

3 Jun 2021

New survey highlights key role of ECT for treating severe depression, other conditions

When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in North America in March 2020, health care facilities stopped providing all but "essential" care, to reduce infection risks and preserve protective gear known as PPE.

3 Jun 2021

A novel multi-epitope COVID-19 vaccine developed using reverse vaccinology

A new study has been published in the Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics which focuses on the evaluation of E, M, N, ORF10, ORF8, ORF3a, and M proteins using bioinformatics tools to develop a multi-epitope COVID-19 vaccine. The researchers utilized in-silico methods to incite humoral and cellular immune responses.

31 May 2021

Researchers develop a novel probiotic formulation with high anti-SARS-CoV-2 potency

A team of international scientists recently conducted a randomized clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy profiles of a novel probiotic formulation in symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. The findings indicate that the probiotic formulation is highly effective in reducing symptom severity in COVID-19 patients without causing any adverse events.

25 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca reduce mortality among the elderly

Researchers in the UK have demonstrated the efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines against severe acute respiratory virus coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at preventing death among older individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

20 May 2021