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Novel protein construct prevents lethal COVID-19 in mice

Researchers in the United States have developed a novel protein that prevented lethal disease among mice infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

16 Mar 2021

Saliva-based testing as a method for monitoring population immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Researchers in the United States have shown that saliva-based sampling could serve as an accurate and non-invasive alternative to blood sampling for monitoring people’s antibody responses following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or vaccination against the virus.

16 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 Brazilian variant may potentially escape T cell-mediated host immune responses

A team of scientists from Brazil recently explored the abilities of the UK, South African, and Brazilian variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to evade host CD8+ T cell responses induced by natural infection or vaccination. The findings reveal reduced antigenic coverage for the P.2 Brazilian lineage, indicating its ability to evade SARS-CoV-2-induced T cell responses.

16 Mar 2021

Ferret study shows SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission dynamics

A team of researchers led by Sander Herfst from Erasmus University Medical Center in The Netherlands suggests severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could spread through the air at a one-meter distance and cause infection in a new ferret model study.

16 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater may pose risks to marine mammals

Endangered marine mammals — seals, dolphins, whales, and otters — are almost as vulnerable as humans in becoming infected from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Researchers from the Dalhousie University in Canada published a study in Science of The Total Environment that found human wastewater as a potential mode of coronavirus transmission to animals.

16 Mar 2021

Study explores how SARS-CoV-2 mutations produce antibody resistance and enhanced transmissibility

An interesting new study deals with the effects of the natural mutations in the spike antigen of the SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that is responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic.

16 Mar 2021

New study tests how mutations in SARS-CoV-2 affect antibody neutralization

Using pseudoviruses with single amino acid substitutions, researchers found that mutations in SARS-CoV-2 reduce monoclonal antibody neutralization differently. However, convalescent sera samples did not lose neutralization potency many and were also effective against the B.1.1.7 (UK-derived) strain.

16 Mar 2021

New SARS-CoV-2 lineage has spread across many Brazilian states

Researchers in Brazil have identified the emergence of a new lineage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Brazil that has spread across multiple states in the country.

15 Mar 2021

Chimeric vaccines may provide universal protection against viruses like SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have developed “chimeric” vaccines that provided cross-protection against different strains of sarbecovirus in mice, including the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 UK variant could be more lethal than others

A new study has assessed the mortality risk of patients infected with the newly emerged UK variant (Lineage B.1.1.7) of SARS-CoV-2. The findings reveal that compared to the previously circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, the UK variant significantly increases the risk of mortality in a relatively low-risk community population.

15 Mar 2021

Why does convalescent plasma therapy for severe COVID-19 show mixed success?

A surprising new preprint, released on the medRxiv* server, suggests that the beneficial effects of convalescent plasma (CP) in this disease stem not only from the presence of neutralizing antibodies, but also the immunomodulatory effects of this plasma that shapes the host immune response.

15 Mar 2021

Neutralizing nanobodies effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Nanobodies have different mechanisms to neutralize viruses, and some target epitopes not accessible to monoclonal antibodies, making them an alternative for developing therapies for COVID-19.

15 Mar 2021

Soluble ACE2 level correlates with COVID-19 outcomes

Researchers at the Aarhus University, Denmark, found that high baseline levels of ACE2 in plasma from COVID-19 patients are tied to a worse outcome in hospitalized patients. The study, which appeared on the pre-print server medRxiv, shows that measuring ACE2 levels in serum can help determine patients at a higher risk of developing severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

14 Mar 2021

Study maps crucial component of long-term immune response to SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have found that protective antibodies generated against the original strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)– the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – also protect against viral variants.

14 Mar 2021

Cannabis compound inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in human lung cells

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that a cannabis plant compound inhibited infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human lung cells.

14 Mar 2021

Neutralizing antibodies induced by COVID-19 vaccines less effective against new variants

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has mutated throughout the pandemic. New variants of the virus have arisen throughout the world, including variants that might possess increased ability to spread or evade the immune system.

13 Mar 2021

An overview of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer-BioNTech

In a study published in the journal Drugs, a researcher tackled the approval of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, which has now been used in many countries.

12 Mar 2021

Study identifies three novel binding receptors for SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists from the United Kingdom recently conducted a large-scale screening of several membrane-bound and soluble host cell receptors to identify novel binding partners for SARS-CoV-2. They have identified three novel receptors expressed on the human cell membrane; of which, one binds to SARS-CoV-2 spike with similar affinity as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

12 Mar 2021

Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and RBD detected in saliva of mRNA-vaccine recipients

A team of researchers from the US and the Netherlands recently reported that antibodies to the spike protein and the RBD are detected in saliva samples from healthcare workers vaccinated with mRNA vaccines.

12 Mar 2021

Spike protein mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variants help resist antibody neutralization

Researchers based in Beijing and Shenzhen, China, report that they have identified mutations in the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that may allow variant strains to avoid neutralization by monoclonal antibodies and convalescent blood plasma.

11 Mar 2021