Pathogen News and Research

RSS

Immunoassay heterogeneity and implications for SARS-CoV-2 serosurveillance

In a recent study, scientists have quantified anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels up to 9 months after infection.

23 Mar 2021

COVID-19 antibodies can protect against reinfection for at least eight months

A new study offers hope that recovered patients from COVID-19 are largely immune to reinfection for at least eight months.

23 Mar 2021

Dandelion extract inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

An exciting new study describes a specific inhibitor of the SARS-CoV-2 found in an extract of the common dandelion that could provide a new and fruitful avenue of drug research.

23 Mar 2021

How could AI be used to predict infection outcomes?

Professor Frankel speaks to News-Medical about his latest research that investigated whether AI could be used to predict infection outcomes.

23 Mar 2021

Highly sensitive DNA nanosensor can accurately detect lethal superbugs

The persistent overuse of antibiotics has led to the evolution of antibiotic resistant pathogens, or “superbugs,” which can cause severe life-threatening infections that must be diagnosed and treated early on.

23 Mar 2021

Iron-binder DFX improves the effect of new TB antimicrobial, research shows

Although Tuberculosis, or TB, killed nearly as many people as COVID-19 (approx. 1.8 million) in 2020, it did not receive as much media and public attention.

22 Mar 2021

Disease-driving B cells play a role in the development of NAFLD

New research from the University of Minnesota Medical School suggests that disease-driving B cells, a white blood cell, play a role in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) - the most common chronic liver condition in the U.S.

22 Mar 2021

Can SARS-CoV-2 still be transmissible once symptoms have subsided?

Researchers based at the University of Missouri, in partnership with U.S. government science facilities in Maryland, have reported that individuals severely infected with SARS-CoV-2 may be able to continue shedding infectious viral RNA for over three weeks after the symptomatic infection has passed.

22 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants develop resistance against type I interferons

A study conducted at the University of Colorado and National Institutes of Health, USA, has revealed that the resistance developed by newly emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 against host interferon responses could serve as a potential driving force for viral evolution.

22 Mar 2021

Male fertility and androgen production may be impacted by COVID-19

An interesting new study has appeared online in the journal Hormones that discusses the effects of COVID-19 on the male and female gonads.

22 Mar 2021

Could nanoparticle vaccines offer broad protection against sarbecoviruses?

To understand the ability of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-elicited antibodies to neutralize and protect against emerging variants (that are pathogenic) and other sarbecoviruses, a large team of researchers studied immunity by receptor-binding domain nanoparticle vaccines. They showed that a clinical-stage multivalent SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain nanoparticle vaccine (SARS-CoV-2 RBD-NP) protected mice from the SARS-CoV-2-induced disease.

22 Mar 2021

Ubiquitous microplastics can become 'hubs' for antibiotic-resistant bacteria

It's estimated that an average-sized wastewater treatment plant serving roughly 400,000 residents will discharge up to 2,000,000 microplastic particles into the environment each day.

22 Mar 2021

New antibiotic compound can effectively clear multi-drug resistant gonorrhea in animals

A new antibiotic compound clears infection of multi-drug resistant gonorrhea in mice in a single oral dose, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State and Emory University.

19 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike stimulates hyperinflammation via Toll-like receptor 2

A new study, released on the bioRxiv* preprint server, describes the mechanism of inflammation in severe COVID-19, besides revealing a potential new therapeutic target to modulate the severity of COVID-19.

19 Mar 2021

DNA spike-ins increase reliability of amplicon-based sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genomes

In the interests of cost-effectiveness and rapidity, amplicon-based sequencing of the viral genome has been used to provide a sensitive means of genomic surveillance. A new preprint, which was released on the bioRxiv* server, shows how this can be tweaked to make it a reliable source of genomic data by reducing the known potential for contamination.

19 Mar 2021

Researchers explore nanotechnology’s potential to deliver synergistic therapeutics for COVID-19

A team of scientists reviewed the nanoencapsulation approaches of synergistic compounds (Lectins, Caffeine, Cocoa, Flavonoids, Quercetin) and the role of nanotechnology in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

19 Mar 2021

Diagnostic test helps identify the virulent forms of swine bacterial pathogens

A team led by researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has developed a diagnostic test that can identify virulent forms of the swine bacterial pathogen Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus -- often referred to as "Strep zoo" -- which can cause severe illness and death in pigs, other animals and rarely people.

19 Mar 2021

N-terminal domain antibodies play a key role in COVID immunity

Scientists are learning that a lesser-studied region on the pandemic coronavirus is recognized by COVID-19 infection-fighting antibodies. These antibodies were identified in blood samples from previously infected patients, and were found to potently prevent the virus from infecting cells.

19 Mar 2021

Mass vaccination needed to protect against future resurgences of COVID-19

The first long-term seroprevalence study of residents in Wuhan, China, has found that 6.9% of people in the city had antibodies against COVID-19 in April 2020, and 82% of these people had an asymptomatic infection.

19 Mar 2021

Study shows how ACE2 mutations influence SARS-CoV-2 spike binding in humans and animals

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison aimed to better understand how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with various mammalian angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors. This way, they can identify the factors that influence intra- and cross-species virus transmission.

18 Mar 2021