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Is B.1.617.2 more transmissible than earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants?

A new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, reports that the B.1.617.2 variant is possibly more transmissible than earlier variants, based on the discovery that the serial intervals were not prolonged with this strain.

10 Jun 2021

Trained dogs can accurately identify COVID-19 by scent

An interesting new medRxiv* preprint reveals that with careful training, the exquisite scent sensitivity of dogs may be exploited to rule out the presence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in human beings in real-time.

9 Jun 2021

MIT researchers develop a molecular assay to detect sub-picomolar levels of the SARS-CoV-2's receptor-binding domain

A team of researchers at MIT has developed a molecular assay to detect sub-picomolar levels of the SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) using computationally validated peptide beacons in a single-step detection through the production of a fluorescence signal.

8 Jun 2021

Distinct spike protein mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variant in Russia

Additionally, a novel variant has recently been characterized by researchers from Russia in the journal Viruses. The variant, first discovered in January 2021 in Northwest Russia, is characterized by distinct spike protein mutations.

7 Jun 2021

Novel method allows rapid, absolute quantification of viral nucleic acids

Researchers from Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine, an Interdisciplinary Research Group at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, MIT's research enterprise in Singapore, have developed a new method for rapid and accurate detection of viral nucleic acids - a breakthrough that can be easily adapted to detect different DNA/RNA targets in viruses like the coronavirus.

7 Jun 2021

mRNA vaccines shown to be 97% protective against COVID-19 in working-age population

Researchers in the United States have demonstrated the effectiveness of messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccination at protecting against infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among almost 47,000 healthcare workers.

7 Jun 2021

Risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission aboard aircraft is low: A review of evidence

Researchers in Romania, the UK, and Canada have systematically reviewed the evidence available on the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) aboard aircraft.

7 Jun 2021

New data from CDC on effectiveness of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study demonstrating the real-world effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines at preventing infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

6 Jun 2021

New treatment may improve outcomes for patients with BRCA mutation-associated early breast cancer

Results were released this week on a new treatment with the potential to improve the outcomes for patients with hereditary BRCA mutations and high-risk, early-stage breast cancer.

5 Jun 2021

New method gives an accurate real-time estimate of epidemic trajectories

A new method to monitor epidemics like COVID-19 gives an accurate real-time estimate of the growth rate of an epidemic by carefully evaluating the relationship between the amount of viruses in infected people's bodies, called the viral load, and how fast the number of cases is increasing or decreasing.

3 Jun 2021

Researchers detect Zika virus RNA in free-ranging African bats

A team of Colorado State University scientists, led by veterinary postdoctoral fellow Dr. Anna Fagre, has detected Zika virus RNA in free-ranging African bats. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a molecule that plays a central role in the function of genes.

3 Jun 2021

Nanopore sequencing contradicts human genome integration of SARS-CoV-2

Now a new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv* server dismisses the possibility, raised by that study, that the virus inserts its genetic material into the host cell’s genome.

2 Jun 2021

SARS-CoV-2 can be neutralized by UV-A and UV-B

Since the end of the 1800s, Ultra-violet (UV) light has been widely documented for its germicidal properties. The UV-C light produced by low-pressure mercury tubes is widely used for disinfecting wastewater, closed environments, and biological products and is well-established, safe, and economical. UV light can have a germicidal effect on bacteria and viruses.

2 Jun 2021

Direct action of SARS-CoV-2 on organs may lead to exacerbated inflammatory response in pediatric patients

Besides common symptoms such as fever, cough and respiratory distress, some children have an atypical form of COVID-19 known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), characterized by persistent fever and inflammation of several organs, such as the heart and intestines, as well as the lungs to a lesser extent.

1 Jun 2021

ALG-097111 potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in Syrian Hamster model in vivo

A team of researchers from the US and Belgium applied a structure-based approach with early monitoring of cathepsin L inhibition along with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibition. They identified a potent and selective SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitor, ALG-097111, which has proven activity against SARS-CoV-2 in SARS-CoV-2 hamster models in vivo. This study is published in the journal, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.

1 Jun 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants have higher transmissibility and a longer infectious period

Researchers analyzed data on three variants of concern and found that viral loads were higher and infection lasted longer for the B.1.1.7 variant. They all were more infectious than the original strain, and transmissibility also depended on population demographics.

31 May 2021

A novel multiplexed diagnostic approach for COVID-19

Researchers developed a platform for detecting the virus directly from a patient's sample as well as the immune response through antibodies such as IgG and IgM.

31 May 2021

COVID-19, mass testing and the utility of wastewater epidemiology

In a recent study, researchers developed a methodology to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater with the potential for finding an association between the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) SARS-CoV-2 influent viral RNA load and COVID-19 cases in the community. This study indicates that a national scale wastewater-based epidemiology can play a role in COVID-19 surveillance.

31 May 2021

Intra-host SARS-CoV-2 composition varies over time, hinting at viral evolution during infection

Researchers at the Southern University of Science and Technology in China revealed rapid and dramatic changes in quasispecies diversity upon evaluating the SARS-CoV-2 populations present in the upper and lower respiratory tracts of patients with varying COVID-19 severity.

31 May 2021

Corilagin: could a plant compound used in Chinese herbal medicine help prevent COVID-19?

The study, published in the journal Phytomedicine, characterized an active compound, corilagin (a derivative from Phyllanthus urinaria), as potential SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors for its preventive application in daily antiviral hygiene products.

31 May 2021