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Epstein-Barr virus reactivation may play a role in long COVID and severe COVID-19 cases

Two recently published studies available on the National Institutes of Health website indicate Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation may play a role both in the development of long COVID symptoms, as well as severe COVID-19 cases.

22 Jul 2021

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations L452R & Y453F evade cellular immunity

The study, published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, also showed emerging mutations L452R and Y453F in the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding motif evade (HLA) A24-restricted cellular immunity. Meanwhile, the L452R enhances spike stability, viral fusogenicity, and viral infectivity. Hence, the findings suggest that HLA-restricted cellular immunity potentially affects the evolution of viral phenotypes.

22 Jul 2021

COVIDcast API: An open repository of real-time COVID-19 indicators

A new preprint available on the medRxiv* server reports the utility of the COVIDcast API, a database of all COVID-19 indicators that are constantly being updated, dating from April 2020.

21 Jul 2021

Exhausted T cells linked to increased risk of COVID-19 mortality

New research led by Nadia R. Roan of Gladstone Institutes and the University of California, San Francisco, finds a correlation between high numbers of inflammatory CXCR4+ T cells and regulatory T cells specific to SARS-CoV-2 and dying from infection. In contrast, people who recovered from severe COVID-19 illness were more likely to have many SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells that perform homeostatic proliferation.

20 Jul 2021

Do mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines induce memory T cell response similar to natural infection?

A team of scientists from the United States has recently compared the epitope-specific T cell response after natural severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection or vaccination in both naïve and previously infected individuals.

19 Jul 2021

Analysis shows the amount of testing for COVID-19 matters more than the sensitivity of the tests

Results from sensitive RT-PCR tests can be similar in accuracy to the less sensitive antigen tests, providing valuable insight for testing policies.

19 Jul 2021

Plant-based vaccines for COVID-19 and other viruses

A review published in the journal Vaccines, explored the history and current status of plant-produced vaccine candidates against enveloped viruses, focusing on virus-like particles (VLPs), which mimic authentic viral structures without containing infectious genetic material.

19 Jul 2021

An assay capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in breast milk and other samples

In a recent study by US researchers (currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server), a specific immunoassay based on the spike glycoprotein’s receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not only well suited for the detection of antibody response after infection and vaccination but may also represent a method of choice when conducting seroepidemiological studies.

19 Jul 2021

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines establish recall responses to reinfection

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna generate a coordinated adaptive immune response that is capable of eliciting recall responses to future infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

18 Jul 2021

Evaluation of a synthetic DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine INO-4800 using a nonhuman primate model

A new study published in Vaccine assesses the safety and efficacy of the synthetic DNA vaccine candidate INO-4800, delivered as a single or double dose regime.

18 Jul 2021

COVID-19 vaccine candidate that can be produced in yeast proves effective in macaques

Researchers in the United States have designed a modular protein subunit vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that elicited a strong immune response in macaques and prevented the animals from developing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Jul 2021

Researchers study the role of subnuclear NSrp70 in T cell-mediated adaptive immunity

T cells are components of the body’s immune system. The ability of T cells to recognize diverse pathogens and mount a defense against them stems from the way proteins are spliced during their development and maturation.

15 Jul 2021

Rapid COVID-19 antibody detection with time‐resolved fluorescence immunoassay

A new study published in the journal Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry deals with the development of a time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA) for the detection of total COVID-19 antibodies in humans.

15 Jul 2021

A pencil graphite biosensor that detects SARS-CoV-2

In a new study, scientists discuss the development of a rapid COVID-19 diagnostic tool known as the Low-cost Electrochemical Advanced Diagnostic (LEAD).

14 Jul 2021

New OMV-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate proves effective in mice

Researchers in Italy have demonstrated the efficacy of using modified outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as a vaccine to protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an animal model.

14 Jul 2021

High individual-level variability in SARS-CoV-2 shedding may explain superspreading

Researchers in the United States have provided a high-resolution description of the viral dynamics involved in acute infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

14 Jul 2021

Study examines asymptomatic, presymptomatic and symptomatic transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2

A new preprint, available on the medRxiv* server, describes how researchers found at least a third of infected individuals to be asymptomatic, but that a fifth of them successfully passed on the virus to others. In comparison, about a quarter of symptomatic cases did so, especially when the symptoms included fever, cough and shortness of breath. In these circumstances, up to 30% of them transmitted the virus.

13 Jul 2021

“React and inject”: synthetic peptide-modified nanodiamonds as emergency pan-coronavirus vaccines

A recent study published in the MDPI journal, Pathogens, describes a coronavirus peptide vaccine antigen in the form of nanodiamond-based formulations, that demonstrated a robust and long-lasting immune response. The nanodiamonds proved to be a powerful and versatile platform for antigen conjugation. This could make it a safe and effective strategy for the production of off-the-shelf vaccines against multiple coronaviruses.

13 Jul 2021

Patient characteristics including demographic factors and comorbidities can accurately predict the outcome of COVID-19 infection severity

New machine learning models incorporating COVID-19 infection data show that patient demography is a key predictor of infection outcome.

13 Jul 2021

Nose drops of modified 'friendly' bacteria offer protection against meningitis

A world-first trial has shown that nose drops of modified 'friendly' bacteria protect against meningitis.

12 Jul 2021

Antigen News and Research

Epstein-Barr virus reactivation may play a role in long COVID and severe COVID-19 cases

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations L452R & Y453F evade cellular immunity

COVIDcast API: An open repository of real-time COVID-19 indicators

Exhausted T cells linked to increased risk of COVID-19 mortality

Do mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines induce memory T cell response similar to natural infection?

Analysis shows the amount of testing for COVID-19 matters more than the sensitivity of the tests

Plant-based vaccines for COVID-19 and other viruses

An assay capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in breast milk and other samples

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines establish recall responses to reinfection

Evaluation of a synthetic DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine INO-4800 using a nonhuman primate model

COVID-19 vaccine candidate that can be produced in yeast proves effective in macaques

Researchers study the role of subnuclear NSrp70 in T cell-mediated adaptive immunity

Rapid COVID-19 antibody detection with time‐resolved fluorescence immunoassay

A pencil graphite biosensor that detects SARS-CoV-2

New OMV-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate proves effective in mice

High individual-level variability in SARS-CoV-2 shedding may explain superspreading

Study examines asymptomatic, presymptomatic and symptomatic transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2

“React and inject”: synthetic peptide-modified nanodiamonds as emergency pan-coronavirus vaccines

Patient characteristics including demographic factors and comorbidities can accurately predict the outcome of COVID-19 infection severity

Nose drops of modified 'friendly' bacteria offer protection against meningitis

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