immunity News and Research

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Single-dose of BNT162b2 vaccine may not be protective without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new study by researchers at Imperial College London, UK, discusses the effect of a vaccine dose, specifically the BNT162b2 candidate (also known as the ‘Pfizer-BioNTech’ vaccine), on neutralizing antibody titers in individuals who have already been infected with the virus.

1 Mar 2021

One in seven people in England show SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, finds study

The REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-2 (REACT-2) program completed its fifth round of community surveys in the days between January 26 and February 8, 2021. The findings appear in a new article in the BMJ on February 25, 2021, showing that natural infection and vaccination together account for around 14% seropositivity rates in England at present.

1 Mar 2021

Could SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests before first vaccine dose help increase coverage and protection?

A new study by scientists in the UK raises the very useful hypothesis that natural infection may help spread the vaccine thinner without loss of efficacy.

1 Mar 2021

Study shows how D614G variant gains upper hand over original SARS-CoV-2 virus

Prior to the emergence of new mutants of the coronavirus, such as the British variant B.1.1.7, the SARS-CoV-2 variant named D614G had already mutated from the original SARS-CoV-2 pathogen that triggered the pandemic.

27 Feb 2021

KHN’s ‘What the health?’: Staffing up at HHS

More than a month into President Joe Biden’s term, nominees to fill some of the top posts at the Department of Health and Human Services are finally getting confirmation hearings in the Senate, starting with the nominee for secretary, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.

26 Feb 2021

South African SARS-CoV-2 variant partly resistant to neutralization by mRNA vaccine, says study

A new study deals with the clinical and virological effects of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, especially as they affect vaccine efficacy.

26 Feb 2021

Structure of SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein-epithelial cell junction protein complex explains virulence

A new study by researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University in the U.S. describes the key interaction between the viral envelope (E) protein and the human cell junction protein, PALS1. The latter is necessary to establish and maintain cell polarity and tight junctions between cells.

26 Feb 2021

Why Astrazeneca and J&J’s vaccines, in use the world over, are still on hold in America

The World Health Organization greenlighted emergency use of AstraZeneca and Oxford's covid-19 vaccine this month, following in the steps of the United Kingdom, the European Union and others, who are already injecting it as quickly as possible into the masses.

26 Feb 2021

What is the impact of demographics and air quality on COVID-19 mortality?

A new piece of research was conducted using a wide range of variables related to demographic and environmental factors in New York State (NYS), USA. NYS consists of urban and ethnically diverse counties, some of which are population-dense while others are population-sparse.

26 Feb 2021

Immunologists map unknown biological machinery to produce memory T cells

Immunologists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have mapped the previously unknown biological machinery by which the immune system generates T cells that kill bacteria, viruses and tumor cells.

26 Feb 2021

Researchers investigate the duration of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2

The optimal timeframe for donating convalescent plasma for use in COVID-19 immunotherapy, which was given emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration in August 2020, is within 60 days of the onset of symptoms, according to a new Penn State-led study.

26 Feb 2021

Antibody and T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 persist up to 8 months: Study of Ski Resort Ischgl

The first instance of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak in Austria was observed in the Ski resort Ischgl in early March 2020. Later, the virus spread across Austria and other countries in Northern Europe.

25 Feb 2021

Pre-existing cross-reactive HCoV antibodies could protect against SARS-CoV-2

A team of researchers from Spain and Canada recently characterized the antibody kinetics and neutralization capacity at 4 cross-sectional surveys between March and October 2020 and determined the seroprevalence in the same cohort of healthcare workers.

25 Feb 2021

Study pinpoints potential transmission advantage of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7

Researchers in the UK have shown that the increased transmissibility of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineage B.1.1.7 that emerged in the UK during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic does not appear to be the result of increased viral replication or immune escape.

25 Feb 2021

Maternal diet may enhance immune systems of premature infants, study shows

Medical researchers have long understood that a pregnant mother's diet has a profound impact on her developing fetus's immune system and that babies -- especially those born prematurely -- who are fed breast milk have a more robust ability to fight disease, suggesting that even after childbirth, a mother's diet matters.

25 Feb 2021

SNX-5422 could make an effective COVID-19 prophylactic, says study

SNX-5422 is a heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor currently undergoing clinical trials as a cancer therapeutic. A recent study examines the applicability of repurposing the drug towards severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication inhibition.

25 Feb 2021

Research shows how antibodies attach to and block Zika virus

The Zika outbreak of 2015 and 2016 are having lasting impacts on children whose mothers became infected with the virus while they were pregnant.

25 Feb 2021

Study reports lasting immune response in convalescent COVID-19 patients

Researchers report the cellular immune response of convalescent patients in Germany, who recovered from mild or moderate infection compared to that of healthy people with no history of COVID-19.

25 Feb 2021

Study explores individual differences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in ACE2-expressing stem cells

The clinical phenotype of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is remarkable for its wide range of severity among individual patients. Genetic variations are known to mediate part of these differences. To examine these differences, researchers in a new study used human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from different genetically diverse individuals. These cells are used to model genetic disease since they contain the donor’s genetic information. Researchers use a panel of iPSCs from over 500 individuals. The researchers preferred undifferentiated iPSCs to reduce the time required to differentiate them, especially since infection is not always reliable.

25 Feb 2021

Study reveals key mechanism by which exercise promotes immunity, strengthens bones

Scientists at the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have identified the specialized environment, known as a niche, in the bone marrow where new bone and immune cells are produced.

25 Feb 2021

immunity News and Research

Single-dose of BNT162b2 vaccine may not be protective without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection

One in seven people in England show SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, finds study

Could SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests before first vaccine dose help increase coverage and protection?

Study shows how D614G variant gains upper hand over original SARS-CoV-2 virus

KHN’s ‘What the health?’: Staffing up at HHS

South African SARS-CoV-2 variant partly resistant to neutralization by mRNA vaccine, says study

Structure of SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein-epithelial cell junction protein complex explains virulence

Why Astrazeneca and J&J’s vaccines, in use the world over, are still on hold in America

What is the impact of demographics and air quality on COVID-19 mortality?

Immunologists map unknown biological machinery to produce memory T cells

Researchers investigate the duration of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2

Antibody and T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 persist up to 8 months: Study of Ski Resort Ischgl

Pre-existing cross-reactive HCoV antibodies could protect against SARS-CoV-2

Study pinpoints potential transmission advantage of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7

Maternal diet may enhance immune systems of premature infants, study shows

SNX-5422 could make an effective COVID-19 prophylactic, says study

Research shows how antibodies attach to and block Zika virus

Study reports lasting immune response in convalescent COVID-19 patients

Study explores individual differences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in ACE2-expressing stem cells

Study reveals key mechanism by which exercise promotes immunity, strengthens bones

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