immunity News and Research

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Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine nearly 95% effective

US company Moderna have just released their early phase 3 clinical trial results for their COVID-19 vaccine which is nearly 95% effective.

16 Nov 2020

Antiviral immune response is suppressed in COVID-19 patients compared to flu patients

Rather than life-threatening hyperinflammation, most adults with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 have a suppressed viral immune response when compared to adults with another viral respiratory infection, influenza. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis led research that suggests most COVID-19 patients are not candidates for treatment with steroids such as dexamethasone.

16 Nov 2020

Difference in antibody evolution could predict COVID-19 outcomes

For COVID-19, the difference between surviving and not surviving severe disease may be due to the quality, not the quantity, of the patients' antibody development and response, suggests a new Cell paper published by Galit Alter, PhD, a member of the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard.

16 Nov 2020

PARP inhibitor, stenoparib inhibits pre- and post-entry processes of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

A team of researchers from the Northern Arizona University evaluated a new PARP inhibitor, stenoparib, which has recently advanced to Stage II of clinical trials to treat ovarian cancer. Their study, an initial report on in vitro stenoparib activity against human coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2, has been published on the preprint server bioRxiv*.

15 Nov 2020

Drugs targeting neutrophils could reduce ARDS in severe COVID-19

Scientists in Taiwan recently published a report on their use of anti-neutrophil strategies to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) – a life-threatening condition that can arise in critical COVID-19 cases – in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics.

15 Nov 2020

New saliva-based test found to accurately detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

A new saliva-based test developed by a team at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has been found to accurately detect the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from small samples of saliva, according to a study led by Bloomberg School researchers.

15 Nov 2020

Dopamine-release mechanisms in the brain may play a major role in SARS-CoV-2 infection

The study, which appeared in the Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, shows that the SARS-CoV-2 may behave akin to the CNS pathogenic mechanism of JEV and HIV during the early stages of infection.

15 Nov 2020

Ultrasound reveals a possible role of SARS‐CoV‐2 in acute testicular infection

A single-center study from Wuhan in China presents ultrasound imaging evidence supporting the notion that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can cause infection of the testis or epididymis – and put patients at risk for further complications. The paper can be found in the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine.

15 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 immunity may last over six months through antibody evolution and B cell memory

With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic infecting over 52.7 million people around the world, and killing over 1.2 million, a large amount of research has tried to better understand immune responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen that causes COVID-19.

15 Nov 2020

Research looks at aerobiomes, trees and implications for public health

In a recent bioRxiv preprint paper, Jake M. Robinson and colleagues study the dynamics of 'aerobiome' - the collection of microorganisms in a given airspace, with respect to the height from the ground level.

12 Nov 2020

Bispecific sybodies show potential against SARS-CoV-2

As the search for effective antivirals against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues, a new study published on the preprint bioRxiv in November 2020 discusses the role of synthetic nanobodies or sybodies in neutralizing the virus by binding to its receptor-binding domain (RBD) on the spike protein.

12 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2-induces temporary loss of smell in mice

Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 presents the onset of olfactory dysfunction (loss of smell) in mice infected with the virus, examining this process at the cellular level. In doing so, this study throws more light on this curious symptom and COVID-19’s manifestations outside the lungs.

12 Nov 2020

Modeling suggests lower COVID-19 cases in Lombardy's second wave

Researchers found a negative association between the number of excess deaths during the first wave of the epidemic and the number of second-wave cases. This could be because of both a sort of herd immunity and changes in behavioral response.

12 Nov 2020

Machine-learning based analysis of mitochondria interaction networks to advance PD diagnosis

In a new study led by the Immune Systems Biology research group of the LIH Department of Infection and Immunity, researchers adopted a holistic machine-learning approach to elucidate how the interactions between neuronal mitochondria can serve as a powerful tool to distinguish nerve cells from Parkinson’s patients from those belonging to healthy subjects, thereby providing new insights in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of this neurodegenerative disorder.

12 Nov 2020

Common spike mutation may make SARS-CoV-2 more susceptible to a vaccine

A new study published in Science confirms that SARS-CoV-2 has mutated in a way that's enabled it to spread quickly around the world, but the spike mutation may also make the virus more susceptible to a vaccine.

12 Nov 2020

Time to discuss potentially unpleasant side effects of COVID shots? Scientists say yes.

Drugmaker Pfizer is expected to seek federal permission to release its COVID-19 vaccine by the end of November, a move that holds promise for quelling the pandemic, but also sets up a tight time frame for making sure consumers understand what it will mean to actually get the shots.

12 Nov 2020

Beckman Coulter introduces new SARS-CoV-2 IgM assay in countries accepting the CE Mark

Beckman Coulter, a clinical diagnostics leader, today announced the launch of its Access SARS-CoV-2 Immunoglobulin M assay in countries accepting the CE Mark.

From Beckman Coulter Diagnostics 12 Nov 2020

Study finds link between children's gut microbiomes and household chemicals

A team of researchers for the first time has found a correlation between the levels of bacteria and fungi in the gastrointestinal tract of children and the amount of common chemicals found in their home environment.

12 Nov 2020

Human coronaviruses cause processing body loss

Researchers continue to expand their knowledge of coronaviruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogen. Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 describes a vital mechanism whereby the novel SARS-CoV-2 pathogen can restrict the human host response. In doing so, the study explores how this novel feature of SARS-CoV-2 works and how it results in a reshaping of the human host's immune response.

11 Nov 2020

Discovery of novel hidden gene in SARS-CoV-2

A team of researchers from Germany, Taiwan, and the United States has identified and characterized a new hidden gene in SARS-CoV-2 that is also present in Guangxi pangolin coronaviruses – though, curiously, absent in closely related pangolin and bat coronaviruses.

11 Nov 2020

immunity News and Research

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine nearly 95% effective

Antiviral immune response is suppressed in COVID-19 patients compared to flu patients

Difference in antibody evolution could predict COVID-19 outcomes

PARP inhibitor, stenoparib inhibits pre- and post-entry processes of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

Drugs targeting neutrophils could reduce ARDS in severe COVID-19

New saliva-based test found to accurately detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

Dopamine-release mechanisms in the brain may play a major role in SARS-CoV-2 infection

Ultrasound reveals a possible role of SARS‐CoV‐2 in acute testicular infection

SARS-CoV-2 immunity may last over six months through antibody evolution and B cell memory

Research looks at aerobiomes, trees and implications for public health

Bispecific sybodies show potential against SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2-induces temporary loss of smell in mice

Modeling suggests lower COVID-19 cases in Lombardy's second wave

Machine-learning based analysis of mitochondria interaction networks to advance PD diagnosis

Common spike mutation may make SARS-CoV-2 more susceptible to a vaccine

Time to discuss potentially unpleasant side effects of COVID shots? Scientists say yes.

Beckman Coulter introduces new SARS-CoV-2 IgM assay in countries accepting the CE Mark

Study finds link between children's gut microbiomes and household chemicals

Human coronaviruses cause processing body loss

Discovery of novel hidden gene in SARS-CoV-2

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