Severe Acute Respiratory News and Research

RSS

Travel surges before lockdown undermine the SARS-CoV-2 containment effort

Recently, researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston; the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign; and the University of California, USA, assessed the impact of the announcement and implementation of restrictions such as lockdowns on mobility patterns of humans.

28 Oct 2020

REACT study shows 26% decline in SARS CoV-2 seroprevalence over 2-3 months

Their study titled, "Declining prevalence of antibody positivity to SARS-CoV-2: a community study of 365,000 adults," was released online as a pre-print on the medRxiv* server. This large study was funded by the Department of Health and Social Care in England.

28 Oct 2020

COVID-19 mortality rate declines significantly in Sweden

A new observational study by Swedish researchers shows a significant decline in death rates among hospitalized patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Their study titled, "Decline in mortality among hospitalized covid-19 patients in Sweden: a nationwide observational study," was released online as a preprint on the medRxiv* server.

28 Oct 2020

Genome-wide CRISPR screens reveal resistance and sensitization mechanisms of drugs used in COVID-19

By leveraging nucleotide triphosphate analog-induced cell death, Chinese researchers unveiled genes that affect the import, export, and metabolism of pervasively used antiviral drugs in the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This exciting study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

28 Oct 2020

Genomic analysis of early SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in the UK

By analyzing 50,887 SARS-CoV-2 genomes, the team has provided insights into the micro-epidemiological patterns underlying the features of one of the world's largest national COVID-19 epidemics.

28 Oct 2020

Scientists compare ACE2 interaction with SARS-CoV-2 across species

Like other pathogenic coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 crossed the species barrier to cause human disease. This fact motivated the current study, published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in October 2020, which explores the way coronaviruses engage their host cell receptors in a range of animals.

28 Oct 2020

Structure and mechanisms of ribosomal frameshifting during SARS-CoV-2 translation

The structure of a 3’ stimulatory pseudoknot in the viral genome or by itself has been proposed recently. Researchers report the structure and mechanisms of mammalian ribosomes during translation of the -1 frameshifting of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome in a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv.

28 Oct 2020

Mathematical model for COVID-19 allows for dynamic social distancing and relaxation

Recently, researchers from York University, Toronto, Canada, presented a mathematical model for COVID-19 comprising groups of people with various levels of exposure to the disease based on data from Ontario, Canada. Their work is published on the preprint server medRxiv.

27 Oct 2020

Furin cleavage site and D614G on SARS-CoV-2 spike evolved to balance infectivity, stability, cytopathicity

SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19 disease, currently raging across the world. The virus has now infected more than 43.89 million individuals and claimed over 1.16 million lives. The study titled, "Spike glycoprotein and host cell determinants of SARS-CoV-2 entry and cytopathic effects," is released on the preprint server bioRxiv* in October 2020.

27 Oct 2020

Gut's immune response to SARS-CoV-2 very different from the lung

Megan L. Stanifer et al. study the immune response in the human gut upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study published as a bioRxiv* preprint reveals a robust proinflammatory response: a cell type-specific or a tissue-specific regulation of interferon-mediated signaling during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

27 Oct 2020

COVID vaccine misinformation lowering people's intent to get vaccinated

A new study by researchers at the Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine aimed to determine how online misinformation impacts COVID-19 vaccine uptake intent. Further, the team wanted to identify socioeconomic groups at a higher risk of not getting vaccinated and those who are most susceptible to online misinformation.

27 Oct 2020

Bigger households associated with greater odds of SARS-CoV-2 transmission

Household transmission plays a pivotal role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The study recommends that it is essential for people to get tested immediately or as soon as symptoms appear. This way, they will take precautions to protect the other members of the family.

27 Oct 2020

DNase coated melanin-like nanospheres for sepsis treatment in severe COVID

As the treatment of severe COVID-19 is very difficult, the researchers from the Korea Research Institute of Biosciences and Biotechnology (KRIBB) suggested that DNase-1 can be utilized to dissolve the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), hence halting the further progression of COVID-19.

27 Oct 2020

Rapid CD169 assay for COVID-19 screening

Researchers in France have conducted a study demonstrating the sensitivity of a rapid flow cytometry assay that could be used to screen for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

27 Oct 2020

Research examines COVID-19 transmission patterns in Georgia, U.S.

Researchers from Emory University and the Georgia Department of Public Health have shown that the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the state of Georgia earlier this year changed over time and varied by age.

27 Oct 2020

Important structures of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro protease

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is changing the world like never before. This crisis is unlikely contained in the absence of effective therapeutics or vaccine.

27 Oct 2020

Research on autophagy and coronavirus, implicates ULK1

Researchers from the University of British Columbia have discovered that the betacoronavirus-encoded papain-like protease disrupts autophagy, partly by targeting ULK1. Their work is reported on the preprint server bioRxiv* in October 2020.

27 Oct 2020

Lung biomarkers may predict severe COVID-19

Two University of New Mexico researchers postulate certain specific biomarkers' relevance in predicting the potential for progression to severe COVID-19 in a paper published on the preprint server bioRxiv*

27 Oct 2020

SARS-CoV-2 is mainly spread in households and household-like settings

Ten months into the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, health experts have a good understanding of how the virus spreads. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spreads through respiratory droplets and aerosols and enters the body through the mouth, nose, and eyes.

27 Oct 2020

COVID-19 antibiotic risk factors

Now, a team of researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center aimed to determine antibiotic prescribing rates and risk factors for antibiotic prescribing in hospitalized patients. They found that almost one-third of patients received more than one course of antibiotics.

27 Oct 2020