Respiratory News and Research

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More evidence mask wearing works to contain COVID-19 spread

A team of American researchers has looked at the effects of wearing face masks and the prevention of the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between individuals. As of today, over 5.8 million people in the USA have been infected with the virus. This new study titled, “Mask Wearing and Control of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in the United States,” is published on the preprint server medRxiv*.

26 Aug 2020

Study reveals how a cannabinoid may treat acute respiratory distress syndrome

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, when caused by a bacterial toxin known as Staphylococcal enterotoxin, can be completely prevented by treatment with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant.

26 Aug 2020

Global survey reveals hesitancy in potential acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine

A recent study, currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server, shows that willingness to vaccinate against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is insufficient in 19 countries that were surveyed – highlighting the need for targeted interventions to increase and sustain public acceptance of an incoming COVID-19 vaccine.

26 Aug 2020

Study suggests memory B cells persist following COVID-19 recovery

Researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel have gained valuable insights into the serological and B cell response to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

26 Aug 2020

Researchers shed light on Boston's SARS-CoV-2 superspreading event

Researchers in the United States have shown that failure to prevent the importation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into Massachusetts led to superspreading that drastically altered the course of the epidemic and amplified the outbreak in this major urban area.

26 Aug 2020

Estradiol appears to help in female SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in August 2020 shows that the risk of infection is high for pre-menopausal women but the risk of death is much higher for men in the same age group and throws light on the protective nature of estradiol therapy in post-menopausal women.

26 Aug 2020

Identifying COVID-19 host genes using symptom-based predictions

A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in August 2020 shows that symptom-based prediction of the diagnosis can help identify host genes that are responsible for part of this variability.

26 Aug 2020

Monoclonal antibodies may be a better choice than convalescent plasma for treating COVID-19

A team of researchers from the Netherlands demonstrated that prophylactic treatment with a high dose of human convalescent plasma or by using concentrated monoclonal antibodies could protect against disease following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in an animal model. However, no protective effect was observed with a ten-fold lower dose of convalescent plasma. The results are currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

25 Aug 2020

Humidity (not temperature) influences SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission

A recent study conducted in New South Wales, Australia, demonstrates that there is an inverse relationship between relative humidity and transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The study is published in the journal Transboundary and Emerging Diseases.

25 Aug 2020

Preclinical studies of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate show positive results

Preclinical studies of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate at the University of Alabama at Birmingham show positive results that appear to distinguish this vaccine candidate from other vaccine candidates that are currently in advanced stages of clinical development, the Maryland-based Altimmune Inc. announced today.

25 Aug 2020

Assessing the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks once schools reopen

A study conducted by researchers at the London School Of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of Edinburgh, and Leiden University, suggests that only reopening schools to specific age groups would reduce the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) being transmitted between schools and subsequently households.

25 Aug 2020

High SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence, low mortality at Austrian COVID-19 epicenter

Now, a new study reported on the preprint server medRxiv* in August 2020 describes a high seroprevalence in an Austrian ski resort, which is considered to be the source of the European outbreak.

25 Aug 2020

Metabolic syndrome increases the odds of mortality for COVID-19 patients

Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who had a combination of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes were over three times more likely to die from the disease, according to a new Tulane University study.

25 Aug 2020

Inconsistent implementation of COVID-19 control has dire consequences

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study highlighting the potential unintended consequences of implementing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) control policies in an inconsistent, patchy manner.

25 Aug 2020

Study: SARS-CoV-2 can infect human neural progenitor cells and brain organoids

SARS-CoV-2 can infect human neural progenitor cells and brain organoids, as shown by researchers from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and their collaborators from The University of Hong Kong (HKU).

25 Aug 2020

Advances in Virus Epigenetics

Growing evidence shows viruses exploit epigenetic processes to control their life cycles but epigentic regulation of viral infections is not fully understood.

From Chromatrap® - Porvair Sciences Ltd 25 Aug 2020

Inhaled steroids reduce SARS-CoV-2-related genes in COPD

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* aims to explore the effects of treatment with ICS on the expression of specific genes related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in bronchial epithelial cells in a prospective interventional design.

25 Aug 2020

Italy starts human trials of potential COVID-19 vaccine

Rome's Lazzaro Spallanzani Institute, a hospital specializing in infectious diseases will conduct trials on 90 volunteers in the coming weeks, joining a global effort to develop an immune response to the virus.

25 Aug 2020

COVID specific IgA monoclonal antibodies may provide effective immunity against coronavirus

A new study by researchers at MassBiologics of UMass Medical School published in Nature Communications suggests that COVID specific IgA monoclonal antibodies may provide effective immunity in the respiratory system against the novel coronavirus - a potentially critical feature of an effective vaccine.

25 Aug 2020

Macrophage programming is more complex than previously thought

Macrophages are white blood cells that, depending on the signals they get from the immune system, become specialized in either increasing or decreasing inflammation.

25 Aug 2020