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Rapid patient identification could help combat COVID-19

In a peer-reviewed commentary published in npj Digital Medicine, experts from Regenstrief Institute, Mayo Clinic and The Pew Charitable Trusts write that matching patient records from disparate sources is not only achievable, but fundamental to stem the tide of the current pandemic and allow for fast action for future highly contagious viruses.

2 Jun 2020

Study highlights the importance of child vaccine against infections

In the U.S., our children rarely fall ill to grave infections because they are protected by vaccines.

2 Jun 2020

Computer modeling reveals necessary vaccine efficacy threshold to prevent SARS-CoV-2 spread

A recent US study showed that in order to prevent or largely extinguish the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak without social distancing or any other measures, any vaccine would have to have an efficacy of at least 70%. The research paper is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

1 Jun 2020

CanSino's potential coronavirus vaccine triggers immune response in clinical trial

Scientists across the globe are racing to develop a vaccine that can provide protection against coronavirus disease (COVID-19). An effective and safe vaccine would curb not only the current coronavirus pandemic but also prevent future outbreaks

27 May 2020

Giving good bacteria to stressed mothers prevents autism-like disorder in offspring

Giving beneficial bacteria to stressed mothers during the equivalent of the third trimester of pregnancy prevents an autism-like disorder in their offspring, according to a new animal study by University of Colorado Boulder researchers.

26 May 2020

Kids missing measles shots due to coronavirus pandemic

A year ago, the United States saw the highest annual number of measles cases since 1992, with 1,249 cases reported. Of these, 89 percent of the measles patients were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status. Now, fears of another measles outbreak in the country loom as the coronavirus pandemic indirectly is causing a drop in measles vaccinations.

20 May 2020

Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine candidate shows promise in phase I trial

Moderna, who partnered with the National Institutes of Health, announced that its candidate vaccine appeared to be safe when administered to eight healthy volunteers. The vaccine also stimulated an immune response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

20 May 2020

New animal model for COVID-19

As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to ravage the world, scientists are frantically searching for a vaccine or new drug that will effectively counter the lethal effects of the virus that leads to COVID-19 disease.

19 May 2020

Drugmakers tout COVID-19 vaccines to refurbish their public image

Johnson & Johnson researchers working on a vaccine against the coronavirus are "just like the heroes in the hospitals" fighting to save patients, J&J CEO Alex Gorsky said on the "Today" show a few weeks ago.

18 May 2020

Specific immune cells induced by vaccination are early indicators of vaccine efficacy

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich researchers have shown that a specific class of immune cells in the blood induced by vaccination is an earlier indicator of vaccine efficacy than conventional tests for neutralizing antibodies.

15 May 2020

Passive immummization can offer instant, short-term fortification against infectious agents

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has infected more than 4 million people and killed close to 280,000.1 Finding a vaccine has become a global public health priority.

13 May 2020

Rotavirus vaccination leads to a decrease in hospitalizations and deaths of children

Vaccination against rotavirus has led to a significant decrease in hospitalisations and deaths of children due to severe diarrhoea in the Western Pacific region, a new study has found.

12 May 2020

Internet search patterns important in tracing and predicting COVID-19 spread

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in May 2020 has identified a link between Internet search patterns and local disease progression for COVID-19. It recommends the use of search data to track and predict COVID-19 spread as a complementary method to established public health surveillance methods.

10 May 2020

Analysis of India's battle with COVID-19

A new paper published on the preprint server medRxiv in April 2020 suggests, based on mathematical models, that premature removal of lockdown restrictions in India could be highly counterproductive, enhancing the secondary spread of COVID-19, pushing up the number of fatalities and prolonging the course of the pandemic in India.

4 May 2020

"Stratify-and shield" a potential alternative to COVID-19 lockdowns

Researchers in Scotland who have evaluated a “stratify-and shield” policy for combating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the UK say it is time to consider the approach as an alternative to social distancing seriously.

3 May 2020

Universal childhood vaccination could prevent antimicrobial resistance

A new study from the University of California, Berkeley, published in the journal Nature in April 2020, reports that extending vaccination to all children could help resolve antimicrobial resistance - one of the biggest obstacles to effective healthcare in low-income countries. This is the first study to look at how vaccination is related to the use of antibiotics in low- and middle-income countries.

29 Apr 2020

Recombinant protein produces neutralizing COVID-19 antibodies in primate model

A new study reports the induction of high levels of neutralizing antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus causing the current pandemic of COVID-19. This promising finding was reported on the preprint server bioRxiv on April 2020.

26 Apr 2020

Is the BCG vaccine really protective against COVID-19?

A new paper published on the preprint server medRxiv in April 2020 challenges the hypothesis that BCG vaccination confers some degree of protection against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the pneumonic illness COVID-19.

26 Apr 2020

Resurgence of measles or polio outbreaks likely to happen, experts warn

Interruptions to vaccination programmes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could result in new waves of measles or polio outbreaks, health experts warn.

24 Apr 2020

FAU scientists aim to develop a passive vaccine against COVID-19

Nothing less than the development of a passive vaccine against Covid-19 has been undertaken by a team of scientists from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Universitätsklinkum Erlangen and their partners from the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology in Leipzig and the German Primate Centre in Göttingen.

24 Apr 2020