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Genomic study tracks massive chikungunya epidemic on Réunion Island

Between August 2024 and June 2025, Réunion Island experienced a massive chikungunya epidemic, with more than 54,000 confirmed cases and 43 deaths, making it the second major Chikungunya virus outbreak on the island after the 2005-2006 epidemic, which had affected about a third of the islands' population.

25 Sep 2026

SARS-CoV-2 protein ORF8 drives macrophage infection and lung inflammation

In the sickest COVID-19 patients, the SARS-CoV-2 virus doesn't just cause severe damage by directly infecting airway cells.

18 Sep 2026

New funding boosts data archive that tracks healthy aging environments

With an $11 million award from the National Institute on Aging, University of Michigan researchers will build and share national data that track how neighborhood conditions change over time, helping scientists study how local environments affect older adults' health.

17 Sep 2026

SARS-CoV-2 uses two fusion keys to enter host cells

To enter our cells, the Covid-19 virus fuses its surrounding membrane with the membrane of the target cell.

17 Sep 2026

Hedgehog coronaviruses reveal potential pathways for cross-species transmission

Washington State University researchers have discovered how a group of coronaviruses circulating in hedgehogs invades host cells, a key to understanding their potential to jump between species and their risk of causing a pandemic in humans.

16 Sep 2026

New AI method tracks immune responses without known antibody databases

A research team comprising Associate Professor FUNAKOSHI Yohei, Associate Professor YAKUSHIJIN Kimikazu, Professor MINAMI Hironobu, and Associate Professor OHJI Goh of Kobe University, together with graduate student MASUDA Genki, then-graduate student IIZUMI Shunsuke, Associate Professor OHUE Masahito, and colleagues at the Institute of Science Tokyo, has developed a new analysis method, LM-QASAS.

9 Sep 2026

COVID-19 linked to lower subsequent risk of type 1 diabetes

New research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) shows that people who have had COVID-19 have a lower, rather than higher, risk of subsequent development of type 1 diabetes (T1D).

8 Sep 2026

Mosaic nanoparticle vaccine boosts broad mucosal coronavirus immunity

The persistent threat of emerging coronaviruses highlights the critical need to establish frontline defenses directly at the respiratory entry portal.

4 Sep 2026

Shared biological pathways may explain chronic fatigue across diseases

A shared biological secret that helps explain chronic exhaustion in conditions including long Covid and PTSD has been discovered by researchers at the University of East Anglia and Oxford BioDynamics.

2 Sep 2026

Antiviral COVID-19 drug shows no benefit for Long COVID

Results from a clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published today in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases show that the antiviral drug, PAXLOVID, commonly prescribed to treat acute COVID-19, does not have an impact on Long COVID symptoms when compared to placebo.

1 Sep 2026

UCSF scientists build largest molecular interaction map for autism

For more than two decades, researchers have identified hundreds of genes that increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

28 Aug 2026

The US switch in shingles vaccines revealed an unexpected heart health pattern

In a natural experiment involving 72,920 propensity-matched US adults aged 60 years and older, recombinant shingles vaccination was associated with a 9% lower cardiovascular disease burden over seven years compared with the live attenuated vaccine. Lower burdens of ischemic heart disease and heart failure were seen in both sexes, while ischemic stroke was significantly lower only among men, supporting further clinical trials and mechanistic studies

27 Aug 2026

Researchers tested dozens of clues for long COVID. One finding stood out

A nationwide study of 218 people in the Faroe Islands examined clinical, neurological, and blood-based markers associated with persistent symptoms around six months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite extensive testing, researchers found no convincing biomarker for long COVID, while a statistical association with lower INR remained within the normal clinical range and requires replication.

27 Aug 2026

Nigerian COVID-19 response highlights cultural trust in ethnopharmacology

During COVID-19, ethnopharmacology became prominent in Nigeria due to affordability, accessibility, and cultural trust, but evidence for safety and efficacy remains limited.

25 Aug 2026

A striking immune cell pattern emerges around a person’s 100th birthday

Single-cell immune profiling found that CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes become more abundant around age 100, showing stepwise differentiation and substantial clonal expansion. Ex vivo experiments also revealed cytokine plasticity within individual clones, supporting the hypothesis that these cells adapt to persistent antigens during healthy aging, although their direct role in longevity remains unproven.

23 Aug 2026

AI predicts vaccine response based on pre-existing antibody patterns

Vaccines protect most people from serious illness, but the strength of that protection can vary considerably from one person to another. A new study led by Arizona State University helps us understand why.

20 Aug 2026

Novel norovirus vaccine approach may be adaptable for other RNA viruses

Every RNA virus — from stomach bugs and influenza to chickenpox and the common cold — has its own story to tell, with a unique combination of symptoms, rates of transmission, duration, and chemical blueprint.

19 Aug 2026

Synthetic peptide enables modular detection of coronavirus protease activity

A research team has computationally designed a synthetic peptide that enables modular detection of the enzymatic activity of coronavirus 3C-like protease (3CLPro), an enzyme essential for viral replication and maturation.

13 Aug 2026

Rare cruise ship virus outbreak highlights public messaging lessons and disease preparedness

A small outbreak of a rare hantavirus on a cruise ship earlier this year captured worldwide attention and sparked concerns about a possible new pandemic.

10 Aug 2026

Severe COVID-19 reactivates dormant viruses and may leave a lasting viral signature

A longitudinal study of 1,154 hospitalized COVID-19 patients found widespread reactivation of chronic Herpesviridae and Anelloviridae, with distinct viral patterns linked to disease severity, inflammation, and clinical outcomes. Anelloviridae also persisted during convalescence and were associated with physical deficits in long COVID, although the study did not establish causation.

7 Aug 2026