MERS CoV News and Research

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In recent history, we have witnessed the emergence of several different life-threatening viruses. In addition to causing serious public health concerns around the globe, they have been responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality. Modern life that entails uncurtailed travel of humans and goods means that initially localized outbreaks may pose a risk of transmission anywhere in the world.

Introducing CoViNet: WHO's global network for coronavirus expertise

WHO has launched a new network for coronaviruses, CoViNet, to facilitate and coordinate global expertise and capacities for early and accurate detection, monitoring and assessment of SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and novel coronaviruses of public health importance.

29 Mar 2024

Study reveals seasonal MERS-CoV peaks in Kenyan camels and potential human transmission

Researchers found biphasic peaks of MERS-CoV in dromedaries in Kenya, with evidence of serologic exposure among slaughterhouse workers, highlighting potential human transmission risks.

18 Feb 2024

Researchers develop a potential one-minute COVID-19 test inspired by bioluminescence

Cold, flu and COVID-19 season brings that now-familiar ritual: swab, wait, look at the result. But what if, instead of taking 15 minutes or more, a test could quickly determine whether you have COVID-19 with a glowing chemical?

18 Jan 2024

Does SARS-CoV-2's ability to infect humans stem from its evolutionary past?

Study challenges the hypothesis of genetic recombination in SARS-CoV-2's evolution, suggesting its ancestral virus already possessed human-infecting traits, based on analyses of over 100 viral genomes.

7 Jan 2024

Are pan-coronavirus vaccines an achievable goal in providing broad protection against human coronaviruses?

The current achievements in the development of a pan-coronavirus vaccine.

3 Jan 2024

Research shows how HIV drug could stop many coronavirus diseases

Coronaviruses are a global public health risk, with three highly infectious species, including SARS-CoV-2, emerging in the last 20 years.

5 Dec 2023

Immune imprinting: The crux of waning COVID-19 booster effectiveness against new variants

The study in Nature Microbiology reviews the concept of immune imprinting and its influence on antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2, highlighting challenges for COVID-19 booster vaccination efficacy against emerging variants. Researchers suggest that understanding immune imprinting is crucial for developing vaccines that elicit broad and lasting immune protection.

7 Nov 2023

Study reveals alarming hospital-acquired SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates in England

Study in Nature delves into hospital-acquired SARS-CoV-2 transmission in England, revealing significant numbers of infections and potential implications for community spread, highlighting the importance of robust prevention measures.

20 Oct 2023

Decoding the twist: Coronavirus spike proteins reveal their intricate invasion dance

Researchers use cryo-EM and molecular dynamics to reveal conformational changes in the spike proteins of human coronavirus HKU1 upon binding with a receptor. Findings unveil the complexity of beta coronavirus attachment, suggesting a more intricate mechanism of host cell invasion than previously understood.

8 Oct 2023

A hybrid approach to re-engineer a SARS-CoV-1 neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2

A hybrid approach involving a combination of conventional discovery and antibody repurposing to combat COVID-19.

21 Aug 2023

New study spotlights effective strategy against COVID-19 variants: the E7 monoclonal antibody

Researchers developed potent monoclonal antibodies from a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) survivor.

1 Aug 2023

Pangolin study uncovers novel strains of coronaviruses and raises concerns about origin

Researchers identify novel HKU4-related coronavirus in a pangolin single-cell sequencing dataset.

22 Jun 2023

Researchers review the principles of universal vaccine development for key pandemic potential viruses

A recent review addressed the efforts to develop universal vaccines for viruses at family and genus levels.

16 Jun 2023

DYRK1A gene may dictate susceptibility to multiple highly pathogenic coronaviruses

Entry of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into human tissues depends on the activity of a host gene that regulates production of a key viral receptor, according to a study publishing June 13th in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Madison Strine and Craig Wilen of Yale University, US, and colleagues.

13 Jun 2023

The universal role of Nsp1: Common mechanisms of translational shutdown by coronaviruses

Researchers investigate Nsp1 from SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, and Bat-Hp-CoV using biophysical, structural, and biochemical assays.

5 Jun 2023

Honokiol inhibits replication of SARS-CoV-2 in several cell types

A compound called honokiol, which is found in the bark of multiple species of magnolia tree, inhibits replication of SARS-CoV-2 virus in several types of cells, according to a team of researchers in the Netherlands.

22 May 2023

A rapid and affordable in vitro model to test SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility in animal species

Research investigates the susceptibility of seven bat species to SARS-CoV-2 by expressing their ACE2 receptor in a non-permissive avian cell line. The study found that all seven bat species were susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, but the level of virus replication differed between bat species and virus variants.

24 Apr 2023

Protein OCLN found to play crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 cell-to-cell transmission

Research explains how the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads efficiently by directly infecting neighboring cells through a process called cell-to-cell transmission. The virus uses a protein called occludin (OCLN) to enter the cells and causes syncytium formation, which leads to viral spread.

20 Apr 2023

Tetravalent COVID vaccine provides broad antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants in animal model

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers in Italy and the United States evaluated the efficacy and immunogenicity of an adjuvanted tetravalent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) protein subunit 1 (S1) COVID-19 vaccine.

21 Mar 2023

Next-gen Mpro inhibitor: Promising new drug candidate against Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants

A recent Nature Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy journal study demonstrated the potential antiviral activity of a new Mpro inhibitor (SY110) against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and its sublineages.