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One in seven people in England show SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, finds study

The REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-2 (REACT-2) program completed its fifth round of community surveys in the days between January 26 and February 8, 2021. The findings appear in a new article in the BMJ on February 25, 2021, showing that natural infection and vaccination together account for around 14% seropositivity rates in England at present.

1 Mar 2021

Study: Eating the right '5-a-day' mix of fruits and vegetables is likely optimal amount for longer life

Studies representing nearly 2 million adults worldwide show that eating about five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, in which 2 are fruits and 3 are vegetables, is likely the optimal amount for longer life, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

1 Mar 2021

Could SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests before first vaccine dose help increase coverage and protection?

A new study by scientists in the UK raises the very useful hypothesis that natural infection may help spread the vaccine thinner without loss of efficacy.

1 Mar 2021

Researchers to conduct large meta-analysis of fetomaternal complications in COVID-19

A new preprint on the medRxiv* server describes the protocol written for a study that aims to perform a systematic analysis of all the data available on the effect of this syndrome on pregnancy.

1 Mar 2021

Researchers assess SARS-CoV-2 surface contamination risks in hospital setting

Researchers analyzed the surface swabs for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the infectivity in a hospital setting by both qRT-PCR and a viral culture assay. They also determined the suitability for sequence analysis and phylogenetically identifying the source of the virus.

1 Mar 2021

FDA issues EUA for third COVID-19 vaccine

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

1 Mar 2021

Pfizer-BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 vaccine effective for wide range of Covid-19–related outcomes

The Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine was shown to be 95% effective in preventing severe COVID-19 infection in clinical trials. However, given that the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread and evolve into several concerning variants, it remained unknown how the vaccine would respond in a real-life setting.

1 Mar 2021

COVID-19 CG tracks local SARS-CoV-2 mutations by geographical location

Genomic surveillance of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has varied across countries. England's increased coronavirus sequencing helped it uncover the B.1.1.7 variant last fall. In contrast, countries such as the United States have reported little sequencing data.

28 Feb 2021

New evidence of SARS-CoV-2 spreading on planes

New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) journal Emerging Infectious Diseases analyzed a case showing in-flight transmission of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) despite passengers getting tested before departing to New Zealand.

28 Feb 2021

New SARS-CoV-2 B.1.526 variant emerges in New York

New York has the first case of a new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant called B.1.526, picked up by genomic surveillance research from Columbia University. The findings come after reports of other variants have been reported worldwide — B.1.1.7 in the United Kingdom, B.1.351 in South Africa, and P.1/P.2 in Brazil.

28 Feb 2021

Free-ranging minks exhibit high titers of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Utah

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report outbreaks of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on mink farms in Utah, United States. They surveyed around farms for evidence of exposure and found high SARS-CoV-2 titers, suggesting a possible viral transmission pathway to native wildlife.

28 Feb 2021

Time to implement measures preventing future viral zoonoses

Now, researchers at the University of Silesia in Katowice and the Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland recommend measures to prevent future zoonotic outbreaks. They emphasized the importance of viral surveillance and research on new viral strains as primary strategies to combat these infections.

28 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 modulates host cell central carbon metabolism for reproduction

A team of scientists from Sweden and India has recently characterized the host cell metabolic alterations associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Their findings reveal that SARS-CoV-2 modulates the host cell's central carbon metabolism to facilitate replication and infection propagation.

28 Feb 2021

New method to enhance images of the SARS-CoV-2 virus

Researchers report a method of removing noise from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images using probabilistic generative models.

28 Feb 2021

New study assesses COVID-19 risk among UK healthcare workers

Researchers in the UK have reported the protocol for a longitudinal study investigating the risk of adverse physical and mental health outcomes related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among healthcare workers from different ethnic groups.

28 Feb 2021

Study shows how D614G variant gains upper hand over original SARS-CoV-2 virus

Prior to the emergence of new mutants of the coronavirus, such as the British variant B.1.1.7, the SARS-CoV-2 variant named D614G had already mutated from the original SARS-CoV-2 pathogen that triggered the pandemic.

27 Feb 2021

Study provides different characteristics of COVID-19

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected almost every part of the globe with millions of cases and over a million deaths.

27 Feb 2021

Study investigates racial discrimination in home-renting process

Economists and urban planners generally agree that local pollution sources disproportionally impact racial minorities in the U.S. The reasons for this are largely unclear, but a University of Illinois study provides new insights into the issue.

27 Feb 2021

FDA approves Nulibry to reduce risk of death caused by rare genetic, metabolic disorder

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Nulibry (fosdenopterin) for injection to reduce the risk of death due to Molybdenum Cofactor Deficiency Type A, a rare, genetic, metabolic disorder that typically presents in the first few days of life, causing intractable seizures, brain injury and death.

27 Feb 2021

Diverse patient population helps identify gene variant associated with childhood asthma

Researchers at Henry Ford Health System, as part of a national asthma collaborative, have identified a gene variant associated with childhood asthma that underscores the importance of including diverse patient populations in research studies.

27 Feb 2021