Rift Valley Fever News and Research

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Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a viral zoonosis (affects primarily domestic livestock, but can be passed to humans) causing fever. It is spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes, typically the Aedes or Culex genera.

Novel molecules inspired by the immune system inactivate several viruses

Antiviral therapies are notoriously difficult to develop, as viruses can quickly mutate to become resistant to drugs. But what if a new generation of antivirals ignores the fast-mutating proteins on the surface of viruses and instead disrupts their protective layers?

2 Aug 2023

Peptoid antiviral therapy inactivates three viruses in lab tests

Just as bacteria can develop antibiotic resistance, viruses can also evade drug treatments. Developing therapies against these microbes is difficult because viruses often mutate or hide themselves within cells.

2 Aug 2023

CEPI and HMRI partner to accelerate development of pandemic vaccines

CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the Houston Methodist Research Institute (HMRI), have today announced a partnership to combine cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology with established laboratory techniques to speed up development of future vaccines against novel viral threats (also known as Disease X).

18 Jul 2023

Comparative study on retinoic acid-inducible gene-I of humans and bats

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers cloned and functionally characterized the virus ribonucleic acid (RNA) sensor, retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I), from the microbat Myotis daubentonii (Yangochiroptera suborder) and the megabat Rousettus aegyptiacus (Yinpterochiroptera suborder), and compared them to the human ortholog.

15 Feb 2023

How do cattle impact human vector-borne disease risk?

Scientists from the United States have conducted a systematic review to understand whether cattle increase the risk of contracting vector-borne diseases by humans. The review is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

12 Feb 2023

New mouse model faithfully mimics brain damage caused by severe Rift Valley Fever virus infection

A new mouse model identified by virologists from the University of Pittsburgh might revolutionize development of therapies targeting brain inflammation caused by Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV).

15 Jul 2022

Molecule in mosquito saliva can be a potential new target for halting deadly diseases

A molecule in mosquito spit has been identified as a potential new target for vaccination against a range of diseases for which there is no protection or medicine.

8 Jun 2022

Com-COV 3 study focuses on assessing a third dose booster vaccination for young people aged 12 to 15

The Com-COV 3 study has been commissioned through the NIHR and backed by £2.8 million government funding, with support from both the Vaccine Taskforce and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

7 Jun 2022

Zoonotic and public health implications of bovine and human brucellosis in Ethiopia

Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. Bovine brucellosis is endemic and widely distributed in Ethiopia.

27 May 2022

Foundational characterization of a new bat-borne ebolavirus and its potential as a human pathogen

Researchers sought to evaluate the zoonotic potential of BOMV to assess the level of risk to public health.

24 Feb 2022

CD91 receptor promotes SARS-CoV-2 infection

researchers find that LRP1/CD91 is a leading molecule in virus-host cell interactions that causes infection by many RNA viruses.

22 Feb 2022

Can the COVID-19 delta variant evade vaccine-induced immunity?

Can the COVID-19 delta variant evade vaccine-induced immunity? We spoke to Professor Brian J. Willett from the University of Glasgow to find out.

5 Jan 2022

Researchers discover how Rift Valley fever virus enters cells

Rift Valley fever virus causes economically devastating outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever in livestock such as sheep, goats and cattle.

24 Sep 2021

CEPI and IVI announce new research program to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines in Africa

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the International Vaccine Institute today announced a new programme of clinical research which aims to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines in Africa.

20 Jul 2021

Zoonotic and vector-borne emerging tropical diseases pose a constant threat

A recent article published in the journal Frontiers in Tropical Diseases assessed the threat of emerging zoonotic and vector-borne tropical diseases.

26 May 2021

In vitro testing suggests effective novel drug combinations for SARS-CoV-2

A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in September 2020 shows the value of drug combinations to enhance the therapeutic and preventive efficacy of such repositioned drugs in standard antiviral therapy.

20 Sep 2020

Climate change could shift the spread of West Nile virus

West Nile virus spreads most efficiently in the US at temperatures between 24-25 degrees Celsius (75.2-77 degrees Fahrenheit), a new study published today in eLife shows.

15 Sep 2020

NIAID awards $17 million to establish the Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, one of the National Institutes of Health, today announced that it has awarded 11 grants with a total first-year value of approximately $17 million to establish the Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

27 Aug 2020

DHODH inhibitor PTC299 shows potential as a COVID-19 therapeutic

As COVID-19 continues to take a heavy toll on human health and life in many parts of the world, there is still no effective antiviral drug or vaccine. This has fueled an intensive search for small molecules and proteins that can inhibit viral entry and replication.

10 Aug 2020

Study confirms that SARS-CoV-2 cannot be transmitted to people by mosquitoes

A new study by Kansas State University researchers is the first to confirm that SARS-CoV-2 cannot be transmitted to people by mosquitoes.

17 Jul 2020