Severe Acute Respiratory News and Research

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Chimeric vaccines may provide universal protection against viruses like SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have developed “chimeric” vaccines that provided cross-protection against different strains of sarbecovirus in mice, including the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Mar 2021

Study unveils SARS-CoV-2 persistence and contamination concentration on common surfaces

A recent environmental study from the United Kingdom, currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server, shows that certain common surfaces could represent an infectious risk if contaminated with high concentrations of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – albeit the level of viable viral particles is likely to be low.

15 Mar 2021

Researchers use wastewater to monitor prevalence of COVID-19 for first time in United Arab Emirates

Early warning systems are vital in preventing surging waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Researchers have used wastewater samples to detect the spread of the virus in the United Arab Emirates from municipal and commercial aircraft, the first of its kind in the country, and the largest to date.

15 Mar 2021

White-tailed deer susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, finds study

White-tailed deer have been observed to be susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). They can also transmit the virus both through direct and indirect contact to one another, researchers find. The research paper is available to be read online in the Journal of Virology.

15 Mar 2021

The role of nanotechnology in the fight against COVID-19

Appearing in the journal Nanomedicine, the review summarized all the exciting advances made using diverse nanomaterials (polymeric, inorganic self-assembling materials and peptide-based) towards COVID-19 prevention, diagnosis and therapy.

15 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 UK variant could be more lethal than others

A new study has assessed the mortality risk of patients infected with the newly emerged UK variant (Lineage B.1.1.7) of SARS-CoV-2. The findings reveal that compared to the previously circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, the UK variant significantly increases the risk of mortality in a relatively low-risk community population.

15 Mar 2021

What is a protective neutralizing antibody titer against SARS-CoV-2 infection?

A new study describes a predictive model of protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection that could help evolve optimal vaccination strategies to maintain protection and reduce the death rate.

15 Mar 2021

Which biomarkers can help predict severe COVID-19?

The ability to detect potentially fatal illness early on in the course of the disease would enable a swift prioritization of these high-risk individuals for treatment. A new preprint on the medRxiv* server presents an array of biomarkers that may help achieve this laudable goal.

15 Mar 2021

Neutralizing nanobodies effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Nanobodies have different mechanisms to neutralize viruses, and some target epitopes not accessible to monoclonal antibodies, making them an alternative for developing therapies for COVID-19.

15 Mar 2021

Research looks at inflammatory nature of lipid nanoparticle component in mRNA vaccines

In a recent bioRxiv preprint research paper, Botond Z. Igyártó and colleagues from Thomas Jefferson University demonstrated the inflammatory nature of the lipid nanoparticles (LNPs).

15 Mar 2021

Soluble ACE2 level correlates with COVID-19 outcomes

Researchers at the Aarhus University, Denmark, found that high baseline levels of ACE2 in plasma from COVID-19 patients are tied to a worse outcome in hospitalized patients. The study, which appeared on the pre-print server medRxiv, shows that measuring ACE2 levels in serum can help determine patients at a higher risk of developing severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

14 Mar 2021

Study targets main protease of SARS-CoV-2 involved in viral replication

The main protease of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an enzyme implicated in the transcription and replication of the coronavirus. New research led by S. Samar Hasnain from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom used the selenium-containing drug Ebselen to analyze the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro).

14 Mar 2021

Study says air pollution played a role in early U.S. COVID-19 outbreak

Exposure to particulate matter — a mixture of liquid and solid particles suspended in the air that ranges from dust to airborne transmission of viral droplets — has been harmful to human health. Research led by Maria de Fatima Andrade from the University of São Paulo in Brazil found particulate matter plays a significant role in increasing coronavirus cases in cities.

14 Mar 2021

Genome-wide CRISPR screening used to identify factors essential for SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans

In a methodologically trailblazing paper published in the journal Nature Genetics, a team of Belgian scientists uncovered an assembly of coronavirus host factors that may be exploited to develop drugs against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but also potentially forthcoming zoonotic coronaviruses.

14 Mar 2021

Dual-action monoclonal antibodies from an original SARS survivor show promise against COVID-19

A recent study, currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server, indicates that a pair of dual-action monoclonal antibodies derived from an original 2003 SARS survivors could play an important role in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their broadly neutralizing activity and the engagement of the immune system via effector function capabilities.

14 Mar 2021

Study maps crucial component of long-term immune response to SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have found that protective antibodies generated against the original strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)– the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – also protect against viral variants.

14 Mar 2021

Cannabis compound inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in human lung cells

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that a cannabis plant compound inhibited infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human lung cells.

14 Mar 2021

Could horse-derived antibodies promote immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection?

Researchers based in India have demonstrated that horses inoculated with an inactivated dosage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are able to produce large amounts of strong antibodies that can neutralize multiple variants

12 Mar 2021

Single-dose vaccines may provide sufficient immunization for individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2

A group of researchers based at the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital in Italy have submitted evidence to suggest that individuals previously infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may adequately benefit from a single dose of mRNA vaccine, rather than requiring the current two-vaccine regimen.

12 Mar 2021

An overview of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer-BioNTech

In a study published in the journal Drugs, a researcher tackled the approval of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, which has now been used in many countries.

12 Mar 2021