Severe Acute Respiratory News and Research

RSS

Is a single mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose enough for recovered individuals?

A new study deals with the evaluation of adaptive immune response to COVID-19 vaccination in candidates who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

11 Mar 2021

Researchers develop assay for qualitative assessment of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies

To address the need for a high-quality neutralization assay against SARS-CoV-2, researchers from the NIAID modified and optimized a previously established fluorescence reduction neutralization assay (FRNA) to provide a quantitative assessment of a large number of infected cells through the use of a high-content imaging system.

11 Mar 2021

Nanobody works against all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in animal model

Researchers based in Belgium have developed a new antibody drug that is highly successful at neutralizing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Syrian hamsters. The new biologic was administered to the rodents and was found to be equally successful at neutralizing the original severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strain, and also the new mutant variants, such as the South African and UK strains.

11 Mar 2021

Brazil COVID variant 2.5 times more transmissible than ancestral strain

In early January 2021, a new variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified from travelers returning from Brazil. This variant, referred to as “P.1”, likely emerged in early-to-late November 2020, and subsequently spread throughout Manaus, the state capital of Amazonas, Brazil, over the following December.

11 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 subunit induces hypercoagulability

The vascular complications of the condition include a range of various coagulopathies that cause bleeding and thrombocytopenia or a hypercoagulable state. A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv server describes the role of a fibrinogen-related protein in inducing these clinical features of COVID-19.

10 Mar 2021

TraCK study says schoolchildren unlikely to transmit SARS-CoV-2

An interesting new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server reports there is little evidence to suggest the rapid transmission of the virus among school children while attending school.

10 Mar 2021

Danish study on the efficacy of Pfizer/BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 vaccine after first and second dose

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues, many countries have rolled out vaccines against the virus. In an encouraging preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server, scientists report on the vaccine efficacy in the Danish vaccination program.

10 Mar 2021

South African SARS-CoV-2 variant most problematic for BNT-162b2 vaccine

Researchers from Germany and the US investigated the efficacy of neutralizing antibodies against newer variants using serum and saliva samples obtained from groups of infected, vaccinated (with Pfizer BNT-162b2), and uninfected individuals. The researchers started this study to uncover vaccine-induced immune response and show the efficiency of antibody binding and neutralization in SARS-CoV-2 variants.

10 Mar 2021

Study confirms COVID-19 vaccine rollout decreasing disease incidence across USA

By comparing vaccination rates in 580 counties across the United States with the corresponding coronavirus disease (COVID-19) incidence rates, a recent study currently available on the medRxiv preprint server finds that cumulative county-level vaccination rates are significantly associated with a concomitant fall in the incidence of COVID-19.

10 Mar 2021

Newly-discovered bat coronavirus 94.5% identical to SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in China and Australia have reported the discovery of novel bat coronaviruses that further reveal the diversity and complex evolutionary history of these viruses.

10 Mar 2021

Genome-wide covariation analysis sheds light on the evolution of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have computed genome-wide covariation within severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to investigate interactions that could be of considerable importance in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

10 Mar 2021

Researcher find an emergent SARS-CoV-2 variant in California

Researchers have found a new SARS-CoV-2 variant in California, USA. This variant is more transmissible than circulating strains but slightly less transmissible than the new N501Y variant and moderately resistant to antibodies in convalescent sera and mRNA vaccines.

10 Mar 2021

Researchers characterize antibody responses to COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccine

A team of scientists from the USA and Canada has recently characterized the antibodies developed against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in response to an mRNA-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.

10 Mar 2021

Researchers study prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 UK variant at University of Texas

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin and Santa Fe Institute in the US used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) data from a surveillance testing program on a large university campus to estimate how fast the new variant spreads. The team used the data to provide local situational information on the COVID-19 pandemic.

10 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 UK variant could soon be dominant in Switzerland

Researchers at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics estimate that the B.1.1.7 variant may be dominant in Switzerland by March.

10 Mar 2021

Single mRNA vaccine dose may be enough for those previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2

New research supports the notion that those who have recovered from COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, may only need one dose of an mRNA vaccine to boost immunity.

10 Mar 2021

Neutralizing antibodies may be evolving to keep up with SARS-CoV-2 mutations

Viruses evolve under increased pressure, and new research from The Rockefeller University and University of Massachusetts Medical School in the U.S. suggests our antibodies can as well.

10 Mar 2021

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines show high efficacy in pregnancy and lactation

A reassuring study reports the immunogenicity and lack of reactogenicity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine when given to this group of subjects. This will contribute to the sum of knowledge about the implications of vaccination in this high-risk cohort.

10 Mar 2021

How likely is SARS-CoV-2 reinfection?

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has already caused over 117.6 million confirmed cases the world over. Yet, researchers debate the exact incidence of reinfection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), COVID-19’s causative pathogen.

10 Mar 2021

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine elicits antibodies in blood and breastmilk simultaneously, finds study

A new study adds to the sum of knowledge around this issue, showing a highly synchronized and rapid development of an antibody response in breast milk and serum, which reached stable levels around two weeks after the second dose of the vaccine was administered.

10 Mar 2021