immunity News and Research

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Monovalent vs. bivalent vaccines – Which is more effective against SARS-CoV-2?

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers in France compared the efficacy of Pfizer-BioNTech Original/BA.4-5 bivalent vaccine compared to messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) Original (ancestral) monovalent vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

22 Mar 2023

Dampened mucosal response against SARS-CoV-2 in pregnant individuals

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers examined associations between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes and mucosal antibody responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and viral RNA levels in pregnant individuals.

22 Mar 2023

SARS-CoV-2 infection damages CD8+ T cell response

In a recent study published in the journal Immunity, a team of researchers from the United States found that previous severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections reduce the activation and expansion of CD8+ T cells in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations.

22 Mar 2023

Emergence and persistency of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.3.7 in Taiwan

Researchers utilize whole-genome surveillance to monitor community transmission and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in Taiwan.

22 Mar 2023

SARS-CoV-2 infection enhances vaccine-induced immunological memory against spike protein

Researchers assess SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-specific immunological memory among unvaccinated and vaccinated convalescents.

22 Mar 2023

What is the effect of maternal obesity on the brain development of offspring?

Recently, scientists reviewed the mechanisms associated with the maternal microbiome, breast milk composition, maternal and placental metabolites, altered maternal care, and inflammation, which influences the brain development of the offspring.

22 Mar 2023

Novel subset of memory B cells predicts long-lived antibody responses to influenza vaccination

Memory B cells play a critical role to provide long-term immunity after a vaccination or infection. In a study published in the journal Immunity, researchers describe a distinct and novel subset of memory B cells that predict long-lived antibody responses to influenza vaccination in humans.

22 Mar 2023

Disruption of the FcRn–IgG interaction may make AAV-based gene therapies effective

The use of a monoclonal antibody that reduced circulating IgG levels, led to a decrease in preexisting neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) to adeno-associated virus (AAV).

22 Mar 2023

Prior COVID and vaccination generate superior hybrid immunity

In a recent article published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, researchers in France performed a long-term longitudinal analysis to demonstrate the benefits of hybrid immunity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), i.e., induced by viral infection followed by vaccination.

21 Mar 2023

The effectiveness of mRNA vaccines during Omicron BA.4/5 predominance

Researchers evaluate vaccine effectiveness for two, three, and four doses of COVID-19 mRNA first-generation vaccines.

21 Mar 2023

Childhood common colds help protect against COVID-19

In a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers assessed the association between cross-reactive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) CD4+ T cells generation and age.

20 Mar 2023

Investigating how gut microbiota affect neuroplasticity and neurodevelopment

In a recent study published in the journal Neuropharmacology, researchers in Pisa, Italy, explored how gut microbiota can influence neuroplasticity.

20 Mar 2023

Elevated mucosal immune response expedites COVID-19 recovery

Researchers examine the role of inflammatory mediator expression networks on clinical outcomes in individuals with high/low SARS-CoV-2 burden.

20 Mar 2023

SARS-CoV-2 infection damages the CD8+ T cell response to vaccination

The magnitude and quality of a key immune cell's response to vaccination with two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine were considerably lower in people with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to people without prior infection, a study has found.

20 Mar 2023

New SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB.1.5 variant has high transmissibility and infectivity, study finds

COVID-19 has caused significant global panic after its rapid emergence more than 3 years ago. Although we now have highly effective vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, scientists continue to study emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in order to safeguard public health and devise global preventive strategies against emerging variants.

20 Mar 2023

XBB/XBB.1.5 subvariant of SARS-CoV-2 shows increased vaccine sensitivity

The study, currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server, indicates that omicron subvariant XBB/XBB.1.5 is more sensitive to vaccine-induced immunity than other co-circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.

19 Mar 2023

Study reveals the underlying mechanism by which TKI cancer drugs cause inflammation

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are a type of targeted cancer medicine that can attack specific types of cancer cells and prevent them from multiplying.

17 Mar 2023

Stanford researchers study causes of and treatments for long COVID

Time heals many wounds. But not all of them.

17 Mar 2023

Study confirms the benefit of Paxlovid as an early-stage treatment to prevent COVID-19 hospitalization

A Kaiser Permanente study confirms the benefit of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, also known as Paxlovid, as an early-stage treatment to prevent hospitalization for people with mild to moderate COVID-19, regardless of prior immunity or age.

17 Mar 2023

Study implicates gut microbiome and immune response in hospital-acquired infections

In a recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers at the University of Calgary analyzed the dynamics of fecal microbiota and conducted single-cell profiling of inflammatory responses and systemic immunity to determine associations between gut microbiome dysbiosis and an increased risk of nosocomial infections.

16 Mar 2023