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Home delivery of HIV medicines could increase ART adherence, viral suppression

Home delivery of HIV medicines in South Africa significantly increased viral suppression compared to those who received clinical care, according to a study by researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

10 Mar 2021

Research demonstrates multivalent nanobodies overcome SARS-CoV-2 variant mutations

In a recent bioRxiv* preprint paper, researchers isolated anti-RBD nanobodies from llamas and “nanomice” (they engineered to produce VHHs cloned from alpacas, dromedaries and camels).

10 Mar 2021

Study: COVID-19 test package can reduce infections and mortality at justifiable cost

Mailing a package of SARS-CoV-2 tests to every household in America and asking people to use them once a week could greatly reduce total infections and mortality at a justifiable cost, a new study led by the Yale School of Public Health finds.

10 Mar 2021

Uppsala Health Summit to focus on behavioral changes, antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent global threat to human and animal health. This year's Uppsala Health Summit, which will take place online on 15-18 March, will discuss how behaviour change across various sectors of society can slow down this worrying trend.

10 Mar 2021

Analysis shows moderate evidence for SARS-CoV-2 recombination

Recently, a team of researchers from the US performed a comprehensive recombination analysis across all medically relevant human coronaviruses, including 158,118 public seasonal hCoV, SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV genome sequences with the help of the RDP4 software. They aimed at identifying the current and future risks of the emergence of recombinants of SARS-CoV-2

10 Mar 2021

New study assesses the effects of one versus two doses of COVID-19 vaccine

While receiving just one dose of a two-dose SARS-CoV-2 vaccine tends to decrease infections in the short-term if it produces a strong immune response, it may increase the potential for the virus to "escape" therapies in the longer-term if one-dose vaccinal immunity is weak.

9 Mar 2021

2% of individuals carry 90% of SARS-CoV-2 virions: Study of 72,500 tests

In a new study published on the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers analyzed viral loads from pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in an extensive university surveillance program.

9 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants rapidly arise in non-human hosts, potential risk for human reinfection

The study, published on the preprint server bioRxiv*, highlights the need to study viral evolution and pathogenesis in human and animal hosts. This could help prevent future outbreaks that may mimic the magnitude of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

9 Mar 2021

Scientists study seven human coronavirus envelope proteins using topology prediction and molecular modeling

A new study by researchers at the University of the Western Cape aimed to determine why some coronaviruses are more virulent than others. The team speculates that the increased flexibility of the PDZ-binding motif (PBM) of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS22 CoV-2 to be more flexible than the PBM of hCoVs 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1.

9 Mar 2021

New analysis shows SARS-CoV-2 mutations rarely persist in subsequent transmissions

An analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genome diversity in more than 1,000 people in the United Kingdom suggests that if viral mutations do arise, they can be transmitted in some cases but they rarely persist in subsequent transmissions.

9 Mar 2021

Vaccine mRNA not found in breast milk after COVID mRNA vaccination

A study conducted by researchers in the United States has found no evidence to suggest that the messenger RNA (mRNA) present in the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines that protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be transferred to human breast milk.

9 Mar 2021

UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 could be more deadly than previous strains

Researchers have conducted a study showing that the B.1.1.7 variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has emerged in the UK is associated with a significantly increased risk of death compared with the viral strain previously circulating in the country.

9 Mar 2021

Buck scientists develop a predictive model to help identify people at risk for severe COVID-19

Researchers at the Buck Institute analyzed data from the COVID-19 Symptom Tracker app used by 3 million people in the United Kingdom, adding the use of immunosuppressant medication, use of a mobility aid, shortness of breath, fever, and fatigue to the list of symptoms and comorbidities that increase the risk for severe COVID-19.

9 Mar 2021

Research reveals increased risk of COVID-19 among women with PCOS

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at a significantly increased risk of contracting COVID-19 than women without the condition, new research led by the University of Birmingham has revealed.

9 Mar 2021

A genetic variant of TMPRSS2 may confer protection against severe COVID-19

Among a large sample of COVID-19 patients, researchers found that a genetic variant – caused by an amino acid substitution from valine to methionine – is associated with a reduced chance of severe disease.

9 Mar 2021

Researchers examine susceptibility of raccoons and striped skunks to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Researchers from the University of Georgia, USA, have found some members of the superfamily Musteloidea – the group that includes badgers and weasels – appear to not only have no effects of the virus, but do little in spreading it.

9 Mar 2021

Researchers report zoonotic spillover of adapted SARS-CoV-2 from minks to humans

In a recent report made available on bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers from Poland and Finland reveal a spillover event of mink-adapted severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from farmed mink to humans after an extensive adaptation process.

9 Mar 2021

Higher levels of airborne pollen increase SARS-CoV-2 infection rates

When airborne pollen levels are higher, increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates can be observed. These results were determined by a large-scale study conducted by an international team headed by researchers at the Technical University of Munich and the Helmholtz Zentrum München.

9 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2's amyloid-driving nucleoprotein could inform future therapeutic research

New research led by researchers at the University of California Los Angeles and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in the US suggests that functional amyloid fibrils could play an integral role in developing COVID-19 treatments.

9 Mar 2021

Greater cross-neutralization against UK SARS-CoV-2 variant in vaccinated individuals with prior infection

A team of researchers in Spain has observed that, of those who have been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, higher titers of neutralizing antibodies for the B.1.1.7 variant (originating in the UK) were present in those who had previously been infected with the virus.

9 Mar 2021

Disease/Infection News

Home delivery of HIV medicines could increase ART adherence, viral suppression

Research demonstrates multivalent nanobodies overcome SARS-CoV-2 variant mutations

Study: COVID-19 test package can reduce infections and mortality at justifiable cost

Uppsala Health Summit to focus on behavioral changes, antimicrobial resistance

Analysis shows moderate evidence for SARS-CoV-2 recombination

New study assesses the effects of one versus two doses of COVID-19 vaccine

2% of individuals carry 90% of SARS-CoV-2 virions: Study of 72,500 tests

SARS-CoV-2 variants rapidly arise in non-human hosts, potential risk for human reinfection

Scientists study seven human coronavirus envelope proteins using topology prediction and molecular modeling

New analysis shows SARS-CoV-2 mutations rarely persist in subsequent transmissions

Vaccine mRNA not found in breast milk after COVID mRNA vaccination

UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 could be more deadly than previous strains

Buck scientists develop a predictive model to help identify people at risk for severe COVID-19

Research reveals increased risk of COVID-19 among women with PCOS

A genetic variant of TMPRSS2 may confer protection against severe COVID-19

Researchers examine susceptibility of raccoons and striped skunks to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Researchers report zoonotic spillover of adapted SARS-CoV-2 from minks to humans

Higher levels of airborne pollen increase SARS-CoV-2 infection rates

SARS-CoV-2's amyloid-driving nucleoprotein could inform future therapeutic research

Greater cross-neutralization against UK SARS-CoV-2 variant in vaccinated individuals with prior infection

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

How cohesin mechanics and nanotracker tech are redefining DNA research

Todd Bauman and Chris Povich

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