Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Scientists suspect Lambda SARS-CoV-2 variant most dangerous

A new study published on the bioRxiv* preprint server used molecular phylogenetic analysis to study the evolutionary trait of the Lambda variant.

30 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 interacts with sialic acid cell surface glycans

In a paper recently uploaded to the journal Frontiers in Chemistry by Li et al. (July 22nd, 2021) the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA), the most commonly found sialic acid in humans, is investigated, finding that the molecule may act as a secondary or supplementary receptor to the virus.

30 Jul 2021

Phase 1/2 trial results for Nanocovax, protein subunit SARS-CoV-2 vaccine from Vietnam

Nanocovax is a protein subunit vaccine that contains the full-length spike stabilized by the addition of two prolines

29 Jul 2021

Streptococcus pneumoniae modulates host immunity to SARS-CoV-2

Scientists from the UK and US have recently investigated immunological consequences of secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) infection in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.

29 Jul 2021

Study reveals cellular basis of antigen-specific response to Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine

Researchers in the United States have provided important insights into the antigen-specific cellular response and evolving humoral (antibody) response to messenger RNA- (mRNA) based vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

29 Jul 2021

Covid renews interest in radiation, but docs caution against pilgrimages to radon-filled mines

Twice a year, Brian Tichenor makes the 1,200-mile drive each way from his home in Kansas to a defunct uranium mine in Montana, where he takes an elevator 85 feet below the surface to sit amid radioactive radon gas to ease the pain from his chronic eye condition.

29 Jul 2021

NIH scientists demonstrate efficient aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in hamsters

Researchers in the United States have demonstrated the efficient aerosol transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – in a hamster model.

29 Jul 2021

How SARS-CoV-2 variants effect maternal infection and pregnancy

A new study focuses on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on maternal and perinatal outcomes.

28 Jul 2021

Children exposed to second-hand marijuana smoke may experience viral respiratory infections

Children whose parents regularly smoke or vape marijuana may experience viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, more frequently than those whose parents do not smoke, according to a study published in the journal Pediatric Research.

28 Jul 2021

Unraveling the mysterious mutations that make delta the most transmissible covid virus yet

Upon first inspection, the mutations in the highly contagious delta covid variant don't look that worrisome.

28 Jul 2021

Study suggests mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines remain effective against variants

A study reports that many VOCs are associated with impaired reduction in their susceptibility to neutralization by COVID-19 vaccines.

27 Jul 2021

Study reveals disparities in heart failure diagnosis within clinical practices

Many heart failure diagnoses may be missed in a primary care setting. Women, Black adults and individuals with lower net worth are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with heart failure in an acute care setting such as the emergency room or during a hospitalization, even if they reported symptoms of heart failure during a routine, outpatient health care appointment during the previous six months, according to new research published today in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.

27 Jul 2021

Increasing your risk of IBD through processed food

In this interview, News-Medical speaks to Dr. Neeraj Narula about ultra-processed food and how this can increase your risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).

27 Jul 2021

How a doctor breaks norms to treat refugees and recent immigrants

Fatumo Osman, a 65-year-old Somali refugee who speaks limited English, was in a bind. She made too much money at a meal prep service job so she no longer qualified for Medicaid.

27 Jul 2021

CDC study on efficacy of mRNA vaccines against symptomatic COVID-19

A new study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server derives measures of substantial efficacy for these vaccines in preventing mild to moderate COVID-19 from a group of outpatients with and without a history of vaccination.

26 Jul 2021

More popular type of antihypertensive drugs causes slightly more side effects

Two types of drugs that are recommended as a first treatment for patients with high blood pressure were found equally effective in improving cardiovascular outcomes, but the more popular type causes slightly more side effects, finds a multinational observational study led by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

26 Jul 2021

Two types of blood pressure drugs provide equal benefits, but side effects differ

People who are just beginning treatment for high blood pressure can benefit equally from two different classes of medicine - angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) - yet ARBs may be less likely to cause medication side effects, according to an analysis of real-world data published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

26 Jul 2021

Rosin soap as a potential SARS-CoV-2 disinfectant

In a research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv* by Bell et al. (July 19th, 2021), the potential of rosin soap as a virucide is investigated, finding a ten-thousand-fold drop in infectivity against enveloped viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in particular.

26 Jul 2021

Novel atlas charts how different antibodies attack a major piece of SARS-CoV-2 machinery

As the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 continues to evolve, immunologists and infectious diseases experts are eager to know whether new variants are resistant to the human antibodies that recognized initial versions of the virus.

26 Jul 2021

CoVizu: Making visual sense of variation in SARS-CoV-2 genomes

A new study proposes a solution to this problem in the form of a new method that can both evaluate and visually represent high numbers of SARS-CoV-2 genomes.

25 Jul 2021