Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

New book gives overview of viruses and how they emerge to cause pandemics

Since the novel coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 emerged late last year, it has been virtually impossible to consume any news without encountering stories about the virus and how it spreads, potential treatments, and the development of new vaccines.

11 Sep 2020

Effective, simple, safe self-amplifying RNA vaccines

A recent review paper in the journal Current Opinion in Virology in September 2020 shows how a new generation of RNA vaccines called self-amplifying RNA vaccines are more potent than conventional mRNA vaccines and could hold the key to the global production of cost-effective potent COVID-19 vaccines.

11 Sep 2020

DLnano-vaccines may be a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy

Researchers designed DLnano-vaccines displaying 60 copies of protein parts derived from the melanoma-specific antigens Trp2 and Gp100 and tested these in mouse models of melanoma, observing prolonged survival that depended on CD8 T cell activation both in therapeutic and prophylactic settings.

10 Sep 2020

Researchers say Influenza may increase risk of COVID-19

A recent study by researchers suggests that the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is influenced by influenza virus infection during the initial period of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Europe. The study is currently available on the medRxiv preprint server.

10 Sep 2020

Over half a million reported child COVID-19 cases in the United States

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Children's Hospital Association have come up with a joint report on the number of children affected by COVID-19 across the United States. Over half a million children have been infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), they point out. Their report titled, "Children and COVID-19: State Data Report," was released on 3rd September 2020.

10 Sep 2020

Detecting SARS-CoV-2 in 30 seconds with cheap and sensitive nanotubes

In a fascinating new medRxiv preprint paper, researchers from the University of Nevada, Reno demonstrate the power of cobalt-functionalized titanium dioxide nanotubes by selectively detecting the spike glycoprotein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in less than 30 seconds.

10 Sep 2020

Pneumococcal vaccine effective at protecting children against most severe type of pneumonia

A pneumococcal vaccine was effective at protecting children in Laos against the most severe type of pneumonia, a new study has found.

10 Sep 2020

Regular cannabis use does not appear to increase pain sensitivity, study suggests

A recent study examining pain among cannabis users suggests that--unlike long-term opioid use--regular cannabis use does not appear to increase pain sensitivity.

10 Sep 2020

Study: Seven in 10 Americans interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine

Almost seven in 10 Americans would be interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available, according to a new study. But researchers say there are concerning gaps in interest, particularly among Black Americans, who suffer disproportionately from the virus.

10 Sep 2020

Neuronal connections that trigger insomnia tied to stress-induced changes in the immune system

Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Stanford University have pinpointed the circuit in the brain that is responsible for sleepless nights in times of stress--and it turns out that circuit does more than make you toss and turn.

10 Sep 2020

Pro-vaccination views, higher public health credibility can be vectors of misinformation

In a new paper published in the Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review, researchers from the George Washington University, University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University assessed content from the most active vaccine-related accounts on Twitter and found that even accounts with pro-vaccination views and higher public health credibility can be vectors of misinformation in the highly uncertain and rapidly changing environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

10 Sep 2020

What is the risk of catching the coronavirus on a plane?

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to alleviate fears of flying during the pandemic at an event with airline and rental car executives.”The airplanes have just not been vectors when you see spread of the coronavirus,” DeSantis said during a discussion at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Aug. 28. “The evidence is the evidence. And I think it's something that is safe for people to do.”

10 Sep 2020

Study: Small proteins block interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and human cell receptor

Using innovative computer-based approaches, researchers have developed protein inhibitors that block the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and human cell receptor ACE2.

10 Sep 2020

Convalescent plasma fails to improve outcome of COVID-19 in India

A new study based in India and published on the medRxiv preprint server explores the role of convalescent plasma (CP) in the treatment of moderate COVID-19 within the limitations on resources faced in a developing country.

9 Sep 2020

Brain inflammation seen in fatal COVID-19 cases

Now, a new study by researchers at the Barts Health NHS Trust and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom shows that some patients develop neurological complications tied to COVID-19.

9 Sep 2020

Risk stratification tool for COVID-19 patients developed

Researchers have worked on the development of a protocol that could stratify COVID-19 patients based on a scoring system. This new study describing the scoring system for risk stratification is titled, “Risk stratification of patients admitted to hospital with covid-19 using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol: development and validation of the 4C Mortality Score,” and is published in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal.

9 Sep 2020

Researchers receive $1.9 million federal grant to find Lyme disease vaccine

Pesky, yet dangerous ticks are no longer latching exclusively onto hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Milder winters and disrupted habitats have driven them out of the woods, with Lyme disease cases in the United States tripling since the late 1990s.

9 Sep 2020

Researchers discover a new way to limit inflammation from adjuvants in vaccines

Adjuvants are a key ingredient of many modern vaccines, working to unleash an immune response that helps protect the body from disease. Many scientists believe that adjuvants are they key to developing new kinds of vaccines for hard-to-vaccinate viruses, like HIV.

9 Sep 2020

UVA radiation may contribute to inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by sunlight

An international team of researchers has made important discoveries about the sunlight inactivation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that suggest this process is not currently adequately understood.

9 Sep 2020

Host gene editing main driving force of SARS-CoV-2 mutations

A new study published on the aRxiv preprint server in September 2020 shows that the host immune response, mediated by two RNA editors, causes the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to adapt and change strain characteristics.

9 Sep 2020