Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

Latest Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

NIAID establishes a network of research sites to study influenza outbreaks

he National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, has established a network of research sites to study the natural history, transmission and pathogenesis of influenza and provide an international research infrastructure to address influenza outbreaks.

15 Apr 2021

Speed of vaccination is key to reducing COVID-19 spread, says study

Mathematical modeling of the effects of vaccine efficacy and the speed of vaccination show that a lower efficacy vaccine may curb disease transmission similar to that of a higher efficacy vaccine if the speed of immunization is high.

15 Apr 2021

Evidence of sustained immune responses weeks after Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccination

A new study published ahead of print in the Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) journal reports the production of a robust immune response against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine. The increase in humoral immunity includes elevated Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels after the second mRNA dose.

14 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants are widely spread across the Houston metropolitan area

In late 2020, several concerning SARS-CoV-2 variants emerged globally. They are believed to be more easily transmissible, and there is concern that some may reduce the effectiveness of antibody treatments and vaccines.

14 Apr 2021

Phase 3 trial finds corticosteroid inhaler speeds recovery time in COVID-19 patients

The corticosteroid budesonide shows promise in treating patients with mild COVID-19 infection. Interim analysis of the phase 3 PRINCIPLE clinical trial was posted to the medRxiv preprint server. Researchers found a 3-day faster recovery of COVID-19 symptoms in people at high risk for severe side effects administered a budesonide inhaler. There was also a 2.1% reduction in hospitalization and death.

14 Apr 2021

Updated Moderna vaccines neutralize South African SARS-CoV-2 variant in mice

Researchers in the United States have conducted a pre-clinical study demonstrating the efficacy of two updated versions of the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine against variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

14 Apr 2021

Study sheds light on reduced neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

Researchers in the United States have predicted the binding epitopes of uncharacterized neutralizing antibodies that target the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein.

14 Apr 2021

Early monoclonal antibody therapies beneficial for COVID-19, finds study

A team of scientists recently conducted a large-scale study at Northwell Health, New York, USA, to evaluate the efficacy of neutralizing monoclonal antibody (MAB) therapies in preventing disease progression among patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. The findings reveal that the timing of initiating MAB therapy is a crucial factor in determining its efficacy against COVID-19.

14 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 mutations impact T-cell recognition of virus

A new research paper posted to the bioRxiv preprint server deals with the impact of these mutations on adaptive cellular immunity.

14 Apr 2021

A new polymersome-based SARS-CoV-2 nanovaccine elicits robust immunity

As newer vaccines are being developed to combat the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), targeting the pathogen, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv server describes a new subunit nanovaccine that appears to have robust immunogenicity and neutralizing activity.

14 Apr 2021

Study demonstrates that the main creators of SARS-CoV-2 mutations are vaccine-suppressed

A new research paper posted to the medRxiv* preprint server describes the changes in genomic sequence observed during the course of infection in a patient on the drug tacrolimus, along with steroids, both potent immunosuppressants, and who also received convalescent plasma treatment. These mutations were observed to occur within three weeks from infection.

14 Apr 2021

Ponatinib identified as a potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV2-induced cytokine storm

Researchers at the Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Washington, United States, found that the FDA-approved, multi-kinase inhibitor Ponatinib is a potent inhibitor of the N-terminal domain (NTD) -mediated cytokine storm. Ponatinib is an oral drug used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

14 Apr 2021

No evidence B.1.1.7. variant worsens symptoms or increases risk of long COVID

The study, published in The Lancet, demonstrates that there is no evidence of a link between severe illness and death and lineage when comparing the B.1.1.7 lineage and other variants.

14 Apr 2021

Risk of E.R. visit or hospitalization 82% lower in mAbs-treated SARS-CoV-2 patients: Study

Recently, researchers from the U.S. reviewed electronic health records of SARS-CoV-2 patients at a medical center that started mAb infusions in January 2021 with the support of the National Disaster Medical System, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The study is published on the preprint server, medRxiv.

14 Apr 2021

Study offers a non-invasive avenue for monitoring buildings for COVID-19 outbreaks

A study done in rooms where COVID-19 patients were isolated shows that the virus's RNA - part of the genetic material inside a virus - can persist up to a month in dust.

13 Apr 2021

Experimental evidence that ADAM17 inhibition prevents severe COVID-19

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus that is contagious in humans. It is the causal agent of the ongoing coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This virus causes a mild to severe infection and has claimed over 2.95 million lives worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 is the successor to SARS-CoV-1, the virus that caused the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak.

13 Apr 2021

Studies provide insights into characteristics and clinical effect of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant

Two new studies, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and The Lancet Public Health, found no evidence that people with the B.1.1.7. variant experience worse symptoms or a heightened risk of developing long COVID compared with those infected with a different COVID-19 strain.

13 Apr 2021

Researchers develop model for SARS-CoV-2 fusion intermediate that helps membrane fusion

The spike protein is the main part of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for the infection. It consists of two subunits S1 and S2. Upon entry of the virus into the human body, the S1 subunit helps the virus bind to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors on host cells.

13 Apr 2021

Study of antiviral nutraceutical phenolics against SARS-CoV-2 main protease

To address this issue, a team of researchers led by Professor Mohamed El Raey of the National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt, looked at phytopharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals as potential antivirals against SARS-CoV-2.

13 Apr 2021

A host of mutations could compromise COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapies

Researchers in the United States have identified 95 high-frequency mutations in the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that threaten to compromise the efficacy of current and future vaccines and antibody therapies for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

13 Apr 2021