Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

Latest Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

How does the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant’s spike drive membrane fusion and immunity evasion?

A fascinating and timely new study shows how the Delta variant of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) achieved higher transmissibility and resistance to neutralization.

19 Aug 2021

Durable highly protective T cell response to AAV-spike vaccine against COVID-19 pneumonia in mice

New research, available as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, has focused on the role played by T cell immunity, particularly CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, on preventing lethal infection with SARS-CoV-2 in mice infused with peptide-loaded antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs).

19 Aug 2021

Did particulate matter from wildfires cause excess COVID-19 deaths in the US?

New research published in Science Advances investigates the relationship between wildfire smoke and COVID-19 mortality using pollution and COVID-19 incidence and mortality data.

19 Aug 2021

Early clinical trial data in for whole virus COVID-19 vaccine candidate

In a study uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv*, the efficacy of a whole virion Coronavirus vaccine was determined by giving the vaccine to healthy adult volunteers, which generated a robust immune response with evidence of T-cell activation.

19 Aug 2021

Scientists identify a potent neutralizing nanobody against SARS-CoV-1

In a recently published article in the journal Virologica Sinica, scientists have described the development and validation of a potent nanobody that targets the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The nanobody efficiently and specifically blocks the interaction between RBD and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and neutralizes the virus.

19 Aug 2021

White-tailed deer are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been shown to infect a wide range of animals naturally and experimentally, and prior studies indicate deer are susceptible to infection. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns have been found to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2.

19 Aug 2021

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine efficacy is strongly correlated with antibody neutralization levels

All COVID-19 vaccines appear less effective when faced with variants such as Delta, according to a new medRxiv* study. However, the researchers suggest that booster shots may help improve immunity and protect against symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

18 Aug 2021

CDC declares four new COVID high-risk travel destinations

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), is far from over. As the cases continue to rise, countries grapple with controlling the viral spread. To date, over 209 million individuals have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, with more than 17 million cases recorded worldwide over the past 28 days.

18 Aug 2021

SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 and the expression of cytokine in human macrophages

A new study has determined the production of the SARS-CoV-2 SP-dependent ORF8.

18 Aug 2021

Severe COVID-19 characterized by phosphorylation of STAT1

A new study reports an enhanced expression of STAT1 in mild and severely infected COVID-19 patients as compared to controls

18 Aug 2021

Why have COVID-19 caseloads been comparatively low in Africa?

A new study has been published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that highlights the potential lessons that the world can draw from Africa on assumptions concerning viral pandemics. This is particularly important, given Africa’s long experience with dangerous infectious diseases.

18 Aug 2021

Study examines prevalence of neutralizing antibodies to HCoV-NL63 in healthy adults in Australia

A new study has been published in the MPDI journal Viruses, which focuses on determining the seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies against HCoV-NL63, in healthy adults, in a cross-sectional study.

18 Aug 2021

How do glycans affect SARS-CoV-2 spike protein openings?

In a paper recently uploaded to the bioRxiv* preprint server, the role of glycan coating on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is further investigated by molecular dynamics simulations of the glycosylated and non-glycosylated protein, identifying several key glycans that play a role in stabilizing and protecting the RBD, and also encourage bonding with the ACE2 receptor.

18 Aug 2021

Study examines the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Geneva, Switzerland

In a paper uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv*, antibodies against both the spike protein and nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-CoV-2 are measured in over 3,000 volunteers, six months following the initiation of the vaccination scheme in Geneva, Switzerland.

18 Aug 2021

Study suggests Harmony COVID-19 assay is superior to laboratory-based tests

A new study suggests a new coronavirus test developed by scientists from the University of Washington and the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine produces faster and more sensitive results than conventional PCR tests to measure severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral RNA.

18 Aug 2021

A spike-derived epitope YLQ induces robust polyfunctional cytotoxic T cell responses in COVID-19 recovered individuals

The findings reveal that the dominant spike-derived epitope induces polyfunctional CD8+ T cell response in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recovered individuals. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

18 Aug 2021

Increased chemosensory dysfunction with D614G mutation of SARS-CoV-2

A study, available on the pre-print server medRxiv, has determined the underlying molecular mechanisms of how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), especially the G614 strain, leads to olfactory dysfunction causing anosmia.

18 Aug 2021

Specificity of serological assays against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with parasitic infections

A new study available on the pre-print server medRxiv* aims to assess the specificity of the serological assays of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among patients known to have a tissue-borne parasitic infection or those who reside in areas where the virus is endemic.

18 Aug 2021

P681R spike mutation enhances replication efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 delta variant

A team of scientists from the University of Texas, USA, has recently revealed that the P681R spike mutation is responsible for increased infectivity of the delta variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The P681R spike mutation increases the replication of the delta variant by increasing the dissociation of S1 and S2 subunits at the furin cleavage site. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

18 Aug 2021