Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

NimbleGen Sequence Capture 385K array identifies gene mutations linked with hereditary hearing loss

Hereditary hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in humans. A German research team led by Ingo Kurth from the Institute of Human Genetics at the University Hospital Jena, Germany, used a number of different methods, including Roche's NimbleGen Custom Sequence Capture 385K array to identify the gene mutated in the disease locus of the X-chromosome of a Spanish family with hereditary hearing loss.

13 Jan 2012

Wildlife products smuggled into U.S. pose potential human health risk, study suggests

"In a new study published on Tuesday in the journal PLoS One, scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the EcoHealth Alliance, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other institutions reported on the first effort to identify new viruses in wildlife products that had been smuggled illegally into the U.S.," TIME's "Ecocentric" blog reports.

13 Jan 2012

Cryo-electron microscopy can visualize structures within viruses

Since the discovery of the microscope, scientists have tried to visualize smaller and smaller structures to provide insights into the inner workings of human cells, bacteria and viruses. Now, researchers at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), part of the National Institutes of Health, have developed a new way to see structures within viruses that were not clearly seen before.

13 Jan 2012

India marking health achievement in polio-free year but cautious optimism remains among some experts

"On Friday, India marks a huge public health milestone -- a year since a case of polio was found in the country -- a critical step in being declared polio-free and an achievement that many experts long argued was impossible," the Globe and Mail reports.

13 Jan 2012

NIH official discusses reaction to bird flu studies, development of publishing mechanism in Nature interview

Nature interviews Amy Patterson, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Science Policy, which administers the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB), about the board's decision in December to advise against full publication of "two papers on avian flu (H5N1) that could pose a biosecurity risk if published in their entirety."

13 Jan 2012

African bats have antibodies that neutralize deadly Hendra virus

A new study on African bats provides a vital clue for unravelling the mysteries in Australia's battle with the deadly Hendra virus.

13 Jan 2012

New NIST clinical SRM can help in accurate CMV detection and treatment

A new clinical Standard Reference Material (SRM) from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will help health care professionals more accurately diagnose and treat cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common pathogen that is particularly dangerous for infants and persons with weakened immune systems.

12 Jan 2012

Study confirms condom use reduces risk of HIV infection by 78%

The level of HIV-1 in the blood of an HIV-infected partner is the single most important factor influencing risk of sexual transmission to an uninfected partner, according to a multinational study of heterosexual couples in sub-Saharan Africa.

12 Jan 2012

FDA clears Roche's Accu-Chek Nano SmartView blood glucose monitoring system

Roche announced today that it has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Accu-Chek Nano SmartView blood glucose monitoring system.

12 Jan 2012

Findings on cell working could lead to test and therapy for kidney failure caused by E. coli

New findings by St. Michael's researchers about the way cells work could lead to a test and therapy for kidney failure caused by E. coli

11 Jan 2012

Human health depends on mosquito's immune response to pathogens

As mosquito-borne viral diseases like West Nile fever, dengue fever, and chikungunya fever spread rapidly around the globe, scientists at Virginia Tech are working to understand the mosquito's immune system and how the viral pathogens that cause these diseases are able to overcome it to be transmitted to human and animal hosts.

11 Jan 2012

Precise diagnostic algorithm for fibrosis in HCV patients reduces need for liver biopsy

A new classification for diagnosing fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has shown to be as accurate as currently used algorithms, but required no further liver biopsy.

11 Jan 2012

New fibrosis classification improves accuracy of diagnosis in Hepatitis C

A new classification for diagnosing fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has shown to be as accurate as currently used algorithms, but required no further liver biopsy. The study appearing in the January issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, details a method that synchronously combines two fibrosis tests, providing a non-invasive and more precise fibrosis diagnosis.

10 Jan 2012

Researchers uncover exact function of LARGE enzyme linked with MD

Researchers at the University of Iowa have worked out the exact function of an enzyme that is critical for normal muscle structure and is involved in several muscular dystrophies. The findings, which were published Jan. 6 in the journal Science,, could be used to develop rapid, large-scale testing of potential muscular dystrophy therapies.

10 Jan 2012

Positive interim data from Idenix IDX184 12-week phase IIb trial on HCV

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today announced interim data from a 12-week phase IIb clinical trial of IDX184, the Company's lead product candidate for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

9 Jan 2012

Idenix Pharmaceuticals makes progress with its HCV development pipeline

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today announced the advancement of its hepatitis C virus development pipeline.

9 Jan 2012

Presidio completes PPI-668 Phase 1a study on hepatitis C

Presidio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the successful completion of a Phase 1a dose-ranging assessment of PPI-668, a potent, pan-genotypic second-generation hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A inhibitor, in healthy volunteers and subsequent advancement to a Phase 1b assessment of the dose-related efficacy in hepatitis C patients.

9 Jan 2012

Colby's JVRS-100 enhances immunogenicity, cross-protective efficacy of H5N1 influenza vaccine

Colby Pharmaceutical Company (CPC) today announced publication of new results showing that a single dose of JVRS-100 adjuvanted H5N1 influenza vaccine enhanced-immune responses, -dose sparing, and -cross-clade influenza virus protection.

9 Jan 2012

Bristol-Myers Squibb signs definitive agreement to acquire Inhibitex

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Inhibitex, Inc. announced today that the companies have signed a definitive agreement under which Bristol-Myers Squibb will acquire Inhibitex for $26.00 per share in cash pursuant to a cash tender offer and second step merger.

8 Jan 2012

Anthrax defenses need to be strengthened say experts

It has been a decade since the anthrax attacks brought home the reality of bioterrorism and the nation has a stockpile of some basic tools to fight back against a few of the threats that worry defense experts the most.

8 Jan 2012

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

NimbleGen Sequence Capture 385K array identifies gene mutations linked with hereditary hearing loss

Wildlife products smuggled into U.S. pose potential human health risk, study suggests

Cryo-electron microscopy can visualize structures within viruses

India marking health achievement in polio-free year but cautious optimism remains among some experts

NIH official discusses reaction to bird flu studies, development of publishing mechanism in Nature interview

African bats have antibodies that neutralize deadly Hendra virus

New NIST clinical SRM can help in accurate CMV detection and treatment

Study confirms condom use reduces risk of HIV infection by 78%

FDA clears Roche's Accu-Chek Nano SmartView blood glucose monitoring system

Findings on cell working could lead to test and therapy for kidney failure caused by E. coli

Human health depends on mosquito's immune response to pathogens

Precise diagnostic algorithm for fibrosis in HCV patients reduces need for liver biopsy

New fibrosis classification improves accuracy of diagnosis in Hepatitis C

Researchers uncover exact function of LARGE enzyme linked with MD

Positive interim data from Idenix IDX184 12-week phase IIb trial on HCV

Idenix Pharmaceuticals makes progress with its HCV development pipeline

Presidio completes PPI-668 Phase 1a study on hepatitis C

Colby's JVRS-100 enhances immunogenicity, cross-protective efficacy of H5N1 influenza vaccine

Bristol-Myers Squibb signs definitive agreement to acquire Inhibitex

Anthrax defenses need to be strengthened say experts

Microplate-based assays in virology research eBook eBook

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging