Virus

A virus is a microscopic infectious agent that can reproduce only inside a host cell. Viruses infect all types of organisms: from animals and plants, to bacteria and archaea. Since the initial discovery of tobacco mosaic virus by Martinus Beijerinck in 1898, more than 5,000 types of virus have been described in detail, although most types of virus remain undiscovered. Viruses are ubiquitous, as they are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth, and are the most abundant type of biological entity on the planet. The study of viruses is known as virology, and is a branch of microbiology.

What is a Virus?

A virus is a small infectious agent that can only replicate inside the cells of another organism. The word is from the Latin ''virus'' referring to poison and other noxious substances, first used in English in 1392. ''Virulent'', from Latin ''virulentus'' (poisonous), dates to 1400. A meaning of "agent that causes infectious disease" is first recorded in 1728, The term ''virion'' is also used to refer to a single infective viral particle. The plural is "viruses".

Virus History

Virus Origins

Virus Microbiology

Virus Classification

Virus Infection in Other Species

Human Diseases Caused by Viruses

Virus Uses in Virology

Virus Purification Methods

Latest Virus News and Research

The role of micro-RNA in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19

A team of researchers based in Iran have explored the role of micro-RNA in COVID-19. Their study titled, “The emerging role of microRNAs in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection,” was published in the latest issue of the journal International Immunopharmacology.

24 Nov 2020

Scientists show SARS-CoV-2's viral replication with 3D integrative imaging

A team of researchers at Heidelberg University in Germany have performed a detailed imaging analysis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection to determine how the virus reprograms infected cells.

24 Nov 2020

For nurses feeling the strain of the pandemic, virus resurgence is ‘paralyzing’

For Christina Nester, the pandemic lull in Massachusetts lasted about three months through summer into early fall. In late June, St. Vincent Hospital had resumed elective surgeries, and the unit the 48-year-old nurse works on switched back from taking care of only COVID-19 patients to its pre-pandemic roster of patients recovering from gallbladder operations, mastectomies and other surgeries.

24 Nov 2020

Aprotinin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication in cells cultures

Researchers at the University of Kent in the UK and the Hannover Medical School and Goethe University in Germany have observed that the protease inhibitor aprotinin can inhibit viral replication by preventing SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells.

24 Nov 2020

Technology used for screening liquids can be adapted to provide rapid COVID-19 testing

Loughborough University researchers are hoping a technology they developed to quickly screen liquids for microorganisms can be adapted to provide rapid testing for Covid-19.

24 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2's RNA folding structures are potential therapeutic targets, study finds

A team of researchers at Goethe University in Germany has observed the RNA folding structures of the SARS-CoV-2 genome that aids the infection process.

24 Nov 2020

Researchers recommend antibody cocktail to tackle SARS-CoV-2 mutations

A new study released on the medRxiv* preprint server indicates that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent responsible for the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic – is developing multiple mutations that affect neutralization by antibodies.

24 Nov 2020

New A.I. is fast and accurate at detecting COVID-19 from chest X-rays

Researchers have innovated a platform that uses A.I. to detect COVID-19 at higher levels of accuracy than specialized thoracic radiologists.

24 Nov 2020

Biosensor assay SARS-CoV-2 antibody test may predict COVID-19 severity in patients

Researchers in New York, USA, have found an association of mortality with an early humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 infection within the first few days after onset of symptoms (DAOS), using a highly sensitive and automated testing-on-a-probe (TOP) biosensor assays for SARS-CoV-2.

24 Nov 2020

New therapy developed for flu infections may also prove effective against HIV, COVID-19

A new therapy for influenza virus infections that may also prove effective against many other pathogenic virus infections, including HIV and COVID-19, has been developed by Purdue University scientists.

24 Nov 2020

Avacta Group announces significant progress in the development of SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test

Avacta Group plc, the developer of innovative cancer therapies and diagnostics based on its proprietary Affimer® and pre|CISION™ platforms, is pleased to announce significant progress in the development of a highly scalable manufacturing process for a lateral flow SARS-CoV-2 antigen test being carried out with BBI Solutions, and that the lateral flow test has very good analytical sensitivity with laboratory samples.

From Avacta Life Sciences Ltd. 24 Nov 2020

Research links SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, hospital surfaces and patient microbiomes

Researchers found a higher bacterial diversity in SARS-CoV-2 patient rooms and surfaces in the room, suggesting bacterial diversity may play a role in virus transmission.

24 Nov 2020

Study sheds new light on impact of COVID-19 in pediatric population

In the most comprehensive analysis to date of U.S. children tested and treated for COVID-19, an organization representing seven of the nation's largest pediatric medical centers reports that some groups of children are faring significantly worse than children in general during the pandemic.

24 Nov 2020

Mauritian Prime Minister calls upon world leaders to ensure fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines

Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth calls for Covid-19 vaccines to be ‘distributed fairly’ amid fears that some parts of the world might be left behind in the dash for coronavirus immunity.

24 Nov 2020

Research provides key information on transmission, development of mutations in SARS-CoV-2 virus

In the COVID-19 pandemic, 57 million people have already been infected worldwide. In the search for vaccines and therapies, a precise understanding of the virus, its mutations, and transmission mechanisms are crucial.

24 Nov 2020

COVID-19 study underscores the importance of protection guidelines based on fluid dynamics research

Researchers who study the physics of fluids are learning why certain situations increase the risk that droplets will transmit diseases like COVID-19.

24 Nov 2020

New zinc oxide surface kills airborne viruses and bacteria

They burst out of toilet bubbles, swim across drinking water, spread through coughs. Tiny infectious microbes--from the virus that causes COVID-19 to waterborne bacteria--kill millions of people around the world each year.

24 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 RNA best preserved in wastewater under freezing conditions

Wastewater surveillance has been reported to be a feasible and efficient way to monitor the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the current COVID-19 pandemic. A recent study draws attention to the need to freeze wastewater samples if the analysis is carried out later rather than immediately.

24 Nov 2020

Study: Aprotinin can inhibit virus replication by preventing SARS-CoV2 entry into host cells

The surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is studded with spike proteins. The virus needs these in order to dock onto proteins (ACE2 receptors) on the surface of the host cell.

24 Nov 2020

COVID-19: HLA class I genotypes and mortality

The study, published on the preprint server medRxiv, explores the ability of HLA class I molecules to mediate the outcome in COVID-19 patients.

24 Nov 2020

Virus

Overview

Virus History

Virus Origins

Virus Microbiology

Feature Articles

Virus Classification

Virus Infection in Other Species

Human Diseases Caused by Viruses

Virus Uses in Virology

Virus Purification Methods

Latest Virus News and Research

The role of micro-RNA in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19

Scientists show SARS-CoV-2's viral replication with 3D integrative imaging

For nurses feeling the strain of the pandemic, virus resurgence is ‘paralyzing’

Aprotinin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication in cells cultures

Technology used for screening liquids can be adapted to provide rapid COVID-19 testing

SARS-CoV-2's RNA folding structures are potential therapeutic targets, study finds

Researchers recommend antibody cocktail to tackle SARS-CoV-2 mutations

New A.I. is fast and accurate at detecting COVID-19 from chest X-rays

Biosensor assay SARS-CoV-2 antibody test may predict COVID-19 severity in patients

New therapy developed for flu infections may also prove effective against HIV, COVID-19

Avacta Group announces significant progress in the development of SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test

Research links SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, hospital surfaces and patient microbiomes

Study sheds new light on impact of COVID-19 in pediatric population

Mauritian Prime Minister calls upon world leaders to ensure fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines

Research provides key information on transmission, development of mutations in SARS-CoV-2 virus

COVID-19 study underscores the importance of protection guidelines based on fluid dynamics research

New zinc oxide surface kills airborne viruses and bacteria

SARS-CoV-2 RNA best preserved in wastewater under freezing conditions

Study: Aprotinin can inhibit virus replication by preventing SARS-CoV2 entry into host cells

COVID-19: HLA class I genotypes and mortality

The Prospects of Semaglutide for Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Discovering a new role for a protein that could cause breast cancer to spread to the lungs

How do low levels of oxygen damage the brain?

Virus

Overview

Feature Articles

Virus Classification

Virus Infection in Other Species

Human Diseases Caused by Viruses

Virus Uses in Virology

Virus Purification Methods

Latest Virus News and Research

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