Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Only 9% of older Americans vaccinated against RSV, study finds

A new study from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health found that only 9 percent of older Americans had been vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prior to this fall and winter, despite the threat of increased rates of hospitalization and deaths nationwide from the virus.

1 Mar 2024

Scientists discover a key mechanism used by human herpesvirus 8 to induce cancer

Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered a key mechanism used by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), to induce cancer.

1 Mar 2024

Newly identified antibodies target a hard-to-spot region of the influenza virus

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified antibodies targeting a hard-to-spot region of the influenza virus, shedding light on the relatively unexplored "dark side" of the neuraminidase (NA) protein head.

1 Mar 2024

Latest COVID-19 booster halves risk of moderate or severe disease in adults

The most recent COVID-19 booster shot reduces adults' risk of moderate or severe COVID by more than half, according to a new nationwide data study from September 2023 through January 2024, a period of JN.1 variant dominance.

1 Mar 2024

U.S. flu vaccines expected to shift from quadrivalent to trivalent, researcher says

U.S. flu vaccines are likely to move from quadrivalent to trivalent due to a change in circulating influenza viruses, says a University of Michigan researcher.

29 Feb 2024

Corticosteroids may restore sense of smell in COVID-19 patients

COVID-19 is known to cause loss of smell in certain patients. While this symptom is generally temporary, approximately 10% of patients may suffer from it for 6 months or more.

29 Feb 2024

H5N1 variant spreads between species, endangering wildlife

The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has adapted to spread between birds and marine mammals, posing an immediate threat to wildlife conservation, according to a study from the University of California, Davis, and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Argentina.

29 Feb 2024

Unlocking coronavirus structure through M protein research

For centuries, coronaviruses have triggered health crises and economic challenges, with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that spreads COVID-19, being a recent example.

28 Feb 2024

An Arm and a Leg: Wait, is Insulin cheaper now?

Pharmaceutical companies that manufacture insulin made headlines last year when they voluntarily agreed to provide discount cards that lower the monthly cost of insulin for many people to $35.

28 Feb 2024

Scientists uncover a new doorway for SARS-CoV-2 into human cells

Research identifies the human transferrin receptor as an alternative pathway for SARS-CoV-2 infection, offering potential new targets for COVID-19 therapies.

27 Feb 2024

Study shows the benefits of locally administered intranasal live-attenuated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine

Rocketvax AG, together with the German Research Foundation (DFG), has financially supported a study carried out as part of a joint project of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF, National Research Program "Covid-19," NRP 78) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) "Recoding the SARS-CoV-2 Genome - A Multidisciplinary Approach to Generate Live-Attenuated Coronavirus Vaccines."

27 Feb 2024