Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

HPV infections continue after age 27, so who is still at risk?

HPV infections in women aged 27+ highlight the need for updated vaccination policies, emphasizing ongoing risk and the importance of preventive healthcare.

30 Apr 2026

New vaccine strategy neutralizes diverse HIV variants

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with colleagues at The Scripps Research Institute and Emory University, have developed a new vaccine strategy that has generated antibodies capable of neutralising highly divergent HIV variants.

29 Apr 2026

The handbook that can prepare countries for the next pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc and lives were at stake, the advice experts gave to decision-makers became indispensable.

29 Apr 2026

Why H2N2 flu is back on the pandemic preparedness radar

A historical review in Vaccine warns that global H2N2 immunity has sharply declined since the 1957 Asian influenza pandemic, leaving most people without H2-specific protection if the virus re-emerges. The authors highlight animal reservoirs, waning birth-cohort immunity, and modern H2 vaccine platforms as key priorities for pandemic preparedness.

28 Apr 2026

Hepatitis C infection associated with reduced portal insulin levels

Insulin resistance is a common extrahepatic manifestation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (HCVi), but its mechanism is poorly understood.

28 Apr 2026

Modeling the synergy of maternal screening and newborn HBV vaccination

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection acquired at birth or during early infancy can lead to lifelong health complications, including chronic liver disease. Despite longstanding recommendations for prenatal screening, an estimated 12% to 16% of pregnant individuals in the US are not screened for hepatitis B. This gap leaves a portion of newborns at risk for undetected exposure.

28 Apr 2026

WHO simulation tests global response to fictional bacterial pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) wrapped up Exercise Polaris II, a 2-day high-level simulation exercise, based around an outbreak of a fictional new bacterium spreading across the world.

27 Apr 2026

Delaying hepatitis B birth vaccines increases infant infection risks

Delaying hepatitis B vaccination after birth increases infections among newborns and decreases their survival rates and quality of life, according to a new Cornell University study.

27 Apr 2026

Did life-saving HIV drugs unintentionally fuel a syphilis comeback?

The introduction of HAART for HIV has coincided with a syphilis resurgence, suggesting unintended public health trade-offs from this medical breakthrough.

27 Apr 2026

Scientists map 239 human-infective RNA viruses to track future outbreak risks

Researchers updated the global catalogue of human-infective RNA viruses to 239 ICTV-recognised species, incorporating taxonomy, discovery dates, locations, genome links, host range, transmissibility, and transmission routes. The dataset shows that most known human-infective RNA viruses remain strictly zoonotic, while only a minority are endemic in humans or capable of epidemic spread.

26 Apr 2026

Engineered cells boost production of gene editing delivery vehicles

Gene editing has emerged as a powerful approach for targeting the genetic causes of disease, but getting the editing machinery into the right cells efficiently, safely, and at the scale needed for therapies remains one of the biggest set of challenges in the field.

25 Apr 2026

Long-term study supports tenofovir alafenamide for chronic hepatitis B

Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) has demonstrated comparable efficacy to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), with improved renal and bone safety, in Chinese participants with chronic hepatitis B enrolled in two Phase 3 trials.

24 Apr 2026

Influenza D shows strong potential to spill over to humans

The influenza D virus that researchers say has been flying under the radar since its detection in animals in 2011 can vigorously make copies of itself in human cells and lung tissue samples, a new study shows.

24 Apr 2026

Nasal memory cells help slow influenza virus at entry

Memory cells in the nose slow the influenza virus as soon as it enters the body. They reduce viral levels and may help protect against more severe illness.

23 Apr 2026

Washington’s hepatitis C elimination initiative improves treatment access, reduces costs

It took less than 22 years after the discovery of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) for a fast-acting, highly effective treatment to become available.

23 Apr 2026

New approach identified for treating infections with Hepatitis E virus

Instead of directly attacking the virus, the compound acts on the host cell and prevents infection.

23 Apr 2026

Astrocytes form complex networks across the mouse brain

Cells long thought to play a secondary role in brain function build their own far-reaching connections, a new study in mice showed. These pathways appear to connect distant regions in ways that have not been mapped before.

23 Apr 2026

Bioengineered chewing gum reduces cancer-linked oral microbes

Researchers led by Henry Daniell of the School of Dental Medicine have shown that extracts from bioengineered chewing gum reduce the levels of three microbes known to be associated with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC), paving the way for more effective and affordable therapies.

23 Apr 2026

New gene therapy improves hearing in patients with rare genetic deafness

A new international study co-led by investigators from Mass General Brigham and the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University shows that a gene therapy for a rare form of genetic deafness successfully restored hearing in most participants, with results lasting up to 2.5 years.

23 Apr 2026

COVID-19 virus not retained in placenta after maternal recovery

A new Yale study published in JAMA Network Open finds that the virus that causes COVID-19 does not linger in placental tissue weeks to months after a pregnant woman recovers from infection - offering important reassurance for clinicians and patients alike.

22 Apr 2026