Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

NIH researchers identify novel small molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 variants

A team of scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, has recently identified six novel small molecule inhibitors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

8 Jun 2021

Novel COVID-19 vaccine is safe, generates immune response in healthy adults

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt and end lives around the world, and public health officials worldwide have recognized vaccines as the critical tools required for controlling the COVID-19 death toll and achieving a return to normal life.

8 Jun 2021

ACE2 functions as a gateway for COVID-19 virus

Normally, the ACE2 enzyme helps regulate our blood pressure. The enzyme sits on the surface of cells, including cells in the lungs, but in connection with COVID-19 it has been found that ACE2 also functions as a gateway for the virus.

8 Jun 2021

Fluorescence-based assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies

Researchers have developed a rapid assay to rapidly detect neutralizing antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using an imaging technique they developed for the Ebola virus.

8 Jun 2021

Study examines how SARS CoV-2 aerosols travel through the lower lungs

When we inhale isolated coronavirus particles, more than 65% reach the deepest region of our lungs where damage to cells can lead to low blood oxygen levels, new research has discovered, and more of these aerosols reach the right lung than the left.

8 Jun 2021

Scientists explain why space travel weakens the human immune system

Microgravity in space perturbs human physiology and is detrimental for astronaut health, a fact first realized during early Apollo missions when astronauts experienced inner ear disturbances, heart arrhythmia, low blood pressure, dehydration, and loss of calcium from their bones after their mission.

8 Jun 2021

Link between SARS-CoV-2 organotropism and kidney injury

It was clear at a relatively early stage of the pandemic that SARS-CoV-2 causes a wide range of symptoms; in addition to typical respiratory symptoms, patients also had neurological symptoms (starting with anosmia), gastrointestinal symptoms, elevated liver values, and renal, urinary or hematological changes, for example.

8 Jun 2021

Study shows how cowpea mosaic plant virus stimulates the immune system against cancer

Previous work by a team of researchers led by Steven N. Fiering, PhD, Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy researcher at Dartmouth's and Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Norris Cotton Cancer Center and Nicole Steinmetz, PhD, Jacobs School of Engineering and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, showed that a plant virus that does not infect mammals, cowpea mosaic plant virus (CPMV), when injected into cancerous tumors, strongly stimulated the immune system to attack and often eliminate the tumor.

8 Jun 2021

Using AI to fight COVID-19

A study based in Taiwan and published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine focuses on the role of AI in managing COVID-19 through digital images, clinical and laboratory analysis such as screening and diagnosis.

7 Jun 2021

France's public health measures in response to SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant

A study undertaken by the Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Disease (INFINITy) in France evaluated the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 in France with higher positive tests found, as well as analyzing the result of health measures such as social distancing and vaccinations. The research is published in the journal Viruses.

7 Jun 2021

Distinct spike protein mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variant in Russia

Additionally, a novel variant has recently been characterized by researchers from Russia in the journal Viruses. The variant, first discovered in January 2021 in Northwest Russia, is characterized by distinct spike protein mutations.

7 Jun 2021

Study reveals mechanism through which 'good' viruses can attack 'bad' bacteria

The battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria: A new study at Tel Aviv University revealed a mechanism through which "good" viruses can attack the systems of "bad" bacteria, destroy them and block their reproduction.

7 Jun 2021

Repeated low-dose dose exposure to SARS-CoV-2 may protect against severe COVID-19

The Italian authors of this paper, published in the journal Viruses, have taken this hypothesis and expanded it to include viral particles suspended in the air or on inanimate objects as a possible source of T cell immunity due to the repeated low-dose exposure, potentially explaining virus immunity found in non-infected individuals.

7 Jun 2021

Novel method allows rapid, absolute quantification of viral nucleic acids

Researchers from Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine, an Interdisciplinary Research Group at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, MIT's research enterprise in Singapore, have developed a new method for rapid and accurate detection of viral nucleic acids - a breakthrough that can be easily adapted to detect different DNA/RNA targets in viruses like the coronavirus.

7 Jun 2021

Experimental monoclonal antibody could be a new weapon against HIV epidemic

An experimental, lab-made antibody can completely prevent nonhuman primates from being infected with the monkey form of HIV, new research published in Nature Communications shows.

7 Jun 2021

New model reveals the effectiveness of travel restrictions to slow COVID-19 transmission

More strategic and coordinated travel restrictions likely could have reduced the spread of COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic.

7 Jun 2021

Natural products show promise against COVID-19 via iron chelation

Researchers at the University of Catania in Italy investigated whether natural compounds could prevent disease progression. Their study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that iron chelators and protease inhibitors can counteract SARS-CoV-2 infection.

7 Jun 2021

Redhill Biopharma announces completion of enrollment for oral opaganib phase 2/3 COVID-19 study

RedHill Biopharma Ltd., a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has completed enrollment and randomized the last patient in the global Phase 2/3 study with opaganib (Yeliva, ABC294640) in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia (NCT04467840).

7 Jun 2021

International coalition develops classification criteria for 25 subtypes of uveitis

An international coalition of eye researchers used machine learning to develop classification criteria for 25 of the most common types of uveitis, a collection of over 30 diseases characterized by inflammation inside the eye.

7 Jun 2021

The genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in the USA

In a research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv by Capoferri et al. (June 4th, 2021), the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 through each phase is examined in detail using publicly available genomic data available from before 2021, highlighting the need to continuously track and assess the evolution of the virus to ensure the future efficacy of the currently available vaccines.

7 Jun 2021