Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Study addresses potential interrelations between AID/APOBECs and the SARS-CoV-2 virus

Together with their multifaceted action mechanisms, activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) and so-called APOBEC proteins are important factors in the body's immune response and offer fast and effective protection against a large number of DNA and RNA viruses.

7 Jul 2021

Vaccinate big cats? New report shows SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infecting endangered lions

There is evidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infecting animals such as ferrets, fruit bats, and cats. New research led by Vijendra Pal Singh from the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Disease in India suggests it might be time to vaccinate the big cats as well. Their report details SARS-CoV-2 infection in nine Asiatic lions caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant (B.1.617.2).

7 Jul 2021

Synthetic defective SARS-CoV-2 could be used as a self-promoting antiviral therapy

What if the COVID-19 virus could be used against itself? Researchers at Penn State have designed a proof-of-concept therapeutic that may be able to do just that. The team designed a synthetic defective SARS-CoV-2 virus that is innocuous but interferes with the real virus's growth, potentially causing the extinction of both the disease-causing virus and the synthetic virus.

7 Jul 2021

COVID-19 vaccination may be stemming evolution of “fitter” SARS-CoV-2 variants

Researchers in the United States and India have presented the first known evidence that the rollout of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination is restricting the evolutionary and immune escape pathways accessible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

6 Jul 2021

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine elicits durable T cell memory and antibody responses

Researchers in the United States have shown that Moderna’s mRNA-1273 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine induces durable antibody and T cell responses to the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that are comparable to those seen in cases of COVID-19 caused by natural SARS-CoV-2 infection.

6 Jul 2021

Plant compounds inhibit Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-229E in vitro

A group of researchers recently discussed their findings that a group of plant flavonols and dihydroflavonols exhibit antiviral efficacy against both SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-229E.

6 Jul 2021

Investigation reveals considerable added benefit of remdesivir for moderately ill COVID-19 patients

Since July 2020, remdesivir has been conditionally approved in Europe for the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older with pneumonia who require supplemental oxygen but no invasive ventilation.

6 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in the salivary glands, study finds

In Brazil, researchers at the University of São Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP) have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in the salivary glands.

6 Jul 2021

Eight new research projects to explore COVID-19 variants of concern in Canada

Eight new research projects are getting underway in Canada to investigate COVID-19 variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs).

6 Jul 2021

Study provides a reliable early prognostic biomarker for COVID-19 severity

In a retrospective, multi-centre cohort study conducted by researchers from Nanjing University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jinling Hospital and the Second Hospital of Nanjing, a microRNA-like small RNA encoded by SARS-CoV-2 was identified in the serum of COVID-19 patients, which can be developed as a non-invasive biomarker for stratification of severe patients from mild/moderate ones and for identification of high-risk individuals before clinical manifestation of severe symptoms.

6 Jul 2021

Laboratory manufactured protein spikes mimic key features of SARS-CoV-2 virus

A new international study has found that the key properties of the spikes of SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19 are consistent with those of several laboratory-developed protein spikes, designed to mimic the infectious virus.

6 Jul 2021

Mutations in the Epsilon variant contribute to SARS-CoV-2 immune evasion

Three mutations in the Epsilon coronavirus spike protein dampen the neutralizing potency of antibodies induced by current vaccines or past COVID infections.

6 Jul 2021

Study explores the effects of SARS-CoV-2 (and other betacoronaviruses) on cellular mRNA processing

A new study has been released on the bioRxiv* preprint server, which deals with a comprehensive survey on alternative splicing concerning SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study has also included two other betacoronavirurses (SARS-CoV and MERS), a control set of unrelated viruses, and a bacterium, namely, Streptococcus pneumonia. The study findings suggest that several cellular parameters are affected owing to a betacoronavirus infection, which in turn affects some genes and invariably various biological functions.

6 Jul 2021

Preliminary study shows no need to cease breastfeeding following COVID-19 vaccination

A new study of 13 breastfeeding mothers has shown that components from the COVID-19 vaccine were not found in any breastmilk.

6 Jul 2021

Developing a face mask that can detect COVID-19

A face mask has been developed that can detect COVID-19. News-Medical spoke to the researchers behind this idea to find out more about how it works.

6 Jul 2021

COVID-19 recovered vaccinated individuals more protected from Delta variant

The B.1.617 lineage of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), first detected in October 2020, has led to new outbreaks of the infection and new waves of the pandemic. This infectious lineage has resulted in the generation of sub-lineages such as B.1.617.1 (Kappa), B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.617.3.

6 Jul 2021

CRISPRa identifies potassium channels as neuronal entry factors and druggable targets for SARS-CoV-2

New research led by Le Cong of Stanford University School of Medicine in California indicates that the KCNA6 potassium channel may help with viral entry and promote infection. In addition, KCNA6 is highly expressed in OLIG2+ neuronal cells, which has been shown to be suspectable to SARS-CoV-2 in the olfactory neuroepithelium. This area appears to contribute to loss of smell commonly observed during infection.

6 Jul 2021

Study explores how human ACE2 variants can modify SARS-CoV-2 binding

A recent tour-de-force study by researchers from the United Kingdom reveals variants of the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) that can improve or decrease binding of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – including two variants with distinct population distributions showing an enhanced affinity for viral spike glycoprotein.

5 Jul 2021

Antibiotic clofoctol shows potential against SARS-CoV-2

In a recent study, a group of French researchers aimed to reduce the regulatory preclinical development steps that potential candidates are normally subjected to.

5 Jul 2021

COVID-19's long-term effects on chemosensory functions

A group of Canadian researchers has recently conducted a comprehensive study investigating the long-term effects of COVID-19.

5 Jul 2021

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Study addresses potential interrelations between AID/APOBECs and the SARS-CoV-2 virus

Vaccinate big cats? New report shows SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infecting endangered lions

Synthetic defective SARS-CoV-2 could be used as a self-promoting antiviral therapy

COVID-19 vaccination may be stemming evolution of “fitter” SARS-CoV-2 variants

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine elicits durable T cell memory and antibody responses

Plant compounds inhibit Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-229E in vitro

Investigation reveals considerable added benefit of remdesivir for moderately ill COVID-19 patients

SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in the salivary glands, study finds

Eight new research projects to explore COVID-19 variants of concern in Canada

Study provides a reliable early prognostic biomarker for COVID-19 severity

Laboratory manufactured protein spikes mimic key features of SARS-CoV-2 virus

Mutations in the Epsilon variant contribute to SARS-CoV-2 immune evasion

Study explores the effects of SARS-CoV-2 (and other betacoronaviruses) on cellular mRNA processing

Preliminary study shows no need to cease breastfeeding following COVID-19 vaccination

Developing a face mask that can detect COVID-19

COVID-19 recovered vaccinated individuals more protected from Delta variant

CRISPRa identifies potassium channels as neuronal entry factors and druggable targets for SARS-CoV-2

Study explores how human ACE2 variants can modify SARS-CoV-2 binding

Antibiotic clofoctol shows potential against SARS-CoV-2

COVID-19's long-term effects on chemosensory functions

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

Redefining control and consistency in anaerobic microbiome workflows

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

Redefining control and consistency in anaerobic microbiome workflows

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting

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