Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

South African and Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 variants overtake UK variant in French regions

Researchers have found that the variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that were initially identified in South Africa (B.1.351) and Brazil (P.1) appear to be spreading more quickly in some areas of France than the previously dominant UK variant B.1.1.7.

14 Jun 2021

Study reveals risk factors associated with COVID-19 outcomes for people with IDD

A study of nearly 550 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving residential services in New York City found that age, larger residential settings, Down syndrome and chronic kidney disease were the most common risk factors for COVID-19 diagnosis, and heart disease was most associated with COVID-19 deaths.

14 Jun 2021

Researchers develop new imaging technique for studying nanoscale coronavirus-host interactions

Lei S. Qi of Stanford University, California, and colleagues published research showing a potential framework to better characterize coronaviruses' biology. While most high-resolution imaging techniques show the life cycle of coronaviruses, identifying viral or host proteins and genomes remains poorly understood. Their results use multi-color super-resolution imaging allows them to study nanoscopic parts of the coronavirus, including RNA.

14 Jun 2021

COVID-19 public health efforts linked to dramatic decline in COPD hospitalizations

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine analyzed data at the 13-hospital University of Maryland Medical System and found public health measures designed to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus may have fostered a substantial side benefit: Hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were reduced by 53 percent, according to a new study accepted for publication by a peer-reviewed medical journal and currently available at the online journal medRxiv.

14 Jun 2021

New approach to gene therapy uses common pain reliever to fight against genetic diseases

Researchers have developed a new approach to gene therapy that leans on the common pain reliever acetaminophen to force a variety of genetic diseases into remission.

14 Jun 2021

LSU Health New Orleans receives $2.38 million in funding to sequence SARS-CoV-2 variants

LSU Health New Orleans has been awarded $2.38 million in funding to lead partnerships to sequence SARS-CoV-2 variants.

14 Jun 2021

Robust immunity against SARS-CoV-2 with Pfizer vaccine is mediated by memory B cells

A reassuring study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, from a multi-institutional team of researchers in Italy suggests that with the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine, post-vaccination immunity against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is both robust and durable.

14 Jun 2021

Intranasal monoclonal SARS-CoV-2 antibody therapy shows promise in preclinical trials

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, presents a new monoclonal antibody (MAb) called DZIF-10c that powerfully neutralizes SARS-CoV-2, including the current variants of concern (VOCs). With high bioavailability in the lungs and wide distribution in the body, the antibody was able to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice after intranasal administration.

14 Jun 2021

Fatty acid binding site on SARS-CoV-2 spike triggers spike monomer crosstalk that is key to infectivity

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, examines the role played by a fatty acid called linoleic acid (LA) that attaches at a binding site near the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. The spike exists as a homotrimer in open or closed conformations. In the former, at least one RBD points upwards.

14 Jun 2021

Can rapid antigen tests help screen for COVID-19?

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 is driven by the high proportion of asymptomatic and very mild infections, allowing people to move around and engage in public activity normally. There are many modeling studies that suggest that large-scale screening for the presence of this virus can help curb transmission at this point, from people with few or no symptoms. A new study points out the accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detection rapid diagnostic tests for this purpose when used at the point-of-care.

14 Jun 2021

Delays and shortages hit SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance program

A new study from the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bengaluru, India, provides an overview of how well this important monitoring mechanism is functioning around the world. The team has released their findings as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server.

14 Jun 2021

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants contain mutations that interfere with genomic sequencing

A recent study by researchers in Canada shows how mutations in newly emerging lineages of SARS-CoV-2 may disrupt the sequencing process and thus interfere with this important area of research.

14 Jun 2021

Study reports self-disinfecting polymer surfaces that can inactivate SARS-CoV-2

Surfaces with anionic block copolymers can inactivate different viruses within minutes by making the polymer-microbe interface very acidic. Such surfaces can continuously disinfect surfaces without the need for reapplication of disinfectant.

14 Jun 2021

Study suggests COVID-19 in children is milder than the flu

Researchers retrospectively analyzed the medical records of children in Turkey hospitalized because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or influenza and found COVID-19 to be milder than influenza in this group.

14 Jun 2021

Forkhead box O's potential therapeutic use in the treatment of COVID-19

In a recent study, Indian researchers from the Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi, reviewed a possible vital coalition of FoxOs - the Forkhead Box O subfamily of protein transcription factors, with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the etiological agent of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease).

13 Jun 2021

Joint ICMRA and WHO statement explains how COVID-19 vaccines are regulated for safety, effectiveness

Healthcare professionals and public health authorities have a central role in discussing vaccination against COVID-19 with their patients.

13 Jun 2021

Teachers and school staff should be prioritised for COVID vaccines

In a communication paper recently published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health by Koirala et al. (June 8th, 2021), it is argued that Australian schools should remain open, with proper testing, tracing, and quarantine protocols in place.

13 Jun 2021

Philippines poorly prepared to deal with COVID-19, report says

In a recent study published in the WHO WPSAR journal, researchers described the challenges and early response of the Philippines to COVID-19.

13 Jun 2021

Role of traditional medicine against SARS-CoV-2

A group of researchers at Kannur University reviewed selected papers and in silico work on potential drug leads that could be used to manage COVID-19.

13 Jun 2021

Humoral innate pattern recognition molecules against SARS-CoV-2

In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv by Garlanda et al. (June 8th, 2021), humoral pattern recognition molecules are explored for affinity towards SARS-CoV-2, contributing to unraveling the role of these molecules in COVID-19 disease progression.

13 Jun 2021

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

South African and Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 variants overtake UK variant in French regions

Study reveals risk factors associated with COVID-19 outcomes for people with IDD

Researchers develop new imaging technique for studying nanoscale coronavirus-host interactions

COVID-19 public health efforts linked to dramatic decline in COPD hospitalizations

New approach to gene therapy uses common pain reliever to fight against genetic diseases

LSU Health New Orleans receives $2.38 million in funding to sequence SARS-CoV-2 variants

Robust immunity against SARS-CoV-2 with Pfizer vaccine is mediated by memory B cells

Intranasal monoclonal SARS-CoV-2 antibody therapy shows promise in preclinical trials

Fatty acid binding site on SARS-CoV-2 spike triggers spike monomer crosstalk that is key to infectivity

Can rapid antigen tests help screen for COVID-19?

Delays and shortages hit SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance program

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants contain mutations that interfere with genomic sequencing

Study reports self-disinfecting polymer surfaces that can inactivate SARS-CoV-2

Study suggests COVID-19 in children is milder than the flu

Forkhead box O's potential therapeutic use in the treatment of COVID-19

Joint ICMRA and WHO statement explains how COVID-19 vaccines are regulated for safety, effectiveness

Teachers and school staff should be prioritised for COVID vaccines

Philippines poorly prepared to deal with COVID-19, report says

Role of traditional medicine against SARS-CoV-2

Humoral innate pattern recognition molecules against SARS-CoV-2

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

The Proteoform Puzzle: Unlocking the Next Frontier

Synthetic Biology and the Pursuit of Living Diagnostics

Modular, Scalable, Intelligent: How n6 Is Rethinking NGS Library Prep

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

The Proteoform Puzzle: Unlocking the Next Frontier

Synthetic Biology and the Pursuit of Living Diagnostics

Modular, Scalable, Intelligent: How n6 Is Rethinking NGS Library Prep

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