Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

New project to improve air filtering in ambulances

Cranfield University is working with Q-Flo, Cambridge University and NHS England to record experimental airflow data from a modern NHS ambulance under different driving conditions.

4 Feb 2021

Seasonal flu shots reduce COVID-19 symptoms in children

Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have discovered that children who receive a seasonal flu shot are less likely to suffer symptoms from a COVID-19 infection. The finding comes from a review of more than 900 children diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020.

4 Feb 2021

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Covid and kids

Nearly a year into the pandemic, many public schools are still closed to in-person instruction. But while there is increasing evidence that schools are not a major source of infection, teachers and staffers remain concerned about going back to class before they are vaccinated.

4 Feb 2021

Researchers develop thermostable RNA vaccine delivery platform

A new study describes the production of a new RNA vaccine delivery system that promises greater ease of storage and distribution. This could help boost vaccination rates in regions without adequate infrastructure for low-temperature storage.

4 Feb 2021

Alzheimer's risk gene can increase COVID-19 susceptibility and severity

A City of Hope-led research team found that the same gene that increases the risk for Alzheimer's disease, ApoE4, can increase the susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19.

4 Feb 2021

What are public preferences for COVID-19 vaccine prioritization strategies across the globe?

Researchers describe the results of a novel survey that asked members of the public in a range of countries for their thoughts on prioritization measures for vaccination programs against COVID-19.

4 Feb 2021

South African SARS-CoV-2 variant neutralized by two Chinese vaccines in case study

A new study offers some reassuring findings, reporting the successful neutralization of the South African SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC) 501Y.V2 by two vaccines developed in China.

4 Feb 2021

Pfizer vaccine and Eli Lilly monoclonal antibodies successfully neutralize SARS-CoV-2 UK variant, finds study

A new study reports the underlying basis of increased transmissibility in the N501Y UK variant and provides reassuring data on the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine and Eli Lilly monoclonal antibodies in neutralizing it.

4 Feb 2021

Monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike's N-terminal prove highly protective in vivo

A new study server reports highly protective neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2.

4 Feb 2021

Researchers develop prototype COVID-19 vaccine using DNA vaccine platform

It is necessary to develop additional COVID-19 vaccines, as different vaccine approaches have their advantages and disadvantages and may work synergistically.

4 Feb 2021

Study shows how SARS-CoV-2 evades immune responses

In a recurring pattern of evolution, SARS-CoV-2 evades immune responses by selectively deleting small bits of its genetic sequence, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

4 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 has developed worrying new mutation in UK

Over the past few months, surging cases have been reported due to new fast-spreading variants. Now, Public Health England (PHE) investigates cases of COVID-19 with worrying new genetic changes. The E484K mutation, which could allow SARS-CoV-2 escape antibody protection, was seen in a small group of cases in some regions of the country.

4 Feb 2021

European biotech companies rely on AI to deliver COVID-19 vaccine

A high-standard health system, rich health data and a strong research and innovation ecosystem are Europe's key assets that can help transform its health sector and make the EU a global leader in health-related artificial intelligence applications.

4 Feb 2021

Predicting future mamalian hosts of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers at the Beijing Computational Science Research Center and Peking University analyzed sequences of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) proteins from 16 mammals and predicted the structures of ACE2- receptor-binding domain (RBD) complexes.

4 Feb 2021

Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 shown to have 91.6 percent efficacy

The phase 3 human trial is the last stage of clinical evaluation, showing how effective and safe a drug or vaccine is. In this case, the Gam- Sputnik V showed a consistent strong protective effect across all participant age groups.

3 Feb 2021

Hematological findings in Amazonian patients with COVID-19

To discriminate between patients with severe and non-severe COVID-19 quickly, researchers from Peru looked for prognostic signatures in the blood samples of COVID-19 patients. Virgilio E. Failoc-Rojas et al. examined laboratory results and clinical prognosis of COVID-19 patients from a hospital in the Peruvian Amazon.

3 Feb 2021

Nasodine antiseptic nasal spray shows potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2

A team of international scientists has recently investigated the efficacy of PVP-1, a complex of polyvinylpyrrolidone and iodine, in preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Using in vitro cell culture settings, the scientists observe that PVP-1 formulation used in a commercially available nasal spray (Nasodine) readily inactivates SARS-CoV-2 within a short period of time.

3 Feb 2021

Standard decontamination technologies can remove or inactivate all viruses from drinking water

Among the many avenues that viruses can use to infect humans, drinking water may pose only a tiny risk for spreading certain viruses like the novel coronavirus.

3 Feb 2021

Insight into role of aging in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine set out to determine the differences between young people and older adults regarding their host responses against SARS-CoV-2. The team revealed that independent of disease severity, COVID-19 was linked to a significant shift in plasma inflammatory factors. The research is posted to the pre-print server medRxiv*.

3 Feb 2021

Preclinical study uncovers how Zika virus passes from mother to fetus during pregnancy

A preclinical study by a University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine research team has discovered a new mechanism for how Zika virus can pass from mothers to their children during pregnancy - a process known as vertical transmission.

3 Feb 2021