Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Anti-inflammatory gene variant shields men under 75 from severe COVID-19

A certain variant of a key anti-inflammatory gene protects men under age 75 from severe illness and death when hospitalized from COVID-19, a genetic analysis of their blood shows.

14 Mar 2024

Viral infections contribute to more cases of intussusception in kids

Viral infections trigger more cases of intussusception, the common cause of bowel blockages in young children, than previously thought, according to a new study.

14 Mar 2024

COVID-19 pandemic reverses global life expectancy gains, reveals comprehensive study

The Lancet's study on global demographic trends from 1950 to 2021, incorporating COVID-19 data, highlights significant shifts in mortality, life expectancy, and the profound pandemic impact, emphasizing the need for updated health polici

13 Mar 2024

New collaboration launched to support the development of vaccines against henipavirus

A new collaboration between the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and The Pirbright Institute has been launched to support the development of vaccines against henipavirus - a genus (or group) of viruses including Nipah virus.

13 Mar 2024

Tracing Monkeypox virus: Leveraging ancient orangutan DNA to investigate the 1965 Rotterdam Zoo outbreak

Ancient DNA analysis of museum-preserved orangutan teeth reveals the cause of the 1965 zoo outbreak in the Netherlands as monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections, demonstrating the power of museomic techniques in tracing historic viral transmissions.

12 Mar 2024

Understanding how chikungunya virus affects the brain and body

The chikungunya virus, transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and responsible for more than 900 deaths in Brazil since it arrived around ten years ago, is capable of spreading through the blood, reaching multiple organs and crossing the blood-brain barrier, which protects the central nervous system.

12 Mar 2024

Study links rising metabolic syndrome scores to increased cancer risk

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) score trajectories, especially those increasing over time, are linked to higher risks of various cancer types, with chronic inflammation exacerbating these risks.

12 Mar 2024

NIH study uncovers vulnerable sites on Epstein-Barr virus protein

Studies of interactions between two lab-generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and an essential Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) protein have uncovered targets that could be exploited in designing treatments and vaccines for this extremely common virus.

12 Mar 2024

T1-spanin breakthrough offers new hope against antibiotic resistance

Given the worldwide prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria, the research fraternity is on the lookout for alternative bactericidal treatment approaches.

12 Mar 2024

Research uncovers mechanical explanation for instability in the lungs of ARDS patients

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities may have discovered a mechanical explanation for instability observed in the lungs in cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), particularly in the aftermath of respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 or pneumonia.

12 Mar 2024

Maternal obesity linked to liver cancer risk in offspring

Obesity, which could reach 50% of the population in certain developed countries by 2030, is a major public health concern.

12 Mar 2024

New “GPS nanoparticle” delivers a genetic punch to the protein implicated in tumor spread

A newly developed "GPS nanoparticle" injected intravenously can home in on cancer cells to deliver a genetic punch to the protein implicated in tumor growth and spread, according to researchers from Penn State.

11 Mar 2024

Research highlights the need for continued surveillance of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccines

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and the National Institute for Health and Care Research Biomedical Research Centre at UCLH have highlighted the importance of continued surveillance of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccine performance as the virus continues to evolve.

11 Mar 2024