Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Saliva tests could be an effective approach for detecting asymptomatic COVID-19

Testing self-collected saliva samples could offer an easy and effective mass testing approach for detecting asymptomatic COVID-19.

28 Sep 2020

Evaporation is critical for coronavirus transmission in colder months

Dr. Talib Dbouk and Professor Dimitris Drikakis speak to News-Medical about how evaporation is essential for coronavirus transmission in the winter.

28 Sep 2020

Genetic mutations hinder immune response in severe COVID-19

Now, a truly international team of nearly 140 researchers aimed to determine why some people develop severe illness when once infected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

28 Sep 2020

Auto-antibodies may explain why some people develop severe COVID-19

Now, a new study by an international team of health experts shows that some life-threatening cases of COVID-19 can be traced to specific weak spots in the patients' immune system.

28 Sep 2020

Clover Biopharma's new trimeric subunit vaccine candidate prevents COVID-19 in monkeys

The vaccine candidate produced a high level of neutralizing antibodies in animal models. Rhesus macaques immunized with the vaccine candidate showed reduced viral loads in the lungs. The research is published on the preprint server bioRxiv.

28 Sep 2020

Special formulation of inhaled niclosamide may be effective against SARS-CoV-2

Now in new research published on the preprint server bioRxix*, a novel formulation of the drug Niclosamide (NIC) is observed to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV in mouse models; it also protects against methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia and inflammatory lung damage.

28 Sep 2020

Seniors the optimal target for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination

ith several vaccines already in stage 3 clinical trials, a study by University of Warwick researchers and published on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 discusses the use of computer modeling techniques in order to achieve optimal vaccine coverage.

28 Sep 2020

People who had friendly interactions with Chinese people are less likely to support discriminatory policies

People with a history of positive social interactions with Chinese people were less likely to support discriminatory anti-Chinese policies as Covid-19 reached the UK - according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

28 Sep 2020

Anti-N-protein IgG may predict severity of COVID-19

A recent study by researchers at the University of Miami, Miami VA Healthcare System and Express Gene and published on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 reports on the prognostic significance of the anti-N Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

28 Sep 2020

Risk factors for mortality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19

A new study by scientists at biotechnology company Genentech, Inc., and published on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 attempts to identify the factors which may shape the risk for death in COVID-19 disease.

27 Sep 2020

CRISPR screening identifies human host pathways that facilitate coronavirus infection

The human coronavirus family consists of 7 known pathogens, for which there are no approved vaccines or specific therapeutic options. Although the seasonal human coronaviruses - OC43, HKU1, 229E, and NL63 – only cause mild respiratory infections, three highly pathogenic coronaviruses that emerged in the last two decades revealed the pandemic potential of this family of viruses.

27 Sep 2020

Young adults now driving force behind the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic says CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a report stating that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is on the rise among young adults and this rise is preventing the pandemic from abating.

27 Sep 2020

Bacteria-free method for making SARS-CoV-2 infectious clones

Using a circular polymerase chain reaction, researchers have developed a method for making severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) recombinant virus, with the ability to introduce mutations. The research by Japanese scientists is published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in September 2020.

27 Sep 2020

Human recombinant soluble ACE2 successfully used in a patient with severe COVID-19

A multinational research group recently published a paper in the journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine which describes the first patient with a severe form of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that was successfully treated with human recombinant soluble ACE2.

27 Sep 2020

Complex SARS-CoV-2 serology means universal immunological assay is not feasible

As we improve our understanding of immune responses and correlates of protection against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), two UK researchers emphasize that we will probably utilize different assays to tackle specific questions. Their commentary is published in the prestigious journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.

27 Sep 2020

Criticisms of COVID-19 models appear to undermine public trust in science

Criticisms of COVID-19 models by Democratic elites in May 2020 appeared to undermine public support for the models' use - and trust in science more broadly - according to a series of survey experiments conducted with the participation of more than 6,000 Americans.

26 Sep 2020

Masks and face coverings are effective in reducing the spread of airborne particles

Laboratory tests of surgical and N95 masks by researchers at the University of California, Davis, show that they do cut down the amount of aerosolized particles emitted during breathing, talking and coughing.

26 Sep 2020

Mathematical model helps to better understand the dynamics of interactions between viruses

The framework, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, was applied on transmission data of the influenza virus, and offers to be a new tool for anticipating the consequences of microbial diversity and optimizing disease control measures.

26 Sep 2020

Combination of heat and high relative humidity can disinfect N95 mask materials

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept around the world early this year, shortages of protective equipment such as N95 masks left healthcare workers little choice but to reuse the masks they had - increasing the risk of infection for both them and their patients.

26 Sep 2020

Addressing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on global mental health

In a special session addressing global mental health before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic held at the ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID) Professor Vikram Patel H(arvard Medical School, USA) will present a new review of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global mental health.

26 Sep 2020