Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

New review analyzes evidence and strategies to manage the SARS-CoV-2 virus

How should orthopaedic surgeons respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? A review in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery analyzes evidence and strategies for managing the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus - including critical lessons from past pandemics.

22 May 2020

New clinical trial to test treatment that targets overactive immune response to COVID-19

For some COVID-19 patients, the body's immune response may be as destructive as the virus that causes the disease.

22 May 2020

Changes in antibodies and RNA shedding during early SARS-CoV-2 infection

As the COVID-19 pandemic and its far-reaching implications continue to unfold globally and disrupt our normal way of life, scientists and researchers are racing to find an appropriate vaccine or therapeutic drug. This process involves understanding how the virus interacts with the host cell, the dynamics of the host immune response, and the eventual outcome.

22 May 2020

Despite low stroke rates among COVID-19 patients, cases are still more severe

The rate of strokes in COVID-19 patients appears relatively low, but a higher proportion of those strokes are presenting in younger people and are often more severe compared to strokes in people who do not have the novel coronavirus.

22 May 2020

Recommendations for treating bladder cancer during COVID-19 pandemic

Bladder cancer is associated with significant illness and mortality, particularly if treatment is delayed.

22 May 2020

GlobalData: Patients treated for ICU delirium will increase as COVID-19 outbreak continues

An estimated 70–80% of ventilated patients will experience ICU delirium, which causes patients to enter a confused state and can lead to long-term cognitive impairments and memory deficits. GlobalData, therefore, expects to see an increase in the administration of pharmacological treatments for ICU delirium as the COVID-19 outbreak continues.

22 May 2020

New review discusses findings on coronavirus immunity

A new review discusses the findings from over 40 studies on coronavirus immunity and what they could mean for the Covid-19 pandemic.

22 May 2020

Study to examine how stem cell transplant patients react to COVID-19 infection

A new study will look at how patients, who receive stem cell transplants for blood cancers and blood disorders, react to COVID-19 infection during their recovery.

22 May 2020

IL-6 blocker use in severe COVID-19 increases risk of secondary infections

With many hundreds of thousands of deaths due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, there is a rush to find an effective vaccine or drug against the virus. A new study on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 shows that the use of some biologically plausible drugs may be counterproductive, and care should be taken when trying out unproven therapies.

22 May 2020

ACR warns about the economic impact of COVID-19 on rheumatology practices

In virtual meetings with lawmakers and on Twitter tomorrow, physician and health professional leaders from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) are sounding the alarm about the economic impact of COVID-19 on rheumatology practices and the urgent need for more targeted relief that will help specialty practices remain solvent and continue to serve patients.

22 May 2020

Study evaluates the effectiveness of interferon beta 1b in COVID-19 pneumonia

As the world struggles to overcome the current COVID-19 pandemic with non-pharmacological interventions, in the absence of an effective drug or vaccine, existing immunomodulators are being repurposed. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 shows no clinical benefit to the use of one such drug, called interferon beta 1b (IFN beta1b).

22 May 2020

Researchers analyze data on RNA structure of tick-borne encephalitis virus

Researchers from Sechenov University together with colleagues from several Russian institutes analyzed data on the RNA structure of tick-borne encephalitis virus.

22 May 2020

Preparing to meet SARS-CoV-2 head-on with a panel of neutralizing antibodies

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in May 2020 describes a panel of neutralizing antibodies that bind to multiple attachment sites on the spike protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the current COVID-19 disease pandemic.

22 May 2020

Prediction of incubation period for COVID-19 and other viruses

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in May 2020 provides a method to estimate the incubation period for any new pathogen, which could help to define the optimal quarantine period necessary to keep the spread of the causative agent in check.

22 May 2020

RAAS inhibitors are safe to use in COVID-19 patients, study shows

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a novel illness that has spread across the globe in just five months. Caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the viral infection binds to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enter and invade cells.

21 May 2020

New replaceable filter for N95 Masks potentially blocks more virus particles

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there's been a worldwide shortage of face masks -- particularly, the N95 ones worn by health care workers.

21 May 2020

ELISA and CLIA antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 perform best in terms of sensitivity

Testing for those who have developed antibodies against the coronavirus can help tackle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Now, a new study has identified all the antibody tests available for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to determine which performs better and is more accurate.

21 May 2020

Airway and Celonic collaborate to produce AT-100 as therapeutic candidate against COVID-19

Airway Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of biologics to break the cycle of injury and inflammation for patients with respiratory and inflammatory diseases, and Celonic Group, a premium biopharmaceutical CDMO specialized in the development and production of Advance Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) and mammalian cell line-expressed biotherapeutics, today announced a collaboration to produce the novel human recombinant protein AT-100 (rhSP-D) as a therapeutic candidate against COVID-19.

21 May 2020

Study finds insufficient evidence to show vitamin D can prevent or treat Covid-19

Scientists from the UK, Europe and the USA, including experts from the University of Birmingham, have published a vitamin D consensus paper warning against high doses of vitamin D supplementation.

21 May 2020