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Combination therapy reduces recovery time in COVID-19 patients, clinical trial finds

A clinical trial involving COVID-19 patients hospitalized at UT Health San Antonio and University Health, among roughly 100 sites globally, found that a combination of the drugs baricitinib and remdesivir reduced time to recovery, according to results published Dec. 11 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

16 Jan 2021

National consortium to study the effects of emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations

A new national research project to study the effects of emerging mutations in SARS-CoV-2 will be launched with £2.5 million of funding from UK Research and Innovation.

15 Jan 2021

Simple blood test can predict which COVID-19 patients are at high risk of severe disease

One of the most vexing aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic is doctors' inability to predict which newly hospitalized patients will go on to develop severe disease, including complications that require the insertion of a breathing tube, kidney dialysis or other intensive care.

15 Jan 2021

Severe COVID-19 linked to genetic make-up of both host and virus, say researchers

A recent study conducted by a team of international scientists has revealed that the infectivity and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 strongly depend on the genetic background of both the virus and the host.

15 Jan 2021

White-tailed deer susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, study finds

A team of scientists recently demonstrated that white-tailed deer are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, the infected animals are capable of transmitting the virus to their non-infected counterparts via indirect contact.

15 Jan 2021

Image-based deep learning haplotype-guided study maps the global adaptation of SARS-CoV-2

A new study used deep learning with image recognition technology to trace the emergence of variants with increased viral fitness. Higher fitness leads to rapid expansion of these lineages in the areas where they are introduced. This type of study could facilitate the development of more effective antibodies and vaccines to help contain the pandemic.

15 Jan 2021

What are the SARS-CoV-2 exposure risks for workers on mink farms?

A new study reports on the risk of COVID-19 among workers on these farms, and in the communities living around such farms.

15 Jan 2021

Concern develops over Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 variant

Concern is being expressed over a variant of SARS-CoV-2 that shows similar mutations to the South African and UK variants of the disease.

15 Jan 2021

New antiviral repurposing study finds peptides that could prevent SARS-CoV-2-ACE2 binding

A new study reports the antiviral potential of peptides against SARS-CoV-2's spike protein.

15 Jan 2021

Can cloth masks protect healthcare professionals from SARS-CoV-2?

Given the global scarcity of surgical masks, a recent review study examines this issue - dealing with the potential use of cloth masks in healthcare scenarios.

15 Jan 2021

Study reports promising new monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein

An encouraging new study describes a promising new therapeutic antibody that shows potent neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19.

15 Jan 2021

5 reasons to wear a mask even after you’re vaccinated

As an emergency physician, Dr. Eugenia South was in the first group of people to receive a covid vaccine. She received her second dose last week — even before President-elect Joe Biden.

15 Jan 2021

New DNA test quickly identifies secondary infections in COVID-19 patients

Researchers have developed a DNA test to quickly identify secondary infections in COVID-19 patients, who have double the risk of developing pneumonia while on ventilation than non-COVID-19 patients.

15 Jan 2021

Metformin drug decreases mortality rate in COVID-19 patients with type 2 diabetes

Use of the diabetes drug metformin -- before a diagnosis of COVID-19 -- is associated with a threefold decrease in mortality in COVID-19 patients with Type 2 diabetes, according to a racially diverse study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

15 Jan 2021

Study may lead to novel synthetic drugs to combat bacterial infections

Researchers at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and EMBL Hamburg have discovered remarkable molecular properties of an antimicrobial peptide from the skin of the Australian toadlet. The discovery could inspire the development of novel synthetic drugs to combat bacterial infections.

15 Jan 2021

Study reveals connection between oral sex and oropharyngeal cancer

A wide breadth of behaviors surrounding oral sex may affect the risk of oral HPV infection and of a virus-associated head and neck cancer that can be spread through this route, a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center suggests.

15 Jan 2021

Public education messaging can slow the spread of COVID-19

A novel new study suggests that the behavior public officials are now mandating or recommending unequivocally to slow the spread of surging COVID-19--wearing a face covering--should come with a caveat. If not accompanied by proper public education, the practice could lead to more infections.

15 Jan 2021

New method uses artificial intelligence to map intestinal bacteria using feces

The intestines and their bacteria are sometimes called our ’second brain’, but studying these bacteria in their natural environment is difficult. Now researchers from the University of Copenhagen have developed a method that uses artificial intelligence to map intestinal bacteria using feces.

15 Jan 2021

Males are more likely to test positive for COVID-19, indicates study

Males are more likely to test positive for COVID-19, more likely to have complications and more likely to die from the virus than females, independent of age, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Farhaan Vahidy of Houston Methodist Research Institute, US, and colleagues.

15 Jan 2021

Lab study reveals effective treatment for COVID-19

A new potential therapy for COVID-19 developed by researchers at Rush University Medical Center has shown success in preventing the disease's symptoms in mice.

14 Jan 2021