Disease/Infection News

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Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection varies across bat species

A recent study by researchers at Wuhan University, China, reveals that many bat species are not potential carriers of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) because of genetic mutations in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) that prevent the entry of viruses inside bat cells. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

9 Sep 2020

Metabolite signature reveals signs of multi-organ damage in COVID-19 patients

SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can cause a wide range of symptoms, from none at all to severe respiratory stress, multi-organ failure and death.

9 Sep 2020

Study reveals how B cells react to SARS-CoV-2

In an exciting immunological medRxiv preprint paper, researchers from Germany and Russia analyzed adaptive immune response in severely affected patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). They demonstrated a protracted immune reaction characterized by egress of B lymphocytes into the blood.

9 Sep 2020

Researchers receive $1.9 million federal grant to find Lyme disease vaccine

Pesky, yet dangerous ticks are no longer latching exclusively onto hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Milder winters and disrupted habitats have driven them out of the woods, with Lyme disease cases in the United States tripling since the late 1990s.

9 Sep 2020

Pfizer, BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise in preclinical study

Researchers in the United States and Germany have conducted a study demonstrating the preclinical efficacy of a new candidate vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

9 Sep 2020

Telehealth spikes up to offer patient care while minimizing COVID-19 exposure

Hailed for its ability to erase distance between health care providers in cities and patients in rural areas, telehealth has ironically enabled medical care to continue in a time when we all must keep our distance.

9 Sep 2020

UVA radiation may contribute to inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by sunlight

An international team of researchers has made important discoveries about the sunlight inactivation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that suggest this process is not currently adequately understood.

9 Sep 2020

Host gene editing main driving force of SARS-CoV-2 mutations

A new study published on the aRxiv preprint server in September 2020 shows that the host immune response, mediated by two RNA editors, causes the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to adapt and change strain characteristics.

9 Sep 2020

COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to child and maternal health services, show surveys

With the number of under-five deaths at an all-time recorded low of 5.2 million in 2019, disruptions in child and maternal health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic are putting millions of additional lives at stake

9 Sep 2020

Insilico Medicine launches new system for COVID-19 basic and clinical research

Today Insilico Medicine, a global leader in artificial intelligence for drug discovery and development, announced the launch of a new system for COVID-19 basic and clinical research.

9 Sep 2020

State-level policies are crucial to HIV prevention efforts

HIV prevention remains a public health priority in the United States. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a drug regimen recommended for individuals who have engaged in behaviors that place them at elevated risk for HIV.

9 Sep 2020

Convalescent plasma could be an effective treatment for children with COVID-19

Early findings from researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) show that convalescent plasma appears to be a safe and possibly effective treatment for children with life-threatening cases of COVID-19.

9 Sep 2020

Scientists explain why men are at higher risk from COVID-19

Published in the journal PLOS Biology, the study aimed to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms that drive the varying responses of the infected individuals among different patient demographics, including sex and age.

9 Sep 2020

Warm weather increases human mobility, and SARS-CoV-2 transmission

A recent study published in the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 shows that the effect of climatic factors such as temperature and humidity is mediated mostly through human mobility. Thus, human behavioral changes are still the mainstay of containment rather than hoping for weather conditions to keep the virus at bay.

9 Sep 2020

COVID-19 in pregnancy doubles odds of preterm delivery

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to cause huge social, economic, and health-related costs throughout the world, especially in Spain. Clinicians are still coming to terms with the range of health conditions wrought by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in September 2020 shows that this infection results in fetal and maternal complications.

9 Sep 2020

Vitamin D deficiency can increase risk of COVID-19

Researchers from Israel have found that there could be a link between deficiency of vitamin D and infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Their study titled, “The link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 in a large population,” has been released pre-publication at the medRxiv* server.

8 Sep 2020

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial paused due to suspected adverse reaction

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is rippling across the globe, with over 27.47 million reported cases. With the vast spread of the virus, scientists are racing to gain the approval of candidate vaccines against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19 disease and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).

8 Sep 2020

Comparing COVID-19 spread between cities and the countryside

The new study, which was published in the open-source medRxiv and has not yet been peer-reviewed, shows that superspreaders and population heterogeneity are the core factors explaining the discrepancy of cases.

8 Sep 2020

SARS-CoV-2 does not pose a food safety risk, health agency says

Now, a new report by the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) highlights the link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and food safety. ICMSF is a global non-government organization that aims to provide information on food safety and human health.

8 Sep 2020

'Molecular brake' on the immune system could be potential treatment target for severe COVID-19

Older people and people with underlying medical conditions are at particular risk of severe COVID-19. A group of researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have discovered one possible reason for this vulnerability.

8 Sep 2020