Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

Latest Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

The impact of COVID-19 on mental health and family finances

A new study on the preprint site medRxiv* evaluates how lockdowns affected families with children financially and emotionally.

24 Aug 2021

SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant associated with more breakthrough infections

The study highlights that compared to the previously circulating alpha variant, the delta variant is associated with higher infectious virus load and a lower level of humoral immunity in the upper respiratory tract. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server prior to peer review.

24 Aug 2021

Frameshift deletion mutation in ORF7a may provide fitness advantage to Australia's SARS-CoV-2 delta variants

A team of scientists from Australia has recently identified a frameshift deletion mutation in ORF7a of the delta variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The mutation results in the production of a truncated peptide with altered functionality. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server while awaiting peer review.

24 Aug 2021

Patients on dialysis show reduced antibody levels four months after COVID-19 vaccination

A new longitudinal study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server suggests vaccinated patients on chronic hemodialysis having waning immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern. The German researchers found a drop in neutralizing antibody levels and T cell activity four months after receiving their second Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

24 Aug 2021

Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 vs. SARS-CoV-2

Though vaccination efforts are underway in most countries, there are still limited options for treating COVID-19. Now, researchers at Penn State designed a new COVID-19 therapy that uses a defective synthetic version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to interfere with the actual virus's replication.

23 Aug 2021

Study pinpoints an enzyme with a significant impact on SARS-CoV-2 replication

By applying a systems biology approach, a recent bioRxiv* preprint research paper by scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York unveils interactions between the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway responsible for regulating the expression of crucial inflammatory mediators in human lung epithelial cells.

23 Aug 2021

COVID booster shots might be needed in subgroup of HIV-positive individuals

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has evolved into a global pandemic destroying lives and economies. COVID-19 is not curable, so vaccines are the only safeguard during this pandemic.

23 Aug 2021

SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant exhibits enhanced household transmission

In a recent study, the transmission rate of wildtype and the Alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 through households is tracked.

23 Aug 2021

Broad-spectrum coronavirus neutralization amongst vaccinated SARS-CoV-1 survivors

The potency of neutralizing antibodies in individuals who have recovered from SARS-CoV and received the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is evaluated.

23 Aug 2021

Expansion of seasonal betacoronavirus antibodies post-vaccination is associated with reduction in neutralization of the SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

A new study determined the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal viruses induced by BNT162b2-Comirnaty vaccination in healthcare workers.

23 Aug 2021

How have SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern impacted national case fatality rates?

A new study aims to analyze the degree to which the new VoCs cause fluctuations in daily case fatality rates (CFR) across several countries.

23 Aug 2021

Does SARS-CoV-2 affect male fertility?

A recently published review describes the state of current knowledge regarding the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the male reproductive system.

23 Aug 2021

The emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Lambda (B.1.621) variant

A new study details the genomic characteristics and descent of a SARS-CoV-2 variant of interest.

23 Aug 2021

New study identifies novel compound as promising pan-coronavirus drug candidate

A recent study describes a novel compound with frameshifting capability against MERS-CoV, inhibiting viral propagation within infected cells.

23 Aug 2021

New study reveals unique immune responses to SARS-CoV-2, Ebola and respiratory syncytial virus using B cell repertoire analysis

A new study has been published on the bioRxiv* preprint server, which takes a long-read repertoire amplification approach to better understand, compare and contrast B cell responses to emerging or endemic viruses.

23 Aug 2021

Study uses computational modeling of coronavirus spike proteins to examine dynamics responsible for immunogenicity and immune escape

A new study published on the bioRxiv* preprint server focused on the development of dynamic computational models for a large subset of S proteins of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2.

23 Aug 2021

Nanotechnology provides novel solutions against zoonotic viruses

Therefore, scientists functionalize nanoparticles to act against these pathogenic viruses in a clinical strategy. In a recent review published in the journal Microbial Pathogenesis, researchers look at the novel solutions against zoonotic viruses provided by nanotechnology.

23 Aug 2021