Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

Latest Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

How SARS-CoV-2 vaccination symptoms differ from early COVID-19 symptoms

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* presents an analysis of the differences between recorded vaccination side effects vs. early COVID-19 symptoms. The researchers focused on four vaccines, namely, Pfizer-BioNTech (PB) mRNA (BNT162b2) vaccine, based on messenger ribonucleic acid encoding the viral spike protein; the Moderna mRNA (mRNA-1273) vaccine; the Oxford-AstraZeneca (O-AZ) adenovirus-vectored vaccine; and the Janssen adenovirus-vectored Ad26.COV2.S).

26 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in breast milk: Study

A new study published on the medRxiv* preprint server explores the presence of immunoglobulin (Ig) antibodies IgA and IgG against SARS-CoV-2 in breast milk secreted by women with confirmed infection. The scientists also delineated the specific antigens targeted by the antibodies.

26 Jul 2021

COVID-19 lockdown linked to fall in early childhood vaccination in England, a rise in Scotland

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) led to numerous and sweeping restrictions in many countries, including the UK, limiting social and economic activity.

26 Jul 2021

Study compares mRNA and adenovirus-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines against variants of concern

In a research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv by Tada et al. (July 19th, 2021) the neutralizing capacity of antibodies generated by either messenger RNA (mRNA) or adenoviral vector-based vaccines against Beta, Delta, Delta plus, and Lambda variants are investigated, among others, highlighting the importance of continued SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance.

26 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 delta variant associated with several vaccine breakthrough cases in Houston

Their findings reveal that about 58% of all new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases are due to the delta variant and that the prevalence of vaccine breakthrough cases associated with the variant is as high as 20%. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server while awaiting peer review.

25 Jul 2021

5.6% seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in England during second wave

A recent study conducted as a part of the Real-Time Assessment of Community Transmission-2 (REACT-2) program has estimated the seroprevalence of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies among adult populations in England.

25 Jul 2021

CoVizu: Making visual sense of variation in SARS-CoV-2 genomes

A new study proposes a solution to this problem in the form of a new method that can both evaluate and visually represent high numbers of SARS-CoV-2 genomes.

25 Jul 2021

CD8+ T cells show gene-dependent variation in cross-reactivity to human coronaviruses

A new study discusses how both different responses to the infection itself and to COVID-19 vaccines are likely the result of genetic differences.

25 Jul 2021

Activation of integrins by SARS-CoV-2 may be key to infection

A new study describes the key role of membrane proteins called integrins, which are present in epithelia, in the entry and propagation of SARS-CoV-2.

25 Jul 2021

Variations in human ACE2 genetics associated with coronavirus susceptibility

In a recent study, the researchers sought to understand the genetic variability in ACE2 that may contribute to inconsistent clinical outcomes of COVID-19.

25 Jul 2021

Researchers discover camelid-derived two nanobodies that target SARS-CoV-2

A new study has been published on the bioRxiv* preprint server, which has identified and characterized two RBD-targeting neutralizing nanobodies, namely, DL4 and DL28.

23 Jul 2021

Researchers use mass spectrometry to study immunogenic SARS-CoV-2 epitopes

A new study has been published on the bioRxiv* preprint server, which has used MS to identify T cell epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 conserved protein, i.e., the membrane glycol protein (MGP) and the non-structure protein-13 (NSP13).

23 Jul 2021

Efficacy of mRNA vaccine-induced memory B cells against SARS-CoV-2 variants

A new study characterizes the functional humoral immunity post-COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccination.

22 Jul 2021

Synergistic multi-antibody cocktail protects against SARS-CoV-2 in animal model

Researchers in Canada have reported the discovery of a multi-antibody cocktail that synergistically protected against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in an animal model of acute infection.

22 Jul 2021

Study in France suggests high efficacy of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

A nationwide case-control study conducted in France has assessed the efficacy of mRNA-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines against original severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants, including B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P1.

22 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 reprograms host chromatic network to induce immune dysfunction

A recent study conducted at the University of Texas Science Center, Houston, in the USA, has revealed that upon infection, SARS-CoV-2 alters the host chromatin architecture to suppress antiviral interferon-responsive genes and augment inflammatory genes. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

22 Jul 2021

Can platelet size predict severity and mortality in COVID-19?

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has baffled researchers with its propensity to cause symptoms of largely unpredictable severity in the affected individuals. An exciting new study reports on the potential predictive value of platelet size in this situation. COVID-19 patients with severe disease often develop clots in vital organs, which leads to further complications. It is known that platelet size is a good indicator of activation.

22 Jul 2021

Can prior human seasonal coronavirus antibody response patterns predict SARS-CoV-2 inhibition?

A new study, recently released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, reports the intriguing finding that the cross-neutralizing antibodies elicited by human seasonal coronaviruses (sCoVs) show varying ability to prevent binding between the SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen and its cognate receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

22 Jul 2021

Pfizer vaccine and isolation independently associated with reduced household transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Israel was among the leading proponents of COVID-19 vaccination as the way out of the current worldwide restrictions on social and economic interactions and activity. A new study, recently released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, reports on the effects of the large-scale vaccination campaigns carried out in this country, relating to successful control of SARS-CoV-2 spread within households.

22 Jul 2021

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations L452R & Y453F evade cellular immunity

The study, published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, also showed emerging mutations L452R and Y453F in the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding motif evade (HLA) A24-restricted cellular immunity. Meanwhile, the L452R enhances spike stability, viral fusogenicity, and viral infectivity. Hence, the findings suggest that HLA-restricted cellular immunity potentially affects the evolution of viral phenotypes.

22 Jul 2021