Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

Latest Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

Can early use of colchicine reduce COVID-19 mortality?

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has caused well over 2.3 million deaths in a little over a year. A new meta-analysis reports the potential utility of colchicine in treating SARS-CoV-2 infection and forestalling severe and life-threatening inflammation of the lungs and other organs.

8 Feb 2021

Bioengineered ankyrin compounds show high in vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2 mutants

A new study describes the use of DARPin (designed ankyrin repeat proteins) therapeutic agents, each of which contains three different DARPin domains within the same molecule.

8 Feb 2021

Could graphene be an effective antiviral platform against SARS-CoV-2?

The urgent need for novel therapeutics has spurred investigation into broad-spectrum inhibitors of viral infection and replication. A new study describes the antiviral activity of synthesized graphene platforms, pointing to new therapeutic approaches against this virus.

8 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 escape mutations identified against monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal immune sera

A recent study describes the experimental selection of SARS-CoV-2 mutants associated with resistance to antibodies, with important implications for vaccine development and therapeutic antibody use.

8 Feb 2021

Research from Israel shows mRNA vaccine is ~50% effective in reducing severe cases

In a report published on the pre-print server medRxiv, researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the University of Trento, and the Racah Institute of Physics suggest that the shape of the outbreak in patients over 60 years old has changed because of the vaccinations.

8 Feb 2021

COVID-19 pandemic and nanotechnology

Writing in the International Journal of Nanomedicine, Professor Dongki Yang, from the Department of Physiology, Gachon University, South Korea, has reviewed the available knowledge on the coronaviruses, current approaches to tackle the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the innovative application of nanotechnology in the COVID-19 pandemic.

8 Feb 2021

Commentary on severe allergic reaction to mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

A commentary by John M. Kelso, Division of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Scripps Clinic, published in the latest issue of the journal Vaccines, discusses anaphylactic reactions to these novel mRNA SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccines.

8 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 delays interferon signaling in host cells

A team of scientists from Sweden and India has recently conducted a study to evaluate type I interferon (IFN-I) responses in cells infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The findings reveal that SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with a delayed and dysregulated IFN-I response and that pretreatment with IFN-I can reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

7 Feb 2021

Visualization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by fluorescence in situ hybridization probes

A team of scientists from France has recently designed fluorescence in situ hybridization probes (CoronaFISH) to visualize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in infected cells. A detailed description of the probe design, validation, and application is currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

7 Feb 2021

Molecular surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein mutations using CovRadar

In a recent bioRxiv preprint research paper, scientists from Germany discuss how they made sequence information more easily accessible for epidemiologists and virologists.

7 Feb 2021

Subdominant SARS-CoV-2 epitopes key to understanding emerging variants

Researchers in the UK have conducted a study showing the importance of considering subdominant epitopes within severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) when investigating neutralizing antibodies that target the virus.

7 Feb 2021

How does SARS-CoV-2 infect the pancreas?

To understand how SARS-CoV-2 infects the pancreas and investigate its effects, a team of researchers used the human iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cells)-derived pancreatic cultures and analyzed the post-infection cellular and molecular changes.

5 Feb 2021

AI model aids early detection of severe COVID-19 infection in children

Children have been less impacted by COVID-19 caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SAR-CoV-2) than adults. But some children diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 have experienced severe illnesses, including Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) and respiratory failure; nearly 80% of children with MIS-C become critically ill with a 2 to 4% mortality rate.

5 Feb 2021

Research shows intestinal parasite infestations reduce COVID-19 severity

Now, new research out of Mekelle, Ethiopia, examines the role of parasitic infestation on the prognosis of COVID-19. The research paper, which appears on the preprint server medRxiv, shows that intestinal parasitosis is protective against severe COVID-19.

4 Feb 2021

Greater muscle strength associated with lower risk of COVID-19 hospitalization

A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server discusses the results of a study exploring the relationship between increased muscle strength and hospitalization for severe COVID-19.

4 Feb 2021

Alpaca nanobodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

A new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv server reports the development of highly effective neutralizing nanobodies targeting the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD), thus disrupting its engagement with the host cell angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor.

4 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 N501Y mutation adversely affects cellular immune response

Among these is the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant, with its characteristic N501Y mutation. A new preprint on the bioRxiv server reports the impact of this mutation on CD4 T cell responses, including antigen presentation on cells expressing Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class II molecules.

4 Feb 2021

COVID-19 vaccination alone may not end the pandemic

A simulation-based study conducted at the Miami University, USA, has revealed that vaccination of the general population against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) alone is not sufficient to control the pandemic, given the current availability and implementation strategies.

4 Feb 2021

ZyCoV-D SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine shows robust immunogenicity and protective efficacy in Rhesus macaquesys

A team of scientists from India has recently tested the efficacy and immunogenicity of two different concentrations of a plasmid DNA-based vaccine candidate ZyCoV-D. The findings reveal that the vaccine candidate administered via Needle Free Injection System (NFIS) can significantly induce the production of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein-specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies for a prolonged period.

4 Feb 2021

Seasonal flu shots reduce COVID-19 symptoms in children

Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have discovered that children who receive a seasonal flu shot are less likely to suffer symptoms from a COVID-19 infection. The finding comes from a review of more than 900 children diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020.

4 Feb 2021