Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

Latest Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

Recovered COVID-19 patients report hair loss months after infection

Several members of Survivor Corps, the Facebook support group of people who have had COVID-19, recently tackled about experiencing hair loss months after recovering from the wrath of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).

6 Aug 2020

Viable SARS-CoV-2 aerosols detected in a hospital room with COVID-19 patients

Now, a new study by researchers at the University of Florida highlights the role played by SARS-CoV-2 aerosols in disease transmission.

5 Aug 2020

High altitude may act as a protective factor against COVID-19

The analysis by researchers from Spain and Peru reveals that high altitude confers significant protection from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection and death – independent of the distance from the pandemic epicenter, population density, or poverty levels. The study is currently available on the medRxiv preprint server.

5 Aug 2020

Study reveals changes in transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 due to D614G spike mutation

A recent research endeavor from the UK, currently available on the medRxiv preprint server, indicates that spike 614G variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) increases in frequency relative to 614D variant in a selective advantage manner – but without higher coronavirus disease (COVID-19) mortality rates.

5 Aug 2020

A SARS-CoV-2 assay using plant proteins

Researchers in South Africa have developed a serological assay that readily detects antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using recombinant viral proteins produced in plants.

5 Aug 2020

Evidence for antibody longevity in COVID-19 patients

A study led by researchers at the University of Toronto, Canada, has found evidence that immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are sustained for at least three months.

5 Aug 2020

Avidity of binding responsible for cross-neutralization of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2

In a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv researchers characterized the crystal structure of the antibody-SARS-CoV-2 RBD complex in an attempt to find the epitope and the mechanism that enables cross-neutralization.

5 Aug 2020

Regeneron's COVID-19 antibody-drug cocktail treats SARS-CoV-2 virus in animals

Now, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals says its COVID-19 antibody-drug cocktail under development prevented and treated the disease in monkeys and hamsters, showing promise that it may work in humans.

5 Aug 2020

Interleukin-6 inhibitors appear to be a more effective treatment for COVID-19

New research from Boston Medical Center found that patients experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms had improved outcomes when administered an Interleukin-6 (IL6ri) inhibitor, sarilumab or tocilizumab, given to mediate severe systemic inflammatory responses.

5 Aug 2020

Dire COVID-19 warning from World Health Organization

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has swept across the globe, infecting more than 18 million people. With the rapid spread of the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that there might never be a “silver bullet” to combat the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

5 Aug 2020

Can Vitamin D help combat the coronavirus?

In a new report published in The Lancet, a team of researchers discussed the possibility that vitamin D could offer protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials performed from 2007 to 2020.

4 Aug 2020

Picomolar inhibitors to SARS-CoV-2 proteins

Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in August 2020 reports the development of mini-inhibitors based on computational design, that are suitable for such topical use.

4 Aug 2020

Test, trace, isolate key to safe schools in COVID-19

Researchers led by Professor Kristine Maccartney from the National Centre for Immunization Research and surveillance, the Children's Hospital at Westmead and the University of Westmead, Australia explain that schools around the world have shut down to prevent the virus transmission.

4 Aug 2020

Specifically designed cyclic peptide inhibitor shown to be active against SARS-CoV-2

A new bioRxiv study by a research group from the University of California Irvine shows in vitro activity and non-toxicity of the first-in-class cyclic peptide that inhibits the main protease of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – laying the groundwork for its use in the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

4 Aug 2020

Novel mutation identified in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from Sweden

Researchers from Sweden and Brazil have identified a novel mutation in a strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) obtained from a patient in Stockholm, Sweden, in late April.

4 Aug 2020

Regeneron antibody cocktail shows promise as potential COVID-19 treatment

Researchers in the U.S. have shown both preventive and treatment effects of an antibody cocktail in animal models of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

4 Aug 2020

Study identifies possible therapeutic treatment for COVID-19

Yunjeong Kim and Kyeong-Ok "KC" Chang, virologists in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University, have published a study showing a possible therapeutic treatment for COVID-19.

3 Aug 2020

Study shows high SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, but low death rate in Malawi's health care workers

A study by researchers from Malawi and United Kingdom reveals a significant discrepancy between predicted coronavirus disease (COVID-19) mortality in the observed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence rates in health care workers and reported deaths in urban Malawi in southeastern Africa, indicating early exposure, but a slow progression of the outbreak. Their findings are currently available on the medRxiv preprint server.

3 Aug 2020

SARS-CoV-2 lured away and trapped by a new decoy version of ACE2

Researchers in the United States and Canada have engineered affinity-optimized “receptor traps” that prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from binding to and infecting cells.

3 Aug 2020

Novel short ACE2 isoform may influence SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility

A study led by researchers at the University of Southampton, UK, has identified a novel short isoform of the full-length receptor that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses to gain entry to host cells.

3 Aug 2020