Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

Latest Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome News and Research

Mobility and flexibility in SARS-CoV-2 proteins

Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in July 2020 describes the use of in silico modeling of potential drug targets on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) protein structures, using data retrieved from the Protein Databank (PDB).

15 Jul 2020

Strong evidence several FDA approved drugs block SARS-CoV-2 in relevant cell-lines and human organoids

Now, a new study describes how compounds that restore the normal transcriptional conditions following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can be used to reduce viral load without neutralizing the virus entry into the host cell.

15 Jul 2020

"Winter is coming," warn UK COVID-19 experts

The famous line from "Game of Thrones" about approaching dangers this winter may prove to be accurate, say, scientists in a new report. The researchers state that a second wave of infection could hit the United Kingdom this winter, and this would be worse than the first wave taking as many as 120,000 lives.

14 Jul 2020

A special air filtration system that can "catch and kill" the coronavirus

Now researchers from the University of Houston have come up with a unique air filter system that can catch and kill the novel coronavirus. The air filter can reportedly kill the coronavirus on contact.

14 Jul 2020

Llama nanobodies block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro

Now, a team of scientists at the United Kingdom's Rosalind Franklin Institute may have a surprising solution for the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 574,000 people worldwide.

14 Jul 2020

One in three young adults at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 due to smoking, vaping

Now, a new study shows that about one in three young adults may be at risk of severe COVID-19 due to smoking and vaping habits.

14 Jul 2020

Genome comparisons between SARS-CoV-2 and other betacoronaviruses yield applicable insights

Researchers from the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research and the Australian National University untangle the mutational and recombinational history of the SARS-2 lineage of betacoronaviruses and their metagenomes with the use of published genomic sequences. Their findings are currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

14 Jul 2020

Cold sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 could impact vaccine studies

Researchers at Duke University in Durham, USA, have made an important discovery about the spike protein on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that could have a broad impact on vaccine studies.

14 Jul 2020

Investigational antidepressant PT150 shows antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2

In a recent bioRxiv study, an ad hoc multi-institutional research team from the US shows that a novel hormone receptor modulator PT150 has unique and possibly additive antiviral and immunomodulatory effects – highlighting its potential role in the treatment and prophylaxis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

14 Jul 2020

COVID-19 may have an impact on the central nervous system of patients

Depressed mood or anxiety exhibited in COVID-19 patients may possibly be a sign the virus affects the central nervous system, according to an international study led by a University of Cincinnati College of Medicine researcher.

14 Jul 2020

Tobacco smoking and vaping nicotine may exacerbate COVID-19 inflammation

Researchers in San Diego have conducted a study showing that both smoking and the use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine and flavorings may critically exacerbate inflammation in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and significantly worsen clinical outcomes.

14 Jul 2020

Saliva promising alternative to upper airway swabs for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2

The standard diagnostic test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Now, a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in July 2020 describes the use of saliva as a sample in RT-PCR for diagnosis in place of nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs.

14 Jul 2020

Current assays reflect non-neutralizing antibodies, finds study

Several serologic tests have been developed to help diagnose the presence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), either currently or in the past. However, all of them are not equally effective.

14 Jul 2020

Researchers stabilize the closed SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer

Now, a new study by researchers at Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV and Leiden University and published on the preprint server bioRxiv uses cryoEM to reveal the structure of this trimer, in order to support both vaccine development and diagnostic testing based on antibody production.

14 Jul 2020

Coronavirus disease immunity fades within a few months, study finds

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread rapidly across the globe, with more than 13 million people infected. Of these, an estimated 7 million have recovered from the viral infection. However, it was unclear whether being exposed to the virus would provide long-lasting immunity. Now, a new study says that SARS-CoV-2 immunity may only last for months.

13 Jul 2020

Patients with high blood sugar at higher risk of COVID-19 complications

The COVID-19 causes severe disease in patients with underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, severe lung disease, heart disease, and a weakened immune system.

13 Jul 2020

COVID-19 – researchers sum up the “Tsunami” of information

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) infection leading to COVID-19 is a raging pandemic across the world at present. It has infected 13 million and killed 571,000 individuals around the world as of today. The infection was first reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China in late December 2019.

13 Jul 2020

Clots, COVID-19 and survival

The novel coronavirus, now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), that causes COVID-19 disease, was first reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China in late December 2019. Since then, it has infected a large population across the world with the current number of SARS-CoV-2 infections standing at over 13 million and COVID-19 disease having killed over 571,000 individuals.

13 Jul 2020

Study identifies three novel broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 cell entry inhibitors

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Cornell University in the U.S. just described several new inhibitors of human coronavirus spike proteins by screening a library of approved drugs with SARS-S and MERS-S pseudotyped particle entry assays. Their exciting findings are currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

13 Jul 2020

Serology distinguishes children with MIS-C associated with COVID-19

Researchers in the United States say that measuring antibody titers against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may help to distinguish between multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and other clinically similar syndromes.

13 Jul 2020