Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Overreaction to Zika virus threat could affect psychological well-being of U.S. citizens

Vector biologist Laura Harrington and chair of the Department of Entomology at Cornell University says overreaction to the threat of Zika virus in the continental U.S. could be harmful to citizens' psychological well-being, as well as the environment as it may lead to mass spraying of insecticides that may not be effective in controlling the mosquitos.

18 May 2016

KU Leuven research sheds new light on cure for HIV

Scientists from KU Leuven, Belgium, present a new therapeutic approach that may make it possible for HIV patients to (temporarily) stop their medication. The findings shed a completely new light on the search for a cure for HIV.

18 May 2016

Researchers may be one step closer to curing HIV

18 May 2016

Research on immune system sets stage for novel approach to cancer immunotherapy

Basic research into the dual nature of certain immune system cells has set the stage for a new approach to cancer immunotherapy that avoids some of the shortcomings associated with other methods, scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report in a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

17 May 2016

Experimental hepatitis C drug slows down development of Zika in mice

Virologists from KU Leuven, Belgium, have shown that an experimental antiviral drug against hepatitis C slows down the development of Zika in mice. The research team was led by Professor Johan Neyts from the Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy.

17 May 2016

WHO/PAHO statement on Zika virus and the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recognize that athletes and visitors are seeking more information on the risks of Zika and ways to prevent infection while attending the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games (5 August to 18 September 2016).

16 May 2016

Altered coagulation caused by HIV virus linked to increased risk of non-AIDS diseases

With more than 36.9 million people infected globally, HIV continues to be a major public health issue. Those living with the virus are at an increased risk for other non-AIDS diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, and though it's not entirely clear why, this has been associated with inflammation and abnormal blood clotting.

13 May 2016

New optimised PCR tests for reliable diagnosis of Zika virus

DZIF scientists from the University of Bonn have shown that not all conventional Zika virus molecular diagnostic tests for are sufficiently reliable. They developed optimised assays and a control for quantifying viruses in blood and urine.

13 May 2016

Rotavirus vaccine program reduces hospitalization rates by more than 70% in Ontario

Hospitalization for rotavirus infections decreased by > 70% following the introduction of a vaccine program in Ontario, Canada, according to a study published May 11, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Sarah Wilson from Public Health Ontario and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Canada, and colleagues.

13 May 2016

Mosquito larvae carries Sindbis virus that can cause Ockelbo disease

After an outbreak of Ockelbo disease in northern Sweden in 2013, researchers at Umeå University were able to trace the virus to mosquitos in an area of Lövånger. In a new study, researchers have shown that mosquito larvae in the Västerbotten region also carry virus that can cause infectious disease. These include the Sindbis virus, which causes Ockelbo disease, which is associated with fever, rashes and prolonged joint pain.

13 May 2016

Gene therapy shows promise in treating glioblastoma

A team from the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste has obtained very promising results by applying gene therapy to glioblastoma.

13 May 2016

Drug-repositioning strategy could help combat Chikungunya virus

Since 2013, the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus has spread rapidly through South America and the Caribbean, and is now threatening Southern Europe and the southern US.

13 May 2016

Scientists prove effectiveness of gene editing system in eliminating HIV from DNA of CD4+ T-cells

In 2014, a team of researchers in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University became the first to successfully eliminate the HIV-1 virus from cultured human cells.

12 May 2016

Mouse models of Zika virus infection in pregnancy provide basis to develop vaccines, treatments

Two mouse models of Zika virus infection in pregnancy have been developed by a team of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. In them, the virus migrated from the pregnant mouse's bloodstream into the placenta, where it multiplied, then spread into the fetal circulation and infected the brains of the developing pups.

12 May 2016

Early infection screening programs may lead to lower rates of HIV transmission

Detecting HIV earlier, through screening programs that can identify the virus shortly after infection, may lead to lower rates of HIV transmission in local epidemics, suggest findings from a new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and available online.

12 May 2016

Point-of-care test could help detect TB in HIV-positive individuals

An international review team has prepared a Cochrane systematic review to assess the accuracy of a point-of-care urine test for diagnosing and screening tuberculosis (TB) in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

12 May 2016

Brazilian strain of Zika virus can cause severe birth defects

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in Brazil and Senegal, have described the first "direct experimental proof" that the Brazilian strain of Zika virus can actually cause severe birth defects. The findings are published in the May 11 online issue of Nature.

12 May 2016

New study sheds more light on level of alcohol consumption among people with hepatitis C

Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of illness and death from the hepatitis C virus. A new national household study of U.S. adults published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that many people living with hepatitis C report either former or current excessive alcohol use.

11 May 2016

Potential new intraocular treatment based on RAS manipulation can prevent or reverse diabetic retinopathy

Pathologic changes of the retina caused by diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working adults. Diabetic retinopathy has no known cure, treatment options are inadequate, and prevention strategies offer limited protection. In the first of its kind, a report in The American Journal of Pathology describes a potential new intraocular treatment based on manipulating the renin angiotensin system (RAS) that both prevents and reverses some characteristics of diabetic retinopathy in a mouse model.

10 May 2016

Profiling gamma-retrovirus integration sites may help identify genes linked to specific cancer types

Identifying the sites where gamma-retroviruses commonly insert into the genome may help to identify genes associated with specific cancer types, according to a study published April 20, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Kathryn Gilroy at the University of Glasgow, UK, and colleagues.

10 May 2016

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Overreaction to Zika virus threat could affect psychological well-being of U.S. citizens

KU Leuven research sheds new light on cure for HIV

Researchers may be one step closer to curing HIV

Research on immune system sets stage for novel approach to cancer immunotherapy

Experimental hepatitis C drug slows down development of Zika in mice

WHO/PAHO statement on Zika virus and the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games

Altered coagulation caused by HIV virus linked to increased risk of non-AIDS diseases

New optimised PCR tests for reliable diagnosis of Zika virus

Rotavirus vaccine program reduces hospitalization rates by more than 70% in Ontario

Mosquito larvae carries Sindbis virus that can cause Ockelbo disease

Gene therapy shows promise in treating glioblastoma

Drug-repositioning strategy could help combat Chikungunya virus

Scientists prove effectiveness of gene editing system in eliminating HIV from DNA of CD4+ T-cells

Mouse models of Zika virus infection in pregnancy provide basis to develop vaccines, treatments

Early infection screening programs may lead to lower rates of HIV transmission

Point-of-care test could help detect TB in HIV-positive individuals

Brazilian strain of Zika virus can cause severe birth defects

New study sheds more light on level of alcohol consumption among people with hepatitis C

Potential new intraocular treatment based on RAS manipulation can prevent or reverse diabetic retinopathy

Profiling gamma-retrovirus integration sites may help identify genes linked to specific cancer types

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production