Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Study elucidates on global prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infections

Hepatitis B infections are among the most common infectious diseases worldwide. The disease can become chronic, and is one of the most important causes of severe diseases such as liver cancer. In the scope of an international study funded by the World Health Organization, scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig determined how often the chronic infection occurs in different countries and how many people of the general population are affected. They noted strong differences between different countries.

29 Jul 2015

Point-of-care diagnostics for Ebola

In a recent DECODED research profile, Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT), details how IDT scientists Kristin Beltz and Dr Scott Rose are collaborating with Dr Brian Taylor’s research team at Battelle (Aberdeen, MD, USA) to design and validate a RT-qPCR assay that can detect the Ebola virus in the field.

From Integrated DNA Technologies 28 Jul 2015

Researchers at Sydney’s Centenary Institute fight against hepatitis infection

Today is World Hepatitis Day. 400 million people around the world are currently living with hepatitis B or C. Each year, we see around 1.4 million people die from viral hepatitis. Researchers at Sydney’s Centenary Institute are working hard to change this.

28 Jul 2015

Cincinnati Children's doctors remind parents about the importance of immunizing kids before sending them to school

Doctors at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center want to remind parents about the importance of immunizing their children when preparing to send their children back to school.

28 Jul 2015

UC San Diego Health signs affiliation agreement with La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology

UC San Diego Health, with the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has entered into a multi-year affiliation agreement with La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology designed to deepen existing collaborative relationships, boost basic research of diseases of the immune system and more quickly introduce new clinical treatments and therapies.

28 Jul 2015

Mowing of wetland plants in basins increases mosquito population, finds study

A study of the West Nile virus risk associated with "dry" water-detention basins in Central Illinois took an unexpected turn when land managers started mowing the basins.

25 Jul 2015

NEJM suggests use of HCV-positive kidneys as one solution to kidney shortage

The average wait time for a kidney transplant is five years and there are more than 100,000 people on the waiting list. However, there are thousands of viable hepatitis C-positive kidneys that are discarded each year solely because they're infected.

25 Jul 2015

Corgenix Medical to present several scientific abstracts at 2015 AACC Clinical Lab Expo

Corgenix Medical Corporation, the U.S. - based operation of ORGENTEC Diagnostika, is presenting several scientific abstracts at the 2015 American Association for Clinical Chemistry Clinical Lab Expo in Atlanta. Three abstracts involve the ReEBOV Ebola rapid diagnostic test (RDT) with a fourth abstract involving the AtherOx™ Assay for assessing heart disease risk.

25 Jul 2015

UTHealth's Kayo Fujimoto awarded grant to study genetic and social aspects of HIV transmission

Kayo Fujimoto, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, has been awarded a grant to study the genetic and social network aspects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission.

24 Jul 2015

Southampton scientists set to analyse investments into infectious disease research

Scientists at the University of Southampton are set to analyse research investments into infectious disease research, particularly pneumonia and maternal and neonatal infections, after receiving over £370,000 in funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

23 Jul 2015

Researchers develop diagnostic test to detect enterovirus D68

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a diagnostic test to quickly detect enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), a respiratory virus that caused unusually severe illness in children last year. The outbreak caused infections at an unprecedented rate, with over 1,000 confirmed cases and 14 reported deaths nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

23 Jul 2015

Screening for HIV in pregnancy eliminates vertical transmission

Canada has almost eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission, known as vertical transmission, in recent years by ensuring that all women have the opportunity to be screened for HIV in pregnancy and that women with the disease receive treatment before giving birth.

23 Jul 2015

EGPAF calls for prioritizing HIV treatment among children

As the HIV/AIDS community gathers for the International AIDS Society Conference in Vancouver, Canada, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation joins the Vancouver Consensus in calling for universal treatment for all people living with HIV, regardless of CD4 count. Providing treatment for everyone living with HIV will be a paradigm shift in HIV treatment and prevention efforts, particularly for children living with HIV, and will save millions of lives.

22 Jul 2015

Heidelberg University scientists gain new insight into cytotoxic effect of Ebola virus

In the course of basic research in membrane biochemistry scientists at Heidelberg University have gained new insight into the cytotoxic effect of the Ebola virus. Employing biochemical and cell biological methods they have shed light on the molecular relationships between the Ebola glycoprotein and its role in mediating cytotoxicity.

22 Jul 2015

Researchers report new drug combination that effectively treats HCV patients co-infected with HIV

Roughly 20 to 30 percent of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are also infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV). Both blood-borne viruses share the same modes of transmission, but many HCV medications currently have significant limitations due to adverse interactions with HIV treatments. Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report a new combination that effectively treats HCV in patients co-infected with HIV.

22 Jul 2015

AS03 and MF59 adjuvants increase immune responses to two doses of H7N9 influenza vaccine

In a phase 2 trial that included nearly 1,000 adults, the AS03 and MF59 adjuvants (a component that improves immune response of inactivated influenza vaccines) increased the immune responses to two doses of an inactivated H7N9 influenza vaccine, with AS03-adjuvanted formulations inducing the highest amount of antibody response, according to a study in the July 21 issue of JAMA.

22 Jul 2015

Researchers devise way to induce protective immunity in mice against influenza viruses

A vaccine that protects against a wide variety of influenza viruses (a so-called universal flu vaccine) is a critical public health goal given the significant rates of illness and death caused by seasonal influenza and the potentially devastating effects of a pandemic influenza strain.

22 Jul 2015

Study findings provide basis for potential development of new methods to control HIV infection

Lower levels of cholesterol in certain immune cells--a result of enhanced cholesterol metabolism within those cells--may help explain why some HIV-infected people are able to naturally control disease progression, according to research that will be presented in a poster at the 8th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2015) in Vancouver, Canada, and the pre-conference 2015 Towards an HIV Cure Symposium.

20 Jul 2015

Chicago creates sustainable network to meet complicated public health emergencies

The Ebola epidemic and resulting international public health emergency is referred to as a "Black Swan" event in medical circles because of its unpredictable and impactful nature. However, a paper in the June 30 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, a leading journal in the field of infectious diseases, suggests that the response of the Chicago Ebola Response Network (CERN) in 2014-2015 has laid a foundation and a roadmap for how a regional public health network can anticipate, manage and prevent the next Black Swan public health event.

17 Jul 2015

Rowan University, Bamboo Therapeutics partner to combat Canavan disease

Rowan University and Bamboo Therapeutics, Inc. have entered into an asset transfer agreement to commercialize a novel gene therapy for the treatment of Canavan disease. A rare but devastating neurological disease that tragically takes a child's life by age 10, Canavan disease is one of the most common and complex degenerative cerebral diseases in infants.

17 Jul 2015

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Study elucidates on global prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infections

Point-of-care diagnostics for Ebola

Researchers at Sydney’s Centenary Institute fight against hepatitis infection

Cincinnati Children's doctors remind parents about the importance of immunizing kids before sending them to school

UC San Diego Health signs affiliation agreement with La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology

Mowing of wetland plants in basins increases mosquito population, finds study

NEJM suggests use of HCV-positive kidneys as one solution to kidney shortage

Corgenix Medical to present several scientific abstracts at 2015 AACC Clinical Lab Expo

UTHealth's Kayo Fujimoto awarded grant to study genetic and social aspects of HIV transmission

Southampton scientists set to analyse investments into infectious disease research

Researchers develop diagnostic test to detect enterovirus D68

Screening for HIV in pregnancy eliminates vertical transmission

EGPAF calls for prioritizing HIV treatment among children

Heidelberg University scientists gain new insight into cytotoxic effect of Ebola virus

Researchers report new drug combination that effectively treats HCV patients co-infected with HIV

AS03 and MF59 adjuvants increase immune responses to two doses of H7N9 influenza vaccine

Researchers devise way to induce protective immunity in mice against influenza viruses

Study findings provide basis for potential development of new methods to control HIV infection

Chicago creates sustainable network to meet complicated public health emergencies

Rowan University, Bamboo Therapeutics partner to combat Canavan disease

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