Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Research roundup: Improving colon cancer screening; disparities in heart care; Medicaid expansion's effect on cities

This report estimated the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on 14 large and diverse cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Columbus, Charlotte, Detroit, Memphis, Seattle, Denver, Atlanta, and Miami.

21 Jun 2014

HIV infection emerges among PWID in the Middle East and North Africa

HIV epidemics are emerging among people who inject drugs in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Though HIV infection levels were historically very low in the Middle East and North Africa, substantial levels of HIV transmission and emerging HIV epidemics have been documented among people who inject drugs in at least one-third of the countries of this region, according to findings published today in PLOS Medicine.

20 Jun 2014

Research reveals key aspect of protein regulation in cells

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have discovered how an important "on" switch is attached to the machinery that cells rely on to adapt thousands of proteins to meet changing conditions.

20 Jun 2014

Salmonella cases are not associated with Danish broiler meat, shows report

The number of Danes who contracted a salmonella infection reached a historic low level in 2013. More than half of those infected became ill during a trip abroad.

20 Jun 2014

New model for HIV-1 infection offers promising option for clinical research

HIV-1, the virus responsible for most cases of AIDS, is a very selective virus. It does not readily infect species other than its usual hosts — humans and chimpanzees.

20 Jun 2014

DNA sequencing does not reveal the pathogenicity of bacteria

While more and more genomic information is becoming available at a drastically increasing pace, the knowledge we can gain about how microorganisms interact with their surrounding, infect hosts and alter their molecular programs in accordance to changing environmental conditions remains widely not deducible from genomic data alone, the researchers from University of Southern Denmark claim.

19 Jun 2014

Janssen signs license agreement with Vertex to develop, commercialize VX-787 for influenza A treatment

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.announced today that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals for the worldwide development, manufacturing and commercialization of VX-787, a novel medicine in Phase II development for the treatment of influenza A.

18 Jun 2014

La Jolla Institute researchers advance work toward vaccine for heart disease

Research toward the world's first vaccine for heart disease continues to advance at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, with researchers demonstrating significant arterial plaque reduction in concept testing in mice.

18 Jun 2014

Western Oncolytics closes $275,000 in seed funding

Western Oncolytics Ltd., a biotech company specializing in immuno-oncolytic cancer therapies, has closed $275,000 in seed funding. The proceeds are planned to set a path toward clinical trials and execute initial manufacturing for its novel virus-based cancer therapy, which delivers genes to guide the immune system to kill cancer cells.

18 Jun 2014

Transfer of few immune cells can protect immunodeficient patients

The cells of the human immune system are created from special stem cells in the bone marrow. In diseases affecting the bone marrow, such as leukemia, the degenerate cells must be destroyed using radiation or chemotherapy.

18 Jun 2014

Researchers map risk of H7N9 bird flu infection in markets across Asia

Led by Marius Gilbert - Interfaculty School of Bioengineering, Université libre de Bruxelles - an international researcher team maps the risk of H7N9 bird flu infection in markets across Asia. The identification of high risk areas should helping to restrict the spread of this new disease.

18 Jun 2014

Research explores links between planet's health and human health

United Nations University will help pioneer a fresh trail in global health research, exploring links between the planet's health and human health at an institute in Kuala Lumpur generously supported by Malaysia.

17 Jun 2014

Computer programming language automates "laboratory-on-a-chip", may reduce healthcare cost

A research team at the University of California, Riverside has created a computer programming language that will automate "laboratory-on-a-chip" technologies used in DNA sequencing, drug discovery, virus detection and other biomedical applications.

17 Jun 2014

Type I interferons can block development of allergy- and asthma-driving Th2 cells

A mechanism that could underlie the development of cells that drive asthma and allergies has been uncovered by immunology researchers at UT-Southwestern Medical Center.

17 Jun 2014

Chikungunya virus puts some regions at risk of epidemic

For the first time, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers were able to predict further adaptations of the chikungunya virus that recently spread from Africa to several continents that will likely result in even more efficient transmission and infection of more people by this virus strain.

17 Jun 2014

Predicting dengue fever in Brazil: an interview with Dr. Rachel Lowe, Catalan Institute for Climate Sciences (IC3)

Dengue is a mosquito-transmitted viral infection. The disease is widespread in tropical and sub-tropical climates and most commonly found in urban areas. Around half of the world's population are now estimated to live in dengue endemic regions.

16 Jun 2014

Janssen, Viiv Healthcare to develop single tablet regimen for maintenance treatment of HIV

Janssen R&D Ireland Ltd announced today that they have entered into a collaboration with ViiV Healthcare to develop and commercialize a new single tablet regimen containing Janssen's Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor rilpivirine (marketed as EDURANT®) and ViiV's Integrase Inhibitor dolutegravir(marketed as TIVICAY®) as the sole active ingredients for the maintenance treatment of people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

12 Jun 2014

Health tips for global travellers

Nothing ruins a summer vacation faster than getting sick. "Remember that most diseases are transmitted by food, water and insects," says John A. Sellick, Jr., DO, University at Buffalo associate professor of medicine and hospital epidemiologist at Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System. "So get vaccinated, keep insects off you as much as possible and be careful with what you put in your mouth."

11 Jun 2014

AHF welcomes passage of new HIV transmission bill

Marking the first change in state health code regarding HIV transmission in nearly a decade, Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad signed a landmark bill on May 30 that will curb rampant convictions of people living with HIV for transmitting the virus by redefining the law to ensure only those who intend to spread HIV or behave with "reckless disregard" are penalized.

11 Jun 2014

Human herpes simplex virus infected human approximately 1.6 million years ago

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified the evolutionary origins of human herpes simplex virus (HSV) -1 and -2, reporting that the former infected hominids before their evolutionary split from chimpanzees 6 million years ago while the latter jumped from ancient chimpanzees to ancestors of modern humans - Homo erectus - approximately 1.6 million years ago.

11 Jun 2014