Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Researchers describe an underlying biological basis for mylagic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Mylagic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disabling and complex illness. Affected persons often cannot pursue ordinary activities -- physical or mental -- because of an incapacitating loss of energy and other symptoms, and may find themselves confined to bed or house-bound for years.

28 Apr 2020

Using neutralising antibodies in the fight against COVID-19

While many scientists and pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine, there is also an urgent need for a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment. The potent virus has now spread to 210 countries and territories, affecting more than 3.04 million people. Now, a team of German scientists is working on using antibodies to prevent and treat COVID-19.

27 Apr 2020

Scientists decode herpes simplex virus 1

Until now, scientists had assumed that there are about 80 so-called open reading frames (ORFs) in the genome of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1).

27 Apr 2020

Research Luxembourg launches Predi-COVID study

The Research Luxembourg COVID-19 task force announces the start of "Predi-COVID", a study that aims to identify important risk factors and biomarkers associated with COVID-19 severity and long-term health consequences of the disease in Luxembourg.

24 Apr 2020

FAU scientists aim to develop a passive vaccine against COVID-19

Nothing less than the development of a passive vaccine against Covid-19 has been undertaken by a team of scientists from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Universitätsklinkum Erlangen and their partners from the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology in Leipzig and the German Primate Centre in Göttingen.

24 Apr 2020

Research shows how the immune system reacts to hepatitis C viruses

If a virus penetrates a cell, the immune system reacts immediately and produces the signaling protein interferon.

24 Apr 2020

UAB to join international effort to test drugs for COVID-19

The University of Alabama at Birmingham will join an international effort coordinated by Scripps Research to test drugs for COVID-19.

24 Apr 2020

Abbott’s fast COVID test poses safety issues, lab workers say

Lab personnel say worries are mounting over the safety of a rapid coronavirus test by Abbott Laboratories that President Donald Trump has repeatedly lauded - particularly, the risk of infection to those handling it.

23 Apr 2020

Breakthrough discovery in HIV research opens path to new, better therapies

New research on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) structure has revealed a promising novel drug target for treating it.

23 Apr 2020

Chinese scientists develop two novel compounds that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 main protease

A team of Chinese scientists has recently developed two novel compounds that inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) and one of them is a good drug candidate for further clinical studies.

23 Apr 2020

COST Action creates “Task Force” of researchers to contribute to Covid-19 research

STRATAGEM COST Action (New diagnostic and therapeutic tools against multidrug resistant tumors) has created a "Task Force" of researchers contributing to Covid-19 research.

23 Apr 2020

Scripps Research established international network to find antiviral compounds against COVID-19

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to spread around the globe, Scripps Research has quickly established an international network of collaborating scientific laboratories to leverage ReFRAME, the world's leading drug repurposing collection, to find antiviral compounds against the novel coronavirus.

22 Apr 2020

Immunity to coronavirus infection may help stem the pandemic

The raging coronavirus pandemic is causing immense fear and uncertainty across the world. One of the most distressing aspects of COVID-19 disease is the seemingly large number of unknowns. These include the burning question of immunity. Does a person who was sick with the COVID-19 and then recovered or was infected without symptoms, have immunity against re-infection?

21 Apr 2020

CSIRO researchers unveil new approach to understand evolving SARS-CoV-2 virus strains

Researchers from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, have unveiled a new approach to analyzing the genetic codes - or the blueprint - of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

20 Apr 2020

Antibody detection for COVID-19 - promise and risks

Recently, several research groups emphasized how the pervasive screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies may prove pivotal in determining infection seroprevalence in a given population defining previous exposure, screening health care workers, but also identifying highly reactive individuals that may act as donors for the therapeutic use of their convalescent serum.

20 Apr 2020

Artificial 'candy canes' block viral entry and infection

Viruses are part of the human experience throughout our lives. They cause lots of different illnesses with the current coronavirus pandemic as just one example.

20 Apr 2020

New COVID-19 test is eight times faster, can help locate asymptomatic carriers

A team of Israeli researchers is using AI to develop an algorithm-based test that can speed COVID-19 testing eightfold and help locate asymptomatic carriers, funded by a grant from the Ben-Gurion University Covid-19 Effort.

20 Apr 2020

Researchers discover unique structure and function of rotavirus VP3 protein

After eluding researchers for more than 30 years, the VP3 protein of rotavirus has finally revealed its unique structure and function to a team led by scientists at Baylor College of Medicine.

17 Apr 2020

Scripps Research establishes collaborative global effort to rapidly find drugs against COVID-19

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to spread across the globe, Scripps Research has quickly established an international network of collaborating scientific laboratories to leverage ReFRAME, the world's leading drug repurposing collection, to find antiviral compounds against the novel coronavirus.

16 Apr 2020

Potential universal Ebola vaccine may neutralize all four harmful virus species

Infectious disease scientists report early development of a potential universal vaccine for Ebola viruses that preclinical tests show might neutralize all four species of these deadly viruses infecting people in recent outbreaks, mainly in Africa.

16 Apr 2020