Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Drug used to prevent and treat malaria may also be effective for Zika virus

A new collaborative study led by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and UC San Diego School of Medicine has found that a medication used to prevent and treat malaria may also be effective for Zika virus.

17 Nov 2017

Scientists suggest possibility of naturally acquired immunity against Zika infection

Birth defects in babies born infected with Zika virus remain a major health concern. Now, scientists suggest the possibility that some women in high-risk Zika regions may already be protected and not know it.

16 Nov 2017

Brazilian Zika epidemic could soon be over, say scientists

In 2016, news about the Zika virus in Brazil made the headlines in Europe for the first time. With approximately 65 million people affected, it is one of the largest epidemics in the last few years.

16 Nov 2017

New model provides better understanding of epidemic spreading in realistic circumstances

New approaches are needed to control the spread of epidemic diseases, according to the developers of a new model of the way pathogens can 'cooperate'.

16 Nov 2017

Researchers test new vaccination strategy against HIV-related SIV in monkeys

According to the WHO, there are currently more than 36 million people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and a further 2.4 million become infected every year.

15 Nov 2017

Scientists find key that allows neural differentiation of microRNA-deficient pluripotent stem cells

The more than 200 different types of human cells have the same DNA but express different ensembles of genes. Each cell type was derived from embryonic stem cells, which are called pluripotent stem cells because they can differentiate to all those different cell fates.

15 Nov 2017

Vaccine shortage complicates efforts to quell hepatitis A outbreaks

San Diego County, battling a deadly outbreak of hepatitis A, is postponing an outreach campaign to provide the second of two inoculations against the contagious liver disease until a national shortage of the vaccine is resolved, the county's chief public health officer said.

14 Nov 2017

Specific way of spelling out genetic code likely allows viruses to evade our cellular defenses

For millions of years, humans and viruses have engaged in a constant tug of war: as our cells evolve new ways to defend us from our viral enemies, these pathogens in turn acquire new traits to sidestep those defenses.

13 Nov 2017

Study finds genetic treatment for inherited retinal disorder

A new study presented at the 121st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2017, for the first time found a novel gene therapy that can improve the eyesight of patients with inherited retinal disease.

13 Nov 2017

Dengue immunity can provide protection from subsequent Zika infection

Manifestations of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection differ drastically. Sometimes they are catastrophic, most notably when they cause microcephaly in some babies born to infected mothers.

13 Nov 2017

Advances in genetic and stem cell techniques help identify therapeutic targets for neurological disorders

Research released today highlights advances in the use of CRISPR-Cas9 and human induced pluripotent stem cell technologies to identify novel therapeutic targets for neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and addiction.

13 Nov 2017

New gene therapy for blindness may soon be reality

Patients who had lost their sight to an inherited retinal disease could see well enough to navigate a maze after being treated with a new gene therapy, according to research presented today at AAO 2017, the 121st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

10 Nov 2017

Mosquito control using special bacteria infected mosquitoes approved by the EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency has now approved the use of special mosquitoes that have been infected with bacteria called Wolbachia for eradication of mosquitoes in 20 states and District of Columbia. This approach is known as the use of “biopesticide”. Now mosquitoes that spread viral illnesses like Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika etc. would be controlled effectively.

9 Nov 2017

Study shows that HPV vaccine also prevents recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in children

The vaccine that protects against cancer-causing types of human papillomavirus (HPV) also prevents an uncommon but incurable childhood respiratory disease, according to a new study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

9 Nov 2017

Scientists characterize infection mechanism of Rift Valley fever virus

Rift Valley fever virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, is responsible for outbreaks in livestock in Africa and can also be fatal in humans. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS, working with the University of Göttingen, have characterized the mechanism used by the virus to insert one of its envelope proteins into the host cell membrane, thereby enabling it to infect the cell.

9 Nov 2017

Antiviral drug selectively targets the most aggressive viruses, research says

An antiviral drug that inhibits a virus' replication machinery selectively targets the most aggressive viruses, according to new research that looked at the infection of individual cells by a virus and the consequence of antiviral intervention.

9 Nov 2017

Complete new skin from transgenic stem cells for boy with rare genetic disease

Hassan, a then seven-year-old boy from Germany, in 2015, presented to the doctors with a rare skin disease called junctional epidermolysis bullosa or JEB. This condition leaves the skin thin and papery and easily breakable. It has been compared to “butterfly wings” because of their fragile nature.

8 Nov 2017

New gene therapy trial for X-linked myotubular myopathy offers hope to children

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is one of the few centers participating in ASPIRO, an international Phase 1/2 clinical trial of a gene therapy product called AT132 for X-linked myotubular myopathy – a rare disease characterized by severe muscle weakness, breathing difficulty and early death.

8 Nov 2017

Scientists uncover previously unknown mechanism to combat influenza A virus

Just as flu season swings into full gear, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Texas at Austin have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which the human immune system tries to battle the influenza A virus.

8 Nov 2017

New model could provide understanding of how HIV infection damages the brain

HIV infects certain cells in the brain called microglia, and infected microglia release toxic and inflammatory molecules that can impair or kill surrounding neurons.

8 Nov 2017