Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Graham’s bill recenters abortion debate

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) put abortion back on Republicans' agenda this week with a legislative proposal calling for a national ban on most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

15 Sep 2022

New immunotherapy approach may lead to an effective treatment for fibrosis

Chronic diseases often lead to fibrosis, a condition in which organ tissue suffers from excessive scarring.

15 Sep 2022

BU researcher awarded $7.2 million grant to develop mAb-based contraceptive products

Deborah Jean Anderson, PhD, professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, has received a four-year, $7.2 million grant from the NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development renewing support for a Contraceptive Research Center at BUSM to further her research to develop innovative monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based contraceptive and multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) products.

15 Sep 2022

Survey highlights increase in the public's knowledge about monkeypox

The public's knowledge about monkeypox has increased rapidly in recent weeks though misconceptions and uncertainty persist, and over a quarter of Americans say they are not likely to get vaccinated against monkeypox if they're exposed to it, according to a new Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) survey.

15 Sep 2022

Study reveals pan-antiviral properties of PDC-109 bovine seminal plasma protein

In a new study, researchers explored the antiviral activity of the bovine seminal plasma protein PDC-109 against various mammalian viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

15 Sep 2022

What is the COVID-19 prevalence among neonates?

A new study evaluated the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in newborns.

15 Sep 2022

Development of improved monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2

In a new study, researchers explored strategies for the development of effective monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

15 Sep 2022

Bivalent recombinant vaccine protects against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza in animal models

In a new study, researchers developed a recombinant bivalent vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza viruses.

15 Sep 2022

Vaccine-derived poliovirus 2 detected in environmental samples in the UK and USA

Over the last few months, poliovirus 2 derived from the strain used in the Sabin vaccine (oral polio vaccine) has been repeatedly detected in environmental samples in the USA as well as in the UK. What does this signify?

15 Sep 2022

What is the effect of the Omicron variant on olfaction?

A new study discusses the effect of the Omicron variant of the virus on the olfactory system in humans.

15 Sep 2022

Exercise hormone irisin blocks Parkinson's-associated α-synuclein aggregation and related neuronal toxicity

A new paper discusses the hope held out by recent results on a compound called irisin, a short protein secreted by skeletal muscle that produces some exercise-related effects on the brain.

15 Sep 2022

Concern over two cases of monkeypox-related neurological complications in the U.S.

A new study published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report analyzed two people with encephalomyelitis associated with monkeypox disease in Colorado and DC during the current outbreak.

15 Sep 2022

COVID-19's future is uncertain as infections increase and tracking decreases

Researchers review how the SARS-CoV-2 genome has changed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

14 Sep 2022

New study estimates monkeypox incubation, generation times and R0

A new study discusses the characteristics of the first 255 RT-PCR-confirmed MPX cases in Italy in 2022.

14 Sep 2022

Research shows a complex relationship between vaping and SARS-CoV-2 infection

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* pre-print server, researchers at the University of California, Riverside investigated the effects of electronic cigarette (EC) use as a risk factor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

14 Sep 2022

Defensosomes versus COVID-19

In a recent study published in the journal PLoS Biology, researchers investigated the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-containing defensive exosomes, or 'defensosomes' against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections.

14 Sep 2022

High levels of mucosal antibodies in the airways reduce the risk of omicron infection

High levels of mucosal antibodies in the airways reduce the risk of being infected by omicron, but many do not receive detectable antibodies in the airways despite three doses of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

14 Sep 2022

SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibody detection in infected mothers’ breast milk

In a recent study published in the Journal of Medical Virology, Italian researchers investigated the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ribonucleic acid (RNA) and antibodies (Abs) in the milk of breastfeeding mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections.

14 Sep 2022

Winners of the 2022 CURE-19 Research Pilot Grants announced

The Arnhold Institute for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and NYC Health + Hospitals have announced the 2022 awardees of the CURE-19 Research Pilot Grants, an initiative to support collaborative, interdisciplinary COVID-19 research that will address both the pandemic and root causes of health disparities in New York City.

14 Sep 2022

U-M scientists give tips about how teachers can keep classrooms safe from COVID-19

Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged SARS-CoV-2 was airborne in spring 2020, University of Michigan aerosol scientists Andrew Ault and Kerri Pratt have advised public school systems on how to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 in the classroom.

14 Sep 2022