Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant found to display increased resilience to antiviral type I interferon response

In a new study, scientists have compared the Omicron variant with the Delta VOC (B.1.617.2) as well as the wildtype strain (B.1), with respect to their interaction with the antiviral type 1 interferon response in infected cells.

26 Jan 2022

Effects of the Omicron spike amino acid changes in the interaction with human ACE2 receptor or human antibodies

A recent study analyzed the effects of the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike amino acid and the human ACE2 receptor or with human antibodies.

26 Jan 2022

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies found in wild mustelids in France

A new study focused on the identification of SARS-CoV-2 infection in wild mustelids in the French region of Brittany.

26 Jan 2022

How long does COVID-19 remain traceable on food?

In a new study, researchers identified the effective lengths at which SARS-CoV-2 can survive on certain foods, which can likely act as a model to predict how well it could survive on many others.

26 Jan 2022

COVID-19 vaccine does not lead to infertility in either men or women

In a recent prospective cohort study accepted to the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers observed links between female and male coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and fecundability or the per-cycle likelihood of conception in North American couples seeking to conceive.

26 Jan 2022

Research says spill-over of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to cattle is possible

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, a team of researchers assessed the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission from humans to cattle.

26 Jan 2022

Understanding immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infections in children

A study published in the journal Immunity analyzed the varied manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in children.

26 Jan 2022

Cannabidiol inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in human cells and mice

In research recently published in the journal of Science Advances, an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Chicago assessed the potential role of cannabidiol (CBD), a natural product extracted from the cannabis plant, to prevent and inhibit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in human cells and mice.

26 Jan 2022

Male clients of sex workers more likely to be living with HIV compared to other men

Twenty years' worth of surveys suggest that nearly one in ten sexually active men in 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have been clients of sex workers, and these men are about 50 percent more likely to be living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

25 Jan 2022

SARS-CoV-2 infection found in wild white-tailed deer in Canada

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, scientists investigated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in white-tailed deer (WTD) in southern Québec, Canada, as part of a more extensive pan-Canadian analysis into SARS-CoV-2 spillover into wildlife. To further define SARS-CoV-2 infection in this species, researchers used viral genomes and isolation.

25 Jan 2022

New study holds promise to help plants defend themselves against viruses

New research, led by Washington State University scientists, into how viral proteins interact and can be disabled holds promise to help plants defend themselves against viruses - and ultimately prevent crop losses.

25 Jan 2022

Serum biomarkers for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection identified in rhesus macaques

Many experts now predict that COVID-19, which so far has killed more than 5.5 million people worldwide, will remain endemic as new, infectious variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge.

25 Jan 2022

New condom could increase protected sex and decrease sexually transmitted infections

A condom designed to increase sexual pleasure has the potential to increase protected sex and decrease sexually transmitted infections, a new study suggests.

25 Jan 2022

SARS-CoV-2 virus co-opts intrinsic cellular machinery to suppress interferon production

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers evaluated the mechanism of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-associated inflammatory marker interferon (IFN) repression in hosts.

25 Jan 2022

Gene therapy can provide long-lasting therapeutic benefit in Huntington's disease

Gene therapy targeting the messenger RNA (mRNA) of the mutated huntingtin gene (HTT) can provide long-lasting therapeutic benefit in Huntington's disease after a single administration.

25 Jan 2022

Beta-amyloid deposits found in young patients with COVID-19

A new study describes the finding that patients of COVID-19 exhibit large amounts of focal β-amyloid deposits in their neocortical tissues.

25 Jan 2022

Third dose of BNT162b2 vaccine protects against Omicron hospitalizations

A new study assesses the effectiveness of two and three doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine against Omicron-related hospitalizations.

25 Jan 2022

Hospitalized COVID-19 patients may derive modest benefit from convalescent plasma, study shows

Transfusions of blood plasma donated by people who have recovered from COVID-19 may help patients hospitalized with the virus, a new international study shows.

25 Jan 2022

Spike-mediated CFTR inhibition accounts for airway inflammation in COVID-19

A new study looks at the molecular level inhibition of the protective CFTR gene by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

25 Jan 2022

With a vaccine mandate looming, nursing homes face more staffing problems

Jamie Smith, a staffing agency nurse who loves end-of-life care, said she has been warmly welcomed by staffers and residents at Frontier Health & Rehabilitation in this conservative St. Louis suburb.

25 Jan 2022