Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

More strategic COVID-19 testing can reduce reliance on costly preventative interventions

Strategically increasing testing capacity, either by making diagnostic tests faster or more available, can reduce reliance on costly preventative interventions, such as distancing and shutdowns, according to a team of researchers led by Penn State.

28 Oct 2021

Study unravels how cells protect against influenza A viruses

Human cells use a protein named TBC1D5 to route influenza A viruses inside host cells for destruction, preventing the virus from spreading replicated copies of itself to other cells, according to a study published in Nature Microbiology.

28 Oct 2021

How long does natural or vaccine-induced immunity to COVID last?

Researchers present a comprehensive assessment on SARS-CoV-2 induced immunity.

28 Oct 2021

A novel approach to improve the stability of Remdesivir

A recent study discusses a novel method to enhance the stability of Remdesivir.

28 Oct 2021

A new approach to selectively turn on gene therapies in target cells

Researchers at MIT and Harvard University have designed a way to selectively turn on gene therapies in target cells, including human cells.

28 Oct 2021

Third dose of Covid-19 vaccine benefits dialysis patients

In some patients, the immune system responds poorly to the second vaccination dose. This changes with the third shot.

28 Oct 2021

Study suggests third dose of the Pfizer vaccine could reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission

A new study examined protection against symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from non-Delta variants using data from randomized control trials.

28 Oct 2021

Understanding and predicting COVID-19 vaccination willingness of New Zealanders

The current study implemented the I3 Framework to determine the willingness of New Zealanders to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

28 Oct 2021

Structure of human-infecting canine coronavirus HuPn-2018 spike glycoprotein

As CCoV-HuPn-2018 has been recently isolated in a child's respiratory swab, researchers from the University Of Washington have been examining the structure of the virus.

28 Oct 2021

Malaria: An Interview with the World Health Organization

In this interview, we spoke to Dr. Akpaka Kalu, the World Health Organization's team leader for malaria in Africa, about the groundbreaking malaria vaccine rollout announcement.

28 Oct 2021

Study finds one mRNA vaccine dose after SARS-CoV-2 infection produces highest neutralizing antibody titers

Researchers investigated the neutralizing antibody response that different mRNA vaccines induce in both previously convalescent and SARS-CoV-2 naïve individuals.

28 Oct 2021

Panel of broadly neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies for immune assay application

In this study, a team of researchers from Japanese institutions provide a panel of broadly neutralizing nanobodies that detect four VOCs.

28 Oct 2021

Japanese study on SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections

Researchers evaluated SARS-CoV-2 incidence in Japan regarding the timing of the vaccination program and surge in COVID-19 cases among the staff of a large referral hospital in Tokyo. This study is posted to the medRxiv* preprint server.

28 Oct 2021

N antibodies following SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta infections by vaccination status

A new study, published on the medRxiv* preprint server, has focused on the use of anti-nucleocapsid (N) antibody positivity as a marker of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the present study, these antibody markers were evaluated using serological surveillance studies post-vaccination amidst circulation of variants of concern.

28 Oct 2021

Routine surveillance helps detect asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough infections

In a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from Italy systematically monitored 2,397 HCWs who were fully vaccinated with BNT162 at the ASST Settelaghi hospitals in Lombardy, Italy during February 2021. HCWs who worked in 8 wards deemed at “high risk” for infection from attending patients had to undergo mandatory nasopharyngeal swab testing with SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction every two weeks. HCWs working in 8 “moderate-risk” wards were tested every four weeks.

28 Oct 2021

COVID vaccines deployed in US highly effective at reducing hospitalizations and deaths

Researchers in the United States have conducted a large-scale study showing that the two-dose regimen vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna to protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appear to be highly effective and durable in reducing the risk of hospitalizations and deaths following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

28 Oct 2021

A low-cost repurposed drug can save COVID-19 patients' lives

An inexpensive repurposed drug called fluvoxamine can save the lives of COVID-19 patients and cut hospital admissions by up to 30 per cent, says a study co-led by McMaster University.

27 Oct 2021

Chlorophyll catabolite pheophorbide A shows potential against SARS-CoV-2

A new study identifies a potent SARS-CoV-2 antiviral, Pheophorbide a (PheoA), which is a compound derived from the plant Marchantia polymorpha L.

27 Oct 2021

Undetected SARS-CoV-2 community transmission drove the first wave of COVID-19

Researchers find that the exponential spread of SARS-CoV-2 went largely unrecognized early on in 2020.

27 Oct 2021

$9 million grant from ASAP initiative to help advance research on Parkinson’s disease treatments

Researchers around the world have tried many ways, and for many years, to generate neurons in the lab so they could study them better. Neurons-on-demand might also provide a therapeutic option for replacing neurons lost in neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson's disease.

27 Oct 2021