Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Race Disparity Unit wins a Research Excellence Award from ONS

Following their work to identify and tackle the health disparities caused by COVID-19, the Race Disparity Unit, part of the government's Equality Hub, has been awarded a Research Excellence Award by the Office for National Statistics.

14 Oct 2021

New blueprint published for improving NHS patients' access to GP appointments

The NHS, working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, has today published a blueprint for improving access to GP appointments for patients alongside supporting GPs and their teams.

14 Oct 2021

Covid testing, turnaround times are still uneven this far into pandemic

In one recent week, a New Yorker got a free covid-19 test in a jiffy, with results the next day, while a Coloradan had to shell out $50 for a test two cities from her hometown after a frantic round of pharmacy-hopping.

14 Oct 2021

Study of the impact of school openings on the spread of COVID-19 in the US

A new study finds that counties that opened K–12 schools experienced a significant increase in the growth rate of cases.

14 Oct 2021

Study reveals a highly effective COVID-19 screening system utilizing a live cell-based assay

A new study reports a cell-based assay that involved the isolation and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro in human cells in the absence of other proteins.

14 Oct 2021

SARS-CoV-2 induces tissue immune memory

A new study reports that the SARS-CoV-2 induces protective tissue memory that includes both humoral and cellular elements to protect specific tissue sites.

14 Oct 2021

COVID-19 immunity in family members reduces risk of infection by 45-97%

An interesting new study examines the risk of COVID-19 to a susceptible individual who is part of a family with COVID-19 immunity.

14 Oct 2021

Increased transmission in open spike conformations of SARS-CoV-2 variants

Researchers from Yale University and the University of Texas have collaborated to investigate mutations in some VOCs.

14 Oct 2021

Assay for the sensitive and specific identification of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant

Scientists described a quick and inexpensive method for accurately identifying the Delta variant by applying the double-mismatch allele-specific RT-PCR (DMAS-RT-PCR).

14 Oct 2021

Study finds relatively low rate of COVID-19 infection following full vaccination in North Carolina

A recent study seeks to investigate the characteristics of individuals with breakthrough infections post-vaccination in North Carolina, USA.

14 Oct 2021

Methods used to limit transmission of SARS-CoV-2 effective against other viruses in China

Researchers from Shenzhen's Children's Hospital have been investigating the occurrence of these diseases while these measures were in effect to understand better how to curb their transmission.

14 Oct 2021

COVID-19 booster for immunosuppressed patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Researchers have published correspondence detailing the reasoning behind providing a third booster dose to patients with inflammatory bowel disease that have been treated with drugs that can reduce the response to the COVID-19 vaccines.

14 Oct 2021

Developing New Technology for the Encapsulation of mRNA-Based Vaccines in Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs)

NewsMed speaks to KNAUER about the company’s background, its range of specialisms and its pioneering work to facilitate the largescale production of LNPs while meeting the stringent regulations and exacting demands of the biopharmaceutical industry.

From KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Geräte GmbH 14 Oct 2021

Small portion of COVID-19 patients infectious long-term

In late December 2019, a novel pneumonia-like lung infection was reported in the Chinese province of Hubei. This, in turn, led to the ongoing coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is closely related to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus).

13 Oct 2021

More than half of COVID-19 survivors experience "long COVID", researchers say

More than half of the 236 million people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 worldwide since December 2019 will experience post-COVID symptoms - more commonly known as "long COVID" - up to six months after recovering, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

13 Oct 2021

Study reveals the zoonotic potential of the rat Sialodacryoadenitis virus

A new review aimed to describe the current state of knowledge on Sialodacryoadenitis virus, along with its characteristics and potential zoonotic threat.

13 Oct 2021

Anti-rheumatic drug as a potential candidate for treating COVID-19

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) produces inflammatory cytokine storms. But an FDA-approved anti-rheumatic drug, Auranofin, used to treat autoimmune and infectious diseases, may also help serve as an antiviral treatment for COVID-19 infection.

13 Oct 2021

New study finds SARS-CoV-2 causes retinal infection

Can coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affect the eye? New research suggests the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can enter the eye and infect photoreceptor and retinal ganglion cells. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 infection increases the expression of several inflammatory genes, including the cytokine interleukin 33 (IL33), which is linked to COVID-19 disease and retinal degeneration.

13 Oct 2021