Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Elton John welcomes expansion of opt-out testing for HIV to 46 Accident & Emergency sites across England and calls on all political leaders to do more to end AIDS in a speech at Speaker's House

Elton John was honored at a reception hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV/AIDS at the Speaker's House today in recognition of his enduring commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic, both personally and through the work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

30 Nov 2023

Herpes zoster vaccination and healthy aging: Study connect the dots

Vaccination with recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) prevents Herpes Zoster (HZ) infection.

30 Nov 2023

Collaborative study focuses on understanding the strength of adhesion of COVID-19 variants

A recent groundbreaking study, published in Nature Nanotechnology, sheds new light on the coronavirus's behavior, particularly its ability to remain attached under various mechanical stresses and the implications for person-to-person transmission.

29 Nov 2023

Study reveals differences in SARS-CoV-2 entry mechanisms between humans and mink

Some viruses move between species. For example, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can spill over from humans to mink, an agricultural species, and then spill back from mink to humans.

29 Nov 2023

COVID-19 in pregnancy tied to higher preterm birth risk; early vaccine adoption shows protective effect

The impact of maternal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection on infant health.

29 Nov 2023

GOP presidential hopefuls use Trump’s covid record to court vaccine skeptics

Former President Donald Trump often seems proud to advertise his administration's record on speedily developing covid-19 vaccines.

29 Nov 2023

COVID-19 in pregnancy raises preterm birth risk, vaccines offer crucial shield

Study reveals that pregnant women infected with COVID-19 had a higher risk of preterm delivery, with significant health and socioeconomic implications. However, early vaccination adopters showed protection from these effects, highlighting the critical role of vaccines in safeguarding future generations' health, especially in the U.S., where the study was conducted.

28 Nov 2023

Rare bacterial strain yields groundbreaking compounds to combat hepatitis B

Scientists have discovered new antiviral compounds from a rare bacterial strain, offering a novel approach to target hepatitis B virus. These compounds work by altering membrane permeability in infected cells, leading to the release of immature viral particles, a mechanism distinct from current HBV treatments.

28 Nov 2023

Genetic mutation in OXR1 gene linked to brain development issues

Study investigates the effects of a loss-of-function mutation in the OXR1 gene on neurodevelopment and cellular functions in the human brain. The research shows that OXR1 deficiency impairs neural differentiation, increases sensitivity to oxidative stress, and alters histone methylation, impacting brain development and potentially contributing to neurological disorders.

27 Nov 2023

Bivalent COVID-19 boosters offer stronger protection for seniors, Australian study reveals

Study compares the effectiveness of bivalent and monovalent booster vaccines against COVID-19 mortality in individuals aged 65 and older. It finds that bivalent boosters show higher vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 mortality, particularly for the Omicron variant, compared to monovalent vaccines.

27 Nov 2023

Children in daycare not significant spreaders of COVID-19, study shows

Parents who send their children to child care can breathe a little easier – research published in JAMA Network Open from experts at Michigan Medicine, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh shows that children in daycare were not significant spreaders of COVID-19.

27 Nov 2023

Synthetic biologists develop versatile platform for targeted drug delivery

In recent years, cell and gene therapies have shown significant promise for treating cancer, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS and other difficult-to-treat diseases.

27 Nov 2023

COVID-19 caused premature births, but vaccines helped reverse the trend

COVID-19 caused an alarming surge in premature births, but vaccines were key to returning the early birth rate to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new analysis of California birth records.

27 Nov 2023

Scientists succeed in mapping a central part of the immune system

A new paper in Science Advances details how scientists have succeeded in mapping a central part of the immune system - the HLA class II molecules - while accurately predicting how they display fragments of pathogens on the surface of cells.

24 Nov 2023

Surge in respiratory illnesses reported in China

Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission have reported an increase in incidence of respiratory diseases in China.

24 Nov 2023

COVID-19 vaccines offer protection against long-term effects, study suggests

A new study in The BMJ explores how far vaccination averted PCC.

24 Nov 2023

What would a Desantis presidency look like for health care?

On the presidential campaign trail, Republican Ron DeSantis touts himself as a champion of medical freedom, outlawing vaccine mandates and protecting doctors who refuse to provide certain medical treatments on moral grounds.

24 Nov 2023

New insights into how SARS-CoV-2 evades our immune system

This review in Cellular and Molecular Immunology delves into the innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2, exploring how the virus evades immunity and the potential role of innate immunity in long-COVID and vaccine responses, shedding light on future therapeutic strategies.

23 Nov 2023

Isolation measures during pandemic drove faster, more transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants, study reveals

A Nature Communications study finds that isolation practices during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, leading to variants with earlier, higher peak viral loads but shorter infection durations, suggesting a shift towards increased transmissibility.

23 Nov 2023

Gene therapy could reverse symptoms of rare, hereditary DOOR syndrome

A lot of research has been done over many decades on diseases that are widespread in large parts of the population, such as cancer and heart disease. As a result, treatment methods have improved enormously thanks to long-term research efforts on diseases that affect many people.

23 Nov 2023