Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Scientists discover how viral infection triggers autoimmune disease

Scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have discovered how a viral infection causes autoimmune disease, disproving a long-standing theory and opening a promising new approach to developing treatments for autoimmune conditions.

16 Jan 2025

Study reveals dangerous mutations in H5N1 bird flu

One of the earliest strains of bird flu isolated from a human in Texas shows a unique constellation of mutations that enable it to more easily replicate in human cells and cause more severe disease in mice compared to a strain found in dairy cattle, researchers from Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) report in Emerging Microbes & Infections.

16 Jan 2025

Study uncovers why lupus patients have weaker response to COVID-19 vaccines

A recent study by Emory University researchers provides new insights into why the mRNA vaccines developed to fight COVID-19 in 2021 are less effective in patients with autoimmune diseases.

16 Jan 2025

Childhood vaccination rates, a rare health bright spot in struggling states, are slipping

Jen Fisher can do only so much to keep her son safe from the types of infections that children can encounter at school. The rest, she said, is up to other students and parents in their hometown of Franklin, Tennessee.

16 Jan 2025

Review highlights the pathogenesis and clinical spectrum of Nipah virus infection

Nipah virus (NiV), a zoonotic paramyxovirus with significant human health implications, has garnered considerable attention due to its high fatality rates and potential for human-to-human transmission, posing a global public health threat.

15 Jan 2025

Unexpected viral reservoir: influenza A thrives in cattle mammary glands

Researchers uncover how influenza A virus infects dairy cattle, revealing the mammary gland's surprising role in viral replication and transmission through milk.

15 Jan 2025

Genetic risk factor linked to increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Researchers have identified a novel genetic risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, providing new insights into the virus' ability to invade human cells. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that spreads COVID-19.

15 Jan 2025

Refugee camp study demonstrates effectiveness of two-dose Hepatitis E vaccine

Hepatitis E is a viral infection that is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses, with a mortality rate of up to 10-50 %.

15 Jan 2025

Research reveals inaccuracies in common gene therapy measurement technique

In a finding with implications for one of the most promising cutting-edge medical treatments, researchers evaluated several measurement techniques commonly used in gene therapy.

13 Jan 2025

COVID-19 infection linked to increased cases of ME/CFS

New findings from the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative suggest that infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, may be associated with an increase in the number of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) cases.

13 Jan 2025

COVID-19 vaccine developed by Brazilian researchers shows promise in mice

Studies conducted in mice have shown that the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP) in Brazil is safe and efficacious.

13 Jan 2025

Study reveals route of entry for Semliki Forest virus into the brain

In a recent study, researchers from Uppsala University show that the Semliki Forest virus enters the central nervous system by first entering the cerebrospinal fluid and then binding to a specific cell type before penetrating deeper into the brain.

13 Jan 2025

Study reveals how Zika virus hijacks host protein for reproduction

The mosquito-borne Zika virus is known for causing microcephaly, a birth defect in which abnormal brain development results in a smaller-than-expected head.

13 Jan 2025

New research sheds light on changing liver cancer trends

Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with distinct geographic patterns in its incidence.

13 Jan 2025

The impact of extreme weather events on HIV prevention and care

Researchers review the impact of extreme weather events related to climate change on HIV strategies.

13 Jan 2025

Women experience higher waiting-list mortality in lung transplantation

Research highlights gender-based disparities in lung transplantation, showing women face longer wait times yet achieve better post-transplant survival outcomes.

13 Jan 2025

Study finds certain H5N1 strains in cattle linked to milder human illness; other variants remain a concern

Study reveals that contemporary HPAI H5N1 viruses show reduced replication and immune activation in human lung organoids, potentially explaining milder disease in humans compared to historic strains.

13 Jan 2025

T cells can completely prevent viral infections in humans

Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and the Singapore General Hospital have discovered that T cells-white blood cells that can destroy harmful pathogens-can completely prevent viral infection, to an extent previously thought only possible due to neutralizing antibodies.

10 Jan 2025

$20 million grant to explore the role of viruses in human health

For over a decade, scientists have studied the microbiome, the environment of microorganisms that live on and in the body, and how it affects health and disease.

9 Jan 2025

New molecule shows promise in protecting mice from influenza

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, in collaboration with colleagues in China, have discovered an antibody-like molecule that can protect mice from various influenza viruses.

9 Jan 2025