Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Dialysis patients have higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection, study suggests

It's widely known that the causative agent for COVID-19, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, can spread rapidly among residents in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, leading to high numbers of cases and deaths in a very vulnerable population.

25 Aug 2020

Allowing low-level CMV infection may boost immunity in stem cell transplant recipients

Patients who develop cytomegalovirus infections after allogeneic stem cell transplantation may be able to develop an immunity against the virus, strengthen their immune system and reduce reliance on strong antiviral medications, a team of cellular-therapy specialists from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center has found.

25 Aug 2020

Inconsistent implementation of COVID-19 control has dire consequences

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study highlighting the potential unintended consequences of implementing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) control policies in an inconsistent, patchy manner.

25 Aug 2020

Study tracks the mutation rate of SARS-Cov-2 virus

Since COVID-19 began its menacing march across Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and then across the world, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has taken a "whatever works" strategy to ensure its replication and spread.

25 Aug 2020

Researchers document comprehensive communication pathways in human cell infected with SARS-CoV-2

In the transmission of signals within the cell which, for example, stimulate cell growth or trigger metabolic processes, phosphate groups play an important biochemical role.

25 Aug 2020

Advances in Virus Epigenetics

Growing evidence shows viruses exploit epigenetic processes to control their life cycles but epigentic regulation of viral infections is not fully understood.

From Chromatrap® - Porvair Sciences Ltd 25 Aug 2020

Inhaled steroids reduce SARS-CoV-2-related genes in COPD

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* aims to explore the effects of treatment with ICS on the expression of specific genes related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in bronchial epithelial cells in a prospective interventional design.

25 Aug 2020

Italy starts human trials of potential COVID-19 vaccine

Rome's Lazzaro Spallanzani Institute, a hospital specializing in infectious diseases will conduct trials on 90 volunteers in the coming weeks, joining a global effort to develop an immune response to the virus.

25 Aug 2020

Google searches for anxiety skyrocket amid coronavirus pandemic

Just like physical health, it is important to check one’s mental health amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. When countries announced lockdown orders, many people were confined to their homes, away from family and friends.

25 Aug 2020

BBI announces new vacancies to support the development of Covid-19 Point of Care antibody test

BBI Solutions is recruiting for roles to support its work as part of a UK Government consortium, tasked with developing and manufacturing a Covid-19 Point of Care antibody test to support the government strategy on COVID-19 testing.

25 Aug 2020

Higher COVID-19 risk perception among older American adults

In a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv*, researchers from the Yale Institute for Global Health analyzed the shift in COVID-19 risk perception, behavior, knowledge, and attitude across the U.S. from February to May 2020 by surveying 672 adults.

25 Aug 2020

Antibiotics used for treating COVID-19 patients may result in increased resistance to drugs' benefits

The use of antibiotics in people with COVID-19 could result in increased resistance to the drugs' benefits among the wider population, a new study suggests.

25 Aug 2020

COVID specific IgA monoclonal antibodies may provide effective immunity against coronavirus

A new study by researchers at MassBiologics of UMass Medical School published in Nature Communications suggests that COVID specific IgA monoclonal antibodies may provide effective immunity in the respiratory system against the novel coronavirus - a potentially critical feature of an effective vaccine.

25 Aug 2020

Study explains the linear growth of COVID-19 infection curve

With the first COVID-19 epidemic peak behind them, many countries explained the decrease of infection numbers through non-pharmaceutical interventions. Phrases like "social distancing" and "flatten the curve" have become part of common vocabulary.

24 Aug 2020

World's first confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 re-infection

A team of researchers at the University of Hong Kong said that they have proven that a 33-year-old man was infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus for a second time. The man was discharged from a hospital in April but contracted the infection again after returning from Spain via the United Kingdom in August.

24 Aug 2020

Relative humidity could play a role in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 indoors

A new study has explored the role of relative humidity in the transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from person to person indoors. The study titled, “An Overview on the Role of Relative Humidity in Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Indoor Environments,” is published in the latest issue of the journal Aerosol and Air Quality Research.

24 Aug 2020

Single dose nasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 shows promise in animal studies

Now researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have worked on developing a candidate vaccine against the infection that could be administered in a single dose via a nasal spray rather than an injection. In their preliminary studies using lab mice, this single dose of the nasal vaccine successfully prevented the infection with the novel coronavirus.

24 Aug 2020

Sociopaths less likely to comply with COVID mask, hygiene and social distancing

Now, a new study by researchers from Brazil has found that people who are unconcerned with adhering to measures to mitigate the COVID-19 spread tend to manifest higher levels of traits tied to antisocial personality disorder, which is also known as sociopathy.

24 Aug 2020

Study finds unique viral 'fingerprint' for each human gut

Each person's gut virus composition is as unique as a fingerprint, according to the first study to assemble a comprehensive database of viral populations in the human digestive system.

24 Aug 2020

Genomic analysis reveals many animal species vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2

Now, a new genomics study by University of California, Davis, California researchers identifies a large number of mammals that can potentially be infected by SARS-CoV-2 via their ACE2 proteins.

24 Aug 2020