Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Two proteins in the blood could predict dengue severity

Scientists and clinicians at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) have identified two compounds - sST2 and suPAR - in the blood of dengue patients that could determine if a patient is at risk of severe dengue in the early phases of the disease.

18 Dec 2023

Antibody treatment shields transplant patients against COVID-19

New research from Cedars-Sinai's Comprehensive Transplant Center found that a monoclonal antibody treatment reduced the risk of COVID-19 in a large group of solid organ transplant patients who were administered the drug as a preventive measure against the disease.

18 Dec 2023

Experts from leading institutions launch Pandemic Research Alliance for collaborative virus defense

World-renowned professors from six leading institutions in four countries launched the Pandemic Research Alliance (PRA) today (4 December) to drive concerted research into respiratory viruses from animals to humans, improved surveillance, and new solutions to better manage the next pandemic.

17 Dec 2023

Study sheds light on global laboratory-acquired infections and pathogen escapes

Study analyzes global incidents of laboratory-acquired infections and accidental pathogen escapes from 2000 to 2021, highlighting the need for improved biosafety protocols and reporting systems.

17 Dec 2023

Study links omicron's cellular senescence to inflammation and long-COVID risk

A new research paper was published on the cover of Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 15, Issue 23, entitled, "Uncovering a unique pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant: selective induction of cellular senescence."

15 Dec 2023

$9M awarded to study HIV and substance use at intersection of vulnerable populations

The Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) received an annual award for $3 million funded by the NIH Office of AIDS Research.

15 Dec 2023

UVA biomedical engineer unveils hidden immune symphony during pregnancy

Sepideh Dolatshahi, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Virginia, is spearheading an exploration of systems immunology in its crucial development phase - during pregnancy.

15 Dec 2023

Study tracks evolution of deadly chicken virus using ancient DNA

An international team of scientists led by geneticists and disease biologists from the University of Oxford and LMU Munich have used ancient DNA to trace the evolution of Marek's Disease Virus (MDV).

15 Dec 2023

Novel immunization strategies can markedly increase mucosal immunity in nonhuman primates

The global COVID-19 vaccination campaign saved an estimated 20 million lives. However, while current COVID-19 vaccines provide protection against developing severe disease, they do little to prevent infection and transmission.

15 Dec 2023

Alzheimer's may worsen COVID-19 outcomes via olfactory mucosa changes

A new study identifies alterations in the transcriptomic signatures in human olfactory mucosal cells of individuals with Alzheimer's disease following SARS-CoV-2 infection, potentially contributing to exacerbated COVID-19 outcomes.

15 Dec 2023

New study reveals how travel patterns shaped COVID-19 transmission

Elucidating human contact networks could help predict and prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and future pandemic threats.

15 Dec 2023

Vaccination encouraged for eligible groups as flu cases spike

All those eligible for the flu vaccine are being urged to come forward as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published data showing a significant increase in the number of recorded flu cases.

15 Dec 2023

New dry powder aerosol COVID-19 vaccine shows promise against multiple virus strains

Study introduces a novel dry powder aerosol COVID-19 vaccine, showing its effectiveness in inducing strong immune responses and offering protection against various SARS-CoV-2 strains, including Omicron.

15 Dec 2023

UCL researchers develop new gene therapy to cure severe childhood epilepsy

UCL researchers have developed a new gene therapy to cure a devastating form of childhood epilepsy, which a new study shows can significantly reduce seizures in mice.

14 Dec 2023

Research shows how the immune system keeps Herpes simplex virus at bay

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is extremely common, affecting nearly two-thirds of the world's population, according to the World Health Organization.

14 Dec 2023

Mount Sinai wins $1.3 million NIH award to expand the New York City Virus Hunters program

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has received more than $1.3 million from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand the New York City Virus Hunters program.

14 Dec 2023

NIAID study identifies critical T-cell function missing in prior HIV vaccine candidates

An effective HIV vaccine may need to prompt strong responses from immune cells called CD8+ T cells to protect people from acquiring HIV, according to a new study from researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues.

14 Dec 2023

Advanced imaging technique reveals the high-resolution structure of cyanobacterial virus

A research team at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has outlined the high-resolution structure of a little-known virus, improving our understanding of viral infection, which could pave the way for more accurate predictions of climate change.

14 Dec 2023

Hospitalized influenza patients can also suffer long-term, negative health effects

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, extensive research has emerged detailing the virus's ability to attack multiple organ systems, potentially resulting in a set of enduring and often disabling health problems known as long COVID.

14 Dec 2023

Unlocking the secrets of our "dark genome": Scientists crack the code of LINE-1

A multidisciplinary study published in Nature has elucidated the structure of the machinery responsible for writing much of our "dark genome" - the 98 percent of our DNA that has largely unknown biological function.

14 Dec 2023