Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Key insights on how to prevent novel coronavirus

The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a new respiratory virus that was first identified in Wuhan, China.

27 Jan 2020

Study looks into the virome of early stage, p16-positive OPSCC and neck metastasis

In this prospective study, a pan-pathogen microarray was used to determine the virome of early stage, p16-positive OPSCC and neck metastasis treated with transoral robotic surgery and neck dissection.

27 Jan 2020

Scientists reveal the damaging effect of Zika virus on a type of brain cell

The Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in Brazil in 2015 sparked for many health agencies and scientists to study the pathogen, which has been linked to microcephaly and other fetal neurological disorders collectively known as Congenital Zika Syndrome.

27 Jan 2020

Research unravels consequences of Zika virus attack on neural cells

Previous studies regarding the damage of the Zika virus on the brain had already pointed out the virus's predilection for a certain neural cell: the astrocyte. However, few studies have proposed to identify the infection effects on these cells, as well as their association with developmental alterations, including brain malformations and microcephaly.

27 Jan 2020

Coronavirus is getting stronger

Over the last couple of weeks, the coronavirus has spread to various cities in China, as well as other countries. The death toll has reached 80 while more than 2,000 people have been infected. Chine health experts warn that the ability of the virus to spread is getting stronger, warning people to become vigilant and protect themselves from contracting the illness.

26 Jan 2020

Coronavirus outbreak intensifies

Following an outbreak of infection by the novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV) which causes acute respiratory illness, in China, an emergency committee meeting was held on January 22 and 23, 2020, by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO).

26 Jan 2020

Marburg virus detected in fruit bats of Sierra Leone

The Marburg virus is a close relative of the Ebola virus explain researchers. It may also lead to the deadly life threatening hemorrhagic disease in patients as seen with Ebola. Until now there have been no reported cases of Marburg infection in Sierra Leone say health officials. The detection in the bats however could signal the risk the local population might be at or getting infected.

26 Jan 2020

Taming pathogens with mucus and phages

Millions of people are treated with antibiotics each year for infections or as a preventative measure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that at least 2.8 million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year, meaning the germs have found ways to overpower antibiotics and continue to grow.

24 Jan 2020

First glioblastoma patient treated with genetically modified poliovirus at UH

University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center treated its first patient in a new clinical trial to validate the groundbreaking effects of the poliovirus on glioblastoma, a deadly Grade IV cancer of the brain.

24 Jan 2020

Coronavirus could turn into a new pandemic

With news that the coronavirus called 2019-nCoV is capable of spreading from human to human, many are concerned about the possibility of a new pandemic, and that is not outside the realm of possibility, according to Jeff Hogan, a professor and infectious disease expert at the University of Georgia, who studied the SARS coronavirus extensively.

24 Jan 2020

Something far deadlier than the Wuhan virus lurks near you

There's a deadly virus spreading from state to state. It preys on the most vulnerable, striking the sick and the old without mercy. In just the past few months, it has claimed the lives of at least 39 children.

24 Jan 2020

Scientists detect Marburg virus in Sierra Leone fruit bats

Scientists have detected Marburg virus in fruit bats in Sierra Leone, marking the first time the deadly virus has been found in West Africa. Eleven Egyptian rousette fruit bats tested positive for active Marburg virus infection. Research teams caught the bats separately in three health districts.

24 Jan 2020

Infectious disease expert explains about Wuhan coronavirus

A new coronavirus virus, likely first transmitted to people from animals at a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, is making international headlines as disease detectives work to uncover what it is, how it's transmitted, and how deadly the virus actually is.

24 Jan 2020

NIAID officials describe steps to control coronavirus that recently originated in China

The new cluster of viral pneumonia cases originating in Wuhan, China, marks the third time in 20 years that a member of the large family of coronaviruses (CoVs) has jumped from animals to humans and sparked an outbreak.

24 Jan 2020

Study uncovers large, giant viruses that belong to NCLDV supergroup

While the microbes in a single drop of water could outnumber a small city's population, the number of viruses in the same drop - the vast majority not harmful to humans could be even larger.

24 Jan 2020

Routine Zika vaccination could help prevent suffering and save money

Global climate change has raised concerns that mosquito-borne diseases could become increasingly prevalent in the United States as warmer temperatures lead to increased mosquito activity.

23 Jan 2020

New vaccine against African swine fever appears to be more effective than previous vaccines

Government and academic investigators have developed a vaccine against African swine fever that appears to be far more effective than previously developed vaccines. The research appears this week in the Journal of Virology, a publication of the American Society for Microbiology.

23 Jan 2020

Emerging public health concern about Wuhan coronavirus

Since December, a new coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, has killed at least 17 people and sickened close to 600. Cases continue to spread globally, with one identified in Washington state.

23 Jan 2020

Researchers identify novel cellular entry factor for AAV vector types

Researchers led by a team at Massachusetts Eye and Ear have identified a novel cellular entry factor for adeno-associated virus vector (AAV) types--the most commonly used viral vectors for in vivo gene therapy. AAVs are vectors-or vehicles--that are created from a virus that is made harmless by molecular engineering, and have shown promise transporting genetic therapy treatments to affected tissues.

23 Jan 2020