Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Domesticated animals hold the key to spread of viruses among humans and wildlife

Our domesticated animals - both pets and livestock - hold the key to the spread of viruses among humans and wildlife according to new research involving Swansea University.

19 Dec 2019

Developing brain vulnerable to HIV despite early treatment

A new study on how the HIV infection affects the development of intellect and other areas of brain development in children shows that early treatment doesn’t completely avert these negative outcomes. The paper, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases shows that HIV in children can lead to impaired learning, reasoning and brain functioning.

18 Dec 2019

Scientists extract complete human genome from a thousands-of-years old “chewing gum”

It seems that chewing gum is not a new trend! Researchers have found chewing gum that is 5,700 years old and it has provided clues regarding ancient DNA. A study with the findings was published in the journal Nature Communications. It is titled, “A 5,700-year-old human genome and oral microbiome from chewed birch pitch.”

18 Dec 2019

Study refutes link between increased levels of herpes virus and Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report today in the journal Neuron evidence that refutes the link between increased levels of herpes virus and Alzheimer's disease.

18 Dec 2019

MSU study: Despite early treatment, HIV still attacks children’s brains

The vast majority of children living with HIV today are in sub-Saharan Africa. While early antiretroviral therapy, or ART, has ensured less deadly outcomes for children living with and exposed to HIV, studies show the virus still may affect the brain.

18 Dec 2019

Using math equations to detect and forecast liver cancer risk

The use of mathematical modeling in the study of biological systems has become a challenging and rewarding field of research as it yields many unknown pieces of information. A new study published online on December 16, 2019, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS).

17 Dec 2019

Combination of two antibiotics eradicates latent tuberculosis in macaques

A major goal of tuberculosis (TB) research is to find a way to treat people with the latent (or inactive) form of the disease to keep them from developing symptomatic TB.

17 Dec 2019

Researchers identify protein that is key for successful viral DNA uncoating

Viruses have been part of animals and humans for eons. When viruses invade a cell, they can infiltrate the nucleus with their genome and become part of the genome of the infected organism. Viruses transfer their genes between various organisms, as well as between tissues containing well differentiated cells inside a living creature. But how they uncoat their well-packed genes and release them to cause infection is largely unknown.

17 Dec 2019

Tackling antibiotic resistance head-on with CRISPR

With modern advances in genetic engineering occurring almost every day, the latest discovery concerns antibiotic resistance. Using the powerful gene editor CRISPR, scientists reported the development of a gene-drive system that is 100 times as efficient as other current systems at inactivating a specific bacterial gene responsible for making the bacterium antibiotic-resistant and which is present as multiple copies within the same bacterial cell.

16 Dec 2019

Health officials urge children to get flu jabs this season

The holiday season is just around the corner and so is the anticipated flu season, which is expected to be worse this year. Public health officials warn parents to vaccinate their children against the influenza virus in abundance of precaution and to prevent serious complications.

16 Dec 2019

Higher temperatures and increased rainfall could make RSV epidemics less severe, more common

One of the first studies to examine the effect of climate change on diseases such as influenza that are transmitted directly from person to person has found that higher temperatures and increased rainfall could make outbreaks less severe but more common, particularly in North America.

16 Dec 2019

Detection of mouth, throat cancer through saliva testing could become reality

Cancer of the throat and mouth (oropharyngeal cancers, OPC) are common, and are increasing in incidence especially among younger people. However, these are difficult to diagnose as they are not seen either by the patient or during routine medical examinations.

15 Dec 2019

Novel HIV vaccine shows promise

There are millions living with HIV and researchers have been working towards making a successful vaccine against the deadly infection for the past 35 years with no success. Now a new blueprint is being developed to prevent the infection.

15 Dec 2019

Salk researchers uncover new function of mitochondria

Mitochondria, tiny structures present in most cells, are known for their energy-generating machinery. Now, Salk researchers have discovered a new function of mitochondria: they set off molecular alarms when cells are exposed to stress or chemicals that can damage DNA, such as chemotherapy.

15 Dec 2019

New structure for HIV-1 viral shell proposed

The matrix shell of the HIV-1 virus may have a different shape than previously thought, and a newly proposed model has significant implications for understanding how the virus functions, according to a new study by University of Alberta scientists.

14 Dec 2019

Salmonella causes nearly one in three foodborne outbreaks in the EU

Nearly one in three foodborne outbreaks in the EU in 2018 were caused by Salmonella. This is one of the main findings of the annual report on trends and sources of zoonoses published today by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

14 Dec 2019

Researchers make significant advances in developing novel Zika virus vaccine

Researchers from the University of Adelaide have made significant advances in developing a novel vaccine against Zika virus, which could potentially lead to global elimination of the disease.

14 Dec 2019

Neuroscientists develop new method for uniquely targeted gene therapy

Neuroscientists at Lund University in Sweden have developed a new technology that engineers the shell of a virus to deliver gene therapy to the exact cell type in the body that needs to be treated. The researchers believe that the new technology can be likened to dramatically accelerating evolution from millions of years to weeks.

13 Dec 2019

New technique may lead to earlier and easier detection of mouth and throat cancer

Unfortunately, cancers that occur in the back of the mouth and upper throat are often not diagnosed until they become advanced, partly because their location makes them difficult to see during routine clinical exams.

13 Dec 2019

Influenza research could pave way for new and improved drugs, vaccines

Researchers at the Centenary Institute and the University of Sydney have discovered a key reason as to why the influenza virus is so effective at establishing infection and causing damage in the lungs.

13 Dec 2019