Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Fetal gut has more well-developed immune capabilities than previously thought

Most biology textbooks explain that the fetal immune system is largely undeveloped and that it learns after being exposed to the world at birth. New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh challenges that paradigm, and provides the first comprehensive look at the immune system of the developing gut.

10 Oct 2019

Scientists show how the immune system reacts to Ebola vaccine

Following the dramatic Ebola epidemic in West Africa from 2013 to 2016, viral infections have spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2018. Since then, more than 2,100 deaths have been reported and the number of victims and new infections increases daily.

10 Oct 2019

Scientists uncover details of antibody response to Ebola virus vaccine

In the recurring, deadly Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa, today's health workers now have at least some tools to fight the disease: vaccines. Vaccines against Ebola have been administered to over 100,000 people to date, but they are barely out of the experimental stage.

10 Oct 2019

CRISPR RNA-cutting enzyme programmed to destroy viruses in human cells

Many of the world's most common or deadly human pathogens are RNA-based viruses -- Ebola, Zika and flu, for example -- and most have no FDA-approved treatments.

10 Oct 2019

Scientists find new evidence on latent HIV reservoir

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) can suppress HIV to the point where the virus is nearly undetectable, and people on medication can live many years.

10 Oct 2019

Initial use of ART alters host environment to allow formation of long-lived HIV reservoir

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) can suppress HIV to the point where the virus is nearly undetectable, and people on medication can live many years. But therapy cannot completely eradicate the virus; it persists in reservoirs inside immune cells, a phenomenon called "latency."

9 Oct 2019

Army scientists develop new weapon to combat super-bugs

Antibiotic resistance is a one of the world's most pressing public health problems. Army scientists have developed a new weapon to combat super-bugs, which could protect Soldiers and fight resistance.

9 Oct 2019

Cell death 'blocker' could speed recovery and save lives

Scientists in Australia have shown that they can successfully stop the process of cell death (apoptosis) through a revolutionary new compound.

9 Oct 2019

New discovery brings scientists closer to developing an RSV vaccine

Scientists have made an important discovery that could lead to a vaccine that will protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

9 Oct 2019

Vaccine for deadly RSV could be on the way, scientists say

A vaccine for the common and sometimes deadly RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) has been elusive, but scientists say a new discovery puts them much closer to success.

9 Oct 2019

Scientists discover new patterns in the evolution of the influenza virus

Researchers from Skoltech have found that the devious influenza virus is capable of new patterns of evolution and mutation in order to escape treatment with the currently available drugs and prevention with the currently available vaccines. This discovery however could help researchers predict the potential mutations in the genome of the virus and ultimately help them develop and design more effective vaccines against influenza.

9 Oct 2019

New patterns discovered in the evolution of influenza virus

Skoltech scientists discovered new patterns in the evolution of the influenza virus. This may help predict mutations in the viral genome and ultimately help design better vaccines.

8 Oct 2019

Study: UNAIDS HIV targets will be missed among men who have sex with men in Africa

Despite improvements in HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Africa, many are missing out on HIV treatment.

8 Oct 2019

30 percent of the world’s children not protected against rubella

A new study carried out by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that a historic milestone has been crossed – over 50% of the world’s babies are now safe from rubella, or German measles. The disease has not been detected for a year or more in more than 80 countries all over the world.

7 Oct 2019

Study identifies a common denominator that triggers asthma in favorable environments

In recent decades, asthma has become a major public health problem. The exponential increase in asthma cases in industrialized countries over the past 50 years is due to major changes in our environment.

7 Oct 2019

Video images offer real-time view into the kinetics of viral assembly

For the first time, researchers have captured images of the formation of individual viruses, offering a real-time view into the kinetics of viral assembly. The research provides new insights into how to fight viruses and engineer self-assembling particles.

4 Oct 2019