Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Simple smartphone-based method for detecting extremely low levels of norovirus

A little bit of norovirus - the highly infectious microbe that causes about 20 million cases of food poisoning in the United States each year - goes a long way. Just 10 particles of the virus can cause illness in humans.

27 Aug 2019

Studying human behavior might help curb mosquito-borne illness

Control and prevention of Aedes-transmitted viruses, such as dengue, chikungunya, or Zika relies heavily on vector control approaches. Given the effort and cost involved in implementation of vector control, targeting of control measures is highly desirable. However, it is unclear to what extent the effectiveness of highly focal and reactive control measures depends on the commuting and movement patterns of humans.

27 Aug 2019

Hidden Zika outbreak in Cuba uncovered by genomic sequencing and travel data

Researchers from the Scripps have stumbled upon evidence of a hidden outbreak of Zika virus infection in Cuba, around 300 miles from the coast of Miami. The researchers managed to detect the outbreak by some detective work that used air travel patterns as well as genome sequencing of the viral samples.

25 Aug 2019

Needle stick injuries are common and can transmit many blood-borne pathogens

Needle stick injuries (NSIs) can transmit more than 20 blood-borne pathogens, including HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and, more rarely, malaria, human T cell leukemia virus and Ebola.

25 Aug 2019

New approach to detection reveals unreported Zika outbreak in 2017

Public health experts in the US have discovered that the Zika virus may still be spreading in the Americas, despite case reporting having approached close to zero.

23 Aug 2019

Harnessing power of CRISPR to control behavior of DNA-responsive materials

The CRISPR-Cas system has become the go-to tool for researchers who study genes in an ever-growing list of organisms, and is being used to develop new gene therapies that potentially can correct a defect at a single nucleotide position of the vast reaches of the genome.

23 Aug 2019

Nigeria on the brink of being polio free

There have been no reported cases of polio in Nigeria for the last three years and the nation may soon be declared free of the crippling viral disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria has come a long way since 2012 when it had almost half of the global number of polio cases.

21 Aug 2019

New study provides a better understanding of Merkel cell carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive type of skin cancer. Also called neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin, it is much less common than most other types of skin cancer. But, it’s one of the most dangerous types since it’s more likely to spread to the other parts of the body.

21 Aug 2019

Measles back in UK three years after elimination

The United Kingdom was declared to be free of measles infection three years back in 2016 by the World Health Organization (WHO). In a recent development, due to the increasing number of cases of measles among unvaccinated children, the WHO has declared that UK can no longer be called measles-free.

20 Aug 2019

Largest genomic analysis could help improve treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma patients

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, aggressive skin tumor that is diagnosed in approximately 2,000 people each year in the United States.

20 Aug 2019

Religion may play role in HPV vaccination rate for female college students

It's been more than a decade since a vaccine was introduced to prevent contraction of human papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S.

19 Aug 2019

Increase in employment rates shows strong link to spread of flu, study finds

When it comes to the flu, the most effective way to keep it from spreading is to stay home, even if it means taking a few days off work.

19 Aug 2019

Humic substances extracted from coal can help fight viruses

Scientists from Russia demonstrated a novel approach leveraging the combination of high-resolution mass spectrometry and chemoinformatics to identify biologically active molecular components of humic substances extracted from coal, and discovered substances with antiviral activity against the tick-borne encephalitis virus.

19 Aug 2019

Molecular mechanism of enterovirus infection uncovered

Researchers from the Nanoscience Center at the University of Jyväskylä in collaboration with those at the University of Helsinki have found that body proteins called albumin and certain ions within the attacked host cells can affect the genetic workings of enteroviruses and enhance their infection.

19 Aug 2019

Research reveals physiological events leading to successful enterovirus infection

Enteroviruses are one of the most common human pathogens leading to high number of acute and chronic infections worldwide.

19 Aug 2019

Influenza A virus host range restricted by dysregulated expression of M gene segment

The host range of the influenza A virus is restricted by dysregulated expression of the M viral gene segment, according to a study published August 15 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Anice Lowen and John Steel of Emory University School of Medicine, and colleagues.

From PLOS ONE 16 Aug 2019

Boosting a single brain molecule can change 'dispositional anxiety' in nonhuman primates

Boosting a single molecule in the brain can change "dispositional anxiety," the tendency to perceive many situations as threatening, in nonhuman primates, researchers from the University of California, Davis, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found.

16 Aug 2019

Researchers gain new insights into the mechanism of vaccine-induced T cell immunity

A team led by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research has gained new insights into the mechanism of vaccine-induced T cell immunity utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing and metabolic profiling techniques.

16 Aug 2019

Herpes treatment greatly improved by adding charcoal

A novel charcoal-based drug-delivery system to treat herpes infections topically shows greatly improved efficacy over conventional treatment. Here, the medication called acyclovir, commonly used for herpes infection, was combined with activated carbon particles.

15 Aug 2019

Mortality risk from yellow fever can be identified sooner

Approximately ten out of every 100 people who are bitten by mosquitos infected by the yellow fever virus develop symptoms of the disease. Although most infected people do not develop the disease, it is lethal to approximately 40% of those who do.

14 Aug 2019