Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Janus particles enable highly precise measurements in microfluidic devices

The importance of testing for diseases was thrust into the limelight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us have undergone a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) or ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) test within the past four years.

20 Sep 2024

New research strengthens the case for a zoonotic origin of COVID-19

A new international collaborative study provides a list of the wildlife species present at the market from which SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, most likely arose in late 2019. The study is based on a new analysis of metatranscriptomic data released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

20 Sep 2024

Drug-resistant SARS-CoV-2 variants found in immunocompromised patients

Individuals with compromised immunity and persistent COVID-19 infections can harbor drug-resistant variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which have the potential to spread to the general population found researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University and the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

18 Sep 2024

Antibiotic resistance threatens millions of lives worldwide

More than 39 million people around the world could die from antibiotic-resistant infections over the next 25 years, according to a study published in The Lancet.

18 Sep 2024

Survey reveals significant gaps in global pandemic preparedness

Abbott announced the findings of a new survey; among leading infectious disease experts around the world on the state of pandemic preparedness and found that while most agree that preparation has improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, respondents say significant gaps remain in building surveillance programs to identify emerging pathogens, public health funding and having adequate testing infrastructure capabilities.

18 Sep 2024

LJI breakthrough offers hope for universal antiviral against filoviruses

At this moment, the world has few tools to combat deadly filoviruses, such as Ebola and Marburg viruses. The only approved vaccine and antibody treatments protect against just one filovirus species.

17 Sep 2024

Seabirds' food-stealing behavior may facilitate spread of deadly avian flu

The deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus, which has killed millions of birds worldwide since 2021 – and in rare cases can be transmitted to humans – may be spread through the food-stealing behaviour of some seabirds.

16 Sep 2024

Study reveals high incidence of orthostatic intolerance in children with long COVID

A new study from Kennedy Krieger Institute shows that the majority of children diagnosed with long COVID are likely to experience orthostatic intolerance (OI), a condition that causes the body to struggle with regulating blood pressure and heart rate when standing up.

16 Sep 2024

Unexpected six-month pattern of COVID-19 cases discovered in the U.S.

COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have shown unexpected oscillating waves every six months between the southern states and the northern states and, to a lesser degree, from east to west, according to new research published today in Scientific Reports.

16 Sep 2024

Brain measurements prove more accurate in predicting mild cognitive impairment

University of Oklahoma researchers recently published a study showing that several measurements of the brain, including blood flow and the brain's ability to compensate for the lack of it, are better predictors of mild cognitive impairment than risk factors like hypertension and high cholesterol.

16 Sep 2024

SARS-CoV-2 exposure stabilizes BMI in infected adults while others see shifts

Real-world study reveals how SARS-CoV-2 infection influences body mass index, showing stable BMI in infected individuals while unexposed and pre-pandemic groups saw changes.

16 Sep 2024

Single dose of MVA-BN vaccine offers 58% protection against mpox

Researchers confirm the effectiveness of the modified vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic vaccine against mpox.

16 Sep 2024

Cardiovascular risks of COVID-19 antivirals

Study reviews cardiovascular side effects linked to antiviral therapies for COVID-19, highlighting the need for careful consideration when prescribing these drugs to high-risk patients.

16 Sep 2024

Australians with health conditions strongly advocate for ongoing COVID-19 safety measures

Study reveals that over half of Australians with underlying health conditions continue to support and follow COVID-19 mitigation measures, highlighting the ongoing public health concerns despite eased government mandates.

15 Sep 2024

NIH funds new research to combat emerging viruses

Albert Einstein College of Medicine has received a five-year, $14 million per year grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to participate in a broad national effort to develop "plug-and-play" vaccines and antibody-based therapies against a wide range of emerging viruses. The grant is part of NIAID's new Research and Development of Vaccines and Monoclonal Antibodies for Pandemic Preparedness (ReVAMPP) Network, which was announced earlier today.

14 Sep 2024

New research network focuses on high-priority viruses

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has established a pandemic preparedness research network to conduct research on high-priority pathogens most likely to threaten human health with the goal of developing effective vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. Currently, many of the diseases caused by these pathogens have no available vaccines or therapeutics, and investing in this research is key to preparing for potential public health crises - both in the United States and around the world. NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) expects to commit approximately $100 million per year to fund the program, pending the availability of funds.

14 Sep 2024