Virology News - SciTechDaily

The Scent of Hope: Innovative Treatment Restores Sense of Smell in Patients With Long COVID

Radiological Society of North America — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 11:15:34 +0000

Using an image-guided minimally invasive procedure, researchers may be able to restore the sense of smell in patients who have suffered with long-COVID, according to...

Viral Vampires: How Predatory Viruses Unlock Secrets to New Antiviral Treatments

Ivan Erill, University of Maryland, Baltimore County — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 12:07:38 +0000

Viruses, like humans, can fall ill due to other viruses. This phenomenon, demonstrated through satellite viruses like MiniFlayer, which attaches to other viruses such as...

How Lockdowns Shaped the Virus: AI Uncovers COVID-19’s Evolutionary Secrets

Nagoya University — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 13:38:14 +0000

A new research study shows that human behavior, like lockdowns, influences the evolution of COVID-19, leading to strains that are more transmissible earlier in their...

Scientists Shocked by First-Ever Observation of a Virus Latching Onto Another – “I Can’t Believe This”

University of Maryland Baltimore County — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 13:38:41 +0000

Results suggest many more similar systems exist to discover. No one had ever seen one virus latching onto another virus, until anomalous sequencing results sent...

MIT Coronavirus Ion Channel Discovery Could Yield New COVID-19 Drugs

Anne Trafton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 22:05:57 +0000

Chemists discover the structures of open and closed states of the channel, which could help the development of antiviral drugs to reduce inflammation. MIT researchers...

Serotonin Slump: The Viral Residue Connection to Long COVID Symptoms

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 15:14:11 +0000

Components of the SARS-CoV-2 virus remain in the gut of some long COVID patients, causing persistent inflammation, vagus nerve dysfunction, and neurological symptoms. Patients with...

Dry Survival: The Remarkable Resilience of Zika Mosquito Eggs

PLOS — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 05:01:58 +0000

Zika-carrying mosquito eggs can survive drying due to metabolic changes, offering potential control strategies. Eggs of the mosquito that carries Zika virus can tolerate extended...

Bats to the Rescue: Unraveling Immunity Secrets Against Viruses and Cancer

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 03:38:27 +0000

Scientists from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered that bats’ unique genes give them a robust immune system, protecting them from harmful viruses and...

Infectious Disease Experts Warn: Brace for Yellow Fever Resurgence in U.S.

Baylor College of Medicine — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 02:28:34 +0000

Experts warn of a potential resurgence of yellow fever in the American South, advocating for enhanced disease surveillance, antiviral development, and innovative mosquito control measures....

The Magic Bullet for HIV-1? Discovering the Powerhouse Antibody

Institut Pasteur — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:22:14 +0000

Researchers have identified “Post-treatment controllers” in HIV-1 carriers who can manage the virus after stopping treatment. A specific antibody, EPTC112, plays a crucial role in...

EVEscape: The AI Revolution in Forecasting Viral Variants Before They Emerge

Harvard Medical School — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 15:00:03 +0000

EVEscape predicts future viral mutations, new variants using evolutionary, biological information. New AI tool called EVEscape uses evolutionary and biological information to predict how a...

Beyond Long COVID: Scientists Discover Existence of “Long Colds”

Queen Mary University of London — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 08:01:21 +0000

The Lingering Aftermath of Respiratory Infections New research has found that people may experience long-term symptoms — or ‘long colds’ — after acute respiratory infections...

Eyes Don’t Lie: Unlocking Long COVID Secrets Through Blood Vessels in the Eye

Technical University of Munich (TUM) — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 22:01:03 +0000

A standardized eye examination might reveal in the future whether people are suffering from long Covid / post-Covid. A team of scientists was able to...

Unintended Side Effect: Antiviral Drug Linked to Unusual COVID-19 Virus Mutations

Francis Crick Institute — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 15:00:06 +0000

A study found a connection between the antiviral drug molnupiravir and distinct SARS-CoV-2 mutations, emphasizing the need for careful assessment in drug development. Researchers at...

VIR-1388: Clinical Trial of Preventive HIV Vaccine Begins

National Institutes of Health (NIH) — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 04:46:00 +0000

Novel vaccine includes NIH-funded technology in development since 2004. A trial of a preventive HIV vaccine candidate has begun enrollment in the United States and...

Unmasking Long COVID: The Unexpected Common Cold Connection

Brian Doctrow, Ph.D., NIH — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:44:51 +0000

A study suggests that “Long COVID” may be linked to immune imprinting, where past virus exposures influence responses to new infections. Individuals with PASC showed...

A Shot at Universality: NIH Kicks Off Clinical Trials for the Ultimate Flu Vaccine

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 23:02:05 +0000

Vaccine Candidate FluMos-v2 Targets Six Flu Strains A Phase 1 trial for the investigational universal influenza vaccine candidate, FluMos-v2, has started at the National Institutes...

Boosting Long-Lasting Immune Defense Against the Flu

University of Missouri-Columbia — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:44:40 +0000

New research findings can potentially support the development of more effective vaccines and therapeutics, ultimately increasing immunological memory to combat influenza and other respiratory infections....

Protect Yourself This Cold Season: How To Inactivate Common Cold Viruses

Ruhr-University Bochum — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 15:21:45 +0000

There is something we can all do to prevent the common cold virus RSV from spreading: disinfecting hands and surfaces as well as gargling with...

HIV Cure? An Existing Cancer Drug Shows Promise in Killing “Silent” HIV Cells and Delaying Reinfections

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 17:19:21 +0000

An existing blood cancer drug has shown promise in killing ‘silent’ HIV cells and delaying reinfections – a significant pre-clinical discovery that could lead to...

Scientists Sound the Alarm: COVID-19 Virus Is Rapidly Evolving in White-Tailed Deer

Ohio State University — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:00:37 +0000

Study finds deer are virus reservoirs, promoting ongoing mutation. New research has found that white-tailed deer across Ohio have been infected with the virus that...

A Sugar Connection: How the Original SARS-CoV-2 Strain May Have Jumped to Humans

The Rosalind Franklin Institute — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:25:58 +0000

The original SARS-CoV-2 strain was found to bind to sialic acids (a class of sugars) on human cells, a trait not seen in later strains....

COVID-19 Vaccine Showdown: Moderna Takes the Edge Over Pfizer-BioNTech for Seniors

Brown University — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 18:36:51 +0000

A study of older U.S. adults led by researchers at Brown University found that the risk of negative effects of both mRNA vaccines is exceptionally...

Viral Ping-Pong: “Swine Flu” Strain Has Passed From Humans to Pigs Nearly 400 Times Since H1N1 Pandemic

PLOS — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 16:30:25 +0000

Analysis provides further support for managing influenza A infection in people who work with swine. A new study of the strain of influenza A responsible...