Virus News and Research

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A virus is a microscopic infectious agent that can reproduce only inside a host cell. Viruses infect all types of organisms: from animals and plants, to bacteria and archaea. Since the initial discovery of tobacco mosaic virus by Martinus Beijerinck in 1898, more than 5,000 types of virus have been described in detail, although most types of virus remain undiscovered. Viruses are ubiquitous, as they are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth, and are the most abundant type of biological entity on the planet. The study of viruses is known as virology, and is a branch of microbiology.

Researchers identify key target to prevent viruses from disarming the human immune response

Viruses such as HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C evade or disrupt the immune system to create persistent infections.

11 Nov 2020

Researchers discover new 'hidden' gene in SARS-CoV-2

Researchers have discovered a new "hidden" gene in SARS-CoV-2--the virus that causes COVID-19--that may have contributed to its unique biology and pandemic potential.

11 Nov 2020

Scientists identify potential targets against coronavirus

Scientists comprehensively studied the RNA genomic structure of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

11 Nov 2020

Study suggests that melatonin may be a viable treatment option for COVID-19

New findings indicate that melatonin could be a potential treatment option for COVID-19.

10 Nov 2020

Genetic disposition may play a key role in the human immune system

According to a new study headed by the University of Bonn, a genetic disposition that is involved in the development of the heart in the embryo also seems to play a major role in the human immune system.

10 Nov 2020

Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein may improve monoclonal antibody resistance

A recent paper examines a mutation of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 that has been observed to have arisen independently twice.

10 Nov 2020

Study may help develop new antiviral drugs against COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus that is responsible for causing COVID-19 infection. It uses multiple steps to attack the body.

9 Nov 2020

Genetically edited form of herpes simplex virus outperforms key vaccine candidate

A genetically edited form of a herpes simplex virus -- rewired to keep it from taking refuge in the nervous system and eluding an immune response -- has outperformed a leading vaccine candidate in a new study from the University of Cincinnati, Northwestern University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

9 Nov 2020

Researchers show how encapsulated viruses hijack biosynthetic pathways in cells

Researchers from the Universities of Melbourne, York, Warwick and Oxford have shed light on how encapsulated viruses like hepatitis B, dengue and SARS-CoV-2 hijack the protein manufacturing and distribution pathways in the cell - they have also identified a potential broad spectrum anti-viral drug target to stop them in their tracks.

9 Nov 2020

Study shows how coronavirus block cells’ ability to produce protective proteins

One of the novel coronavirus' most insidious tricks is that it can block the ability of cells to produce protective proteins without hindering its own ability to replicate.

6 Nov 2020

Scientists use genomics to track the outbreak of Yellow fever virus in São Paulo

Yellow fever virus is normally confined to the Amazon region, but the virus circulated in the Southeast of Brazil between 2016 and 2018, causing the worst epidemic and epizootic outbreaks there for decades. The Ministry of Health confirmed 2,251 cases of yellow fever in humans and 1,567 cases in monkeys in Brazil between December 2016 and June 2019.

6 Nov 2020

Composition of virus communities is shaped by host genetic factors

Plants can be infected by multiple viruses at once. However, the composition of the pathogen community varies, even if individuals belong to the same species and the same population.

6 Nov 2020

Highly automated device rapidly detects the presence of COVID-19

Throughout the pandemic, infectious disease experts and frontline medical workers have asked for a faster, cheaper and more reliable COVID-19 test.

6 Nov 2020

Researchers outline the future effects of global warming on major cancers

Climate change will bring an acute toll worldwide, with rising temperatures, wildfires and poor air quality, accompanied by higher rates of cancer, especially lung, skin and gastrointestinal cancers, according to a new report from UC San Francisco.

6 Nov 2020

New research finds clues for disarming antibiotic-resistant bacteria

A virus can stop bacteria from sharing genes for antibiotic resistance among themselves, Texas A&M AgriLife researchers have discovered.

4 Nov 2020

Researchers unlock new possibilities for development of sustainable, clean bioenergy

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have unlocked new possibilities for the future development of sustainable, clean bioenergy.

4 Nov 2020

Researchers use new technology to design promising vaccine for COVID-19

A new nanoparticle vaccine candidate developed for the novel coronavirus creates virus-neutralizing antibodies in mice at levels that are 10 times higher than is observed in individuals, who have recovered from the COVID-19 disease.

4 Nov 2020

Study shows memory T cells are formed earlier than previously thought

A person will acquire immunity to a specific disease when T cells develop into memory cells after making contact with pathogens.

4 Nov 2020

Mature SARS-CoV-2 particle development by host-protein interactions

The proteins of SARS-CoV-2 play a key role in self-arrangement and particle formation, and current work suggests that an assembly is formed in the lipid bilayer of the endoplasmic reticulum.

3 Nov 2020

BMA: Most hospital trusts do not have a policy to reduce consumption of single-use plastics

Almost six out of ten hospital trusts don’t have plans in place to manage or reduce their consumption of single-use plastics, according to BMA research on climate change

2 Nov 2020