Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year. Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and; about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.
An innovative gene-editing strategy could establish a new way for the body to manufacture therapeutic proteins-including certain kinds of highly potent antibodies the are naturally difficult to produce-by reprogramming the immune system itself.
The wave-shaped chart Ratul Chowdhury pulls up on a computer monitor in his office captures the evolutionary cat-and-mouse game his research lab is up against.
Viruses are masters at entering human cells, thanks to specialized proteins that coat their surfaces.
According to a study published by investigators at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences, a novel vaccine platform has been created to generate broad, protective immunity against multiple influenza virus infections, demonstrating potential as an effective mucosal vaccination approach.
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine have identified a potential approach to develop longer-lasting vaccines for respiratory viruses such as influenza and the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
A research team led by the Fisabio Foundation has demonstrated that dermcidin, an antimicrobial peptide produced constitutively by the human body, also exhibits antiviral activity against the influenza virus. The study also shows that people who do not develop flu-like symptoms have higher baseline levels of this molecule, which could be associated with lower susceptibility to infection.
According to a new study, the herpes simplex virus partially liquefies the densely packed, gel-like core of human cell nuclei to duplicate itself more quickly.
One of the biggest hurdles in developing an HIV vaccine is coaxing the body to produce the right kind of immune cells and antibodies. In most vaccines, HIV proteins are attached to a larger protein scaffolding that mimics a virus.
The COVID-19 pandemic gave us tremendous perspective on how wildly symptoms and outcomes can vary between patients experiencing the same infection.
Across all domains of life, immune defenses foil invading viruses by making it impossible for the viruses to replicate. Most known CRISPR systems target invading pathogens' DNA and chop it up to disable and modify genes, heading off infections at the (cellular) pass.
Researchers at ETH Zurich have achieved an unprecedented live, high-resolution visualization of influenza virus infection within living cells.
The rapid spread of animal diseases and pathogen evolution have long posed significant threats to the healthy development of animal husbandry.
Avian influenza viruses pose a specific risk to people, as they can multiply at temperatures exceeding a normal fever, which is a defense mechanism used by the body to halt viruses, according to new research conducted by Cambridge and Glasgow universities.
Studying T cells, the immune cells most responsible for responding to infections and cancers, just received a significant boost in the form of a new technique from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and "protein language" models can speed the design of monoclonal antibodies that prevent or reduce the severity of potentially life-threatening viral infections, according to a multi-institutional study led by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is one of life's most versatile molecules, with roles going far beyond being a messenger of genetic code, as it is fundamentally involved in gene regulation, processing, and maintenance across all living systems.
The Influenza A virus (IAV) has been the cause of six major flu pandemics, responsible for 50 to 100 million deaths globally.
Despite vaccines and treatments, SARS-CoV-2-the virus that causes COVID-19-continues to pose a global health threat, driven by new variants and its ability to hijack human cells in ways that still aren't fully understood.
Within the past few years, models that can predict the structure or function of proteins have been widely used for a variety of biological applications, such as identifying drug targets and designing new therapeutic antibodies.
In recent years, there has been growing concern over the H5N1 influenza virus. It was first identified in birds three decades ago and has now gradually found its way to humans.
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