Virus News and Research

RSS

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.

DNA "fingerprints" help scientists to track the health and whereabouts of sea turtles

DNA "fingerprints" left behind by sea turtles offer scientists a simple, powerful way of tracking the health and whereabouts of these endangered animals, a key step forward in their conservation.

26 May 2022

Researchers understand the mechanisms of deadly fungal infections

Worldwide research on Fusarium oxysporum discovered that the lack of a certain type of enzyme boosts the incidence of infection, paving the way for new ways to limit its infection.

23 May 2022

Type I interferon may activate a potent immune response against harmful viruses

Researchers at McMaster University have discovered not only how specific viral infections potentially cause tissue damage, but also how to prevent it.

23 May 2022

New technique can reduce the incidence of leafroll disease in vineyards

Removing not only a diseased grapevine but the two vines on either side of it can reduce the incidence of leafroll disease, a long-standing bane of vineyards around the world, Cornell University researchers have found.

20 May 2022

Research reveals that pain-blocking neurotransmitters offer long-term relief in mice

An international team of researchers found that a gene therapy that prevents targeted nerve cell signaling substantially lower neuropathic pain with no detectable side effects.

From UC San Diego 12 May 2022

Study shows how COVID-19 deaths occur in aging due to genetic limit on cell division

The ability of the human immune system to fight COVID-19, like any infection, is primarily dependent on its ability to multiply immune cells capable of eliminating the disease-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus.

12 May 2022

New software device makes genetic information analysis simpler

Researchers from Texas Biomedical Research Institute and Tulane University have created a new software device that makes analyzing genetic data about a host and its microbiome at the very same time simpler, quicker, and less expensive.

10 May 2022

Researchers analyze immune system genetic diversity, likely to affect endangered toad existence

The immune system diversity of the critically endangered Wyoming toad is examined in new research, which indicates that genetic bottlenecks can affect a species’ capabilities to react to novel infections.

3 May 2022

Study reveals genetic architecture of COVID-19 risk factors and disease complications

According to a recent study of information from the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program, there are genetic correlations between COVID-19 severity and specific medical disorders that are established risk factors for severe COVID-19.

3 May 2022

RNA binding proteins in T cells help generate an effective immune response

Two RNA binding proteins have been discovered to be the key to a greater immune reaction to influenza in mice, according to researchers at the Babraham Institute.

29 Apr 2022

CD8 + Tscm may has protective immunity to hepatitis C virus infection

The dysfunction of memory CD8 + T cell can not be reverted by successful clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) after direct-acting antivirals (DAA) therapy, increasing the risk of reinfection with HCV.

25 Apr 2022

SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect a specialized type of kidney cell

The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, can directly infect a specialized type of kidney cell.

22 Apr 2022

Astrocyte abnormalities may play a pivotal role in causing ASD symptoms

Abnormalities in a type of brain cell called astrocytes may play a pivotal role in causing some behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

22 Apr 2022

Releasing Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes to protect the global community from dengue

Dengue is the most widespread mosquito-borne disease in the world, and to date, there are no medical treatments for people suffering from this disease.

21 Apr 2022

A single mutation can enhance the virulence of Zika virus

Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found that Zika virus can mutate to become more infective-;and potentially break through pre-existing immunity.

13 Apr 2022

VectorBuilder to expand with $500 million ‘Gene Delivery Research and Manufacturing Campus

VectorBuilder Inc. has announced the construction of a new R&D and manufacturing center in Guangzhou, China.

From VectorBuilder 12 Apr 2022

Understanding the role of ORF8 viral gene in COVID-19 infection and outcomes

A research team led by Jae Jung, PhD, Director of Cleveland Clinic's Global Center for Pathogen & Human Health Research, has uncovered the critical role a viral gene, ORF8, plays in infection and disease outcomes of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19.

8 Apr 2022

Researchers uncover a treasure trove of new data about RNA viruses

Ocean water samples collected around the world have yielded a treasure trove of new data about RNA viruses, expanding ecological research possibilities and reshaping our understanding of how these small but significant submicroscopic particles evolved.

8 Apr 2022

Combining organoids and microfluidics to study how the immune system responds to hepatitis C

A vaccine for hepatitis C has eluded scientists for more than 30 years, for several reasons. For one, the virus that causes the disease comes in many genetic forms, complicating the creation of a widely effective vaccine.

7 Apr 2022

Checkpoint immunotherapy acts as an interface between killer T cells and dendritic cells

Chronic viral infections and cancers can damage the immune system permanently, diminishing the ability of immune killer T cells to destroy tumor cells or virus-infected cells—a condition known as “immune exhaustion.”

5 Apr 2022