Antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 infections: The more the better
Oxford University Hospital tracked infections in 12,500 of its healthcare workers. Enlarge / Oxford University is associated with the hospital that ran this study, as well as a vaccine that is currently undergoing clinical trials. (credit: Gallo.....»»
Research highlights data gap in SARS-CoV-2 cases in animals
COVID-19 in animals? The question got lost in the shuffle during the ongoing global pandemic. Research on SARS-CoV-2 has primarily focused on its implications for humans, despite the virus most likely being a zoonosis, a disease transmitted from anim.....»»
How the COVID-19 virus makes itself more infectious
Scientists at EPFL have uncovered a cunning strategy that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, uses to increase its infectivity......»»
Silky ants turn to aphids for medicine when sick
A small team of biologists and zoologists from Austria, the Netherlands, Germany and Finland has found evidence of silky ants consuming aphids to treat fungal infections. In their study, published in the journal Biology Letters, the group collected g.....»»
New antifungal molecule kills fungi without toxicity in human cells, mice
A new antifungal molecule, devised by tweaking the structure of prominent antifungal drug Amphotericin B, has the potential to harness the drug's power against fungal infections while doing away with its toxicity, researchers at the University of Ill.....»»
How bacteria support wound healing
Although they were not recognized as agents of disease until the late 19th century, the detrimental effects of bacterial infections have been known to humans for thousands of years. Some have even become mythical—for example, during the American Ci.....»»
How cord-like aggregates of bacteria lead to tuberculosis infections
The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), a serious respiratory infection, to form snake-like cords was first noted nearly 80 years ago. In a study published October 20 in the journal Cell, investigators report the biophysical mechanisms by wh.....»»
Nanocarriers study shows antibodies against polyethylene glycol in 83% of the German population
It has long been known that people can form defenses and thus antibodies against viruses. But antibodies can also develop against polyethylene glycol (PEG), a substance used in cosmetics, food and medicine. These influence the effectiveness of drugs......»»
Broad-spectrum antiviral candidate targets dengue and SARS-CoV-2
A broad-spectrum antiviral drug candidate, 2-thiouridine, that targets positive-strand RNA viruses has been identified and characterized......»»
Novel hydrogel finds new aptamers, or "chemical antibodies," in days
One double-helix strand of DNA could extend six feet, but it is so tightly coiled that it packs an entire sequence of nucleotides into the tiny nucleus of a cell. If that same DNA was instead split into two strands and divided into many, many short p.....»»
The deep slumber of a hospital pathogen: Why infections with Acinetobacter baumannii can flare up again and again
The bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii is an extremely dangerous pathogen that is found, among other places, in hospitals. Many of the bacterial strains are resistant to different classes of antibiotics. Infections with Acinetobacter baumannii were fi.....»»
Targeting a coronavirus ion channel could yield new COVID-19 drugs
The genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus encodes 29 proteins, one of which is an ion channel called E. This channel, which transports protons and calcium ions, induces infected cells to launch an inflammatory response that damages tissues and contributes t.....»»
Research team clarifies molecular mechanisms of fungal infections
Fungal infections pose a threat to humans, animals and plants, and can have serious consequences. Together with colleagues from Frankfurt/Main and Aachen, a research team from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has now clarified an important.....»»
Scientists discover how the SARS-CoV-2 virus initiates replication program in infected cells
How SARS-CoV-2 initiates its replication process during infection is not yet fully understood. Researchers from the Helmholtz Institute Würzburg have now shown for the first time in the journal Cell that it is the human protein SND1 that works toget.....»»
BSI-AST chip: A powerful tool to accelerate antimicrobial susceptibility testing for bloodstream infections
The presence of viable bacteria in the blood (bacteremia) when not controlled properly can lead to bloodstream infection (BSI) and sepsis, a syndromic inflammatory response......»»
Current ransomware defensive efforts are not working
Despite some positive developments, the impact of ransomware attacks remains high, according to SpyCloud. Infostealer infections preceded 22% of ransomware events for North American and European ransomware victim companies in 2023 – with common inf.....»»
Current ransomware defenses efforts are not working
Despite some positive developments, the impact of ransomware attacks remains high, according to SpyCloud. Infostealer infections preceded 22% of ransomware events for North American and European ransomware victim companies in 2023 – with common inf.....»»
Apple warns Russian journalists of Pegasus iPhone infections
Apple has started to warn Russian journalists that they are the targets of attacks using Pegasus, spyware used by governments to hack and monitor iPhones.Pegasus is well known for being a tool by governments and law enforcement agencies around the wo.....»»
Scientists create anti-bacterial gel that is significantly more effective than other silver-based drugs
Russian scientists have developed an anti-bacterial gel based on silver and sulfur-containing amino acids. It is a hundred times more effective than other silver-based counterparts that also fights bacteria causing nosocomial infections......»»
Converting plant wastes into antimicrobial agents that could prevent pathogenic infections
Nebraska researchers are converting plant wastes into antimicrobial agents that could help prevent pathogenic infections and death while significantly lowering the cost of antimicrobial treatments and being a boon to the bioeconomy......»»
COVID mutates rapidly in white-tailed deer, but here"s why we don"t need to worry—for now
At some point during the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, spread from humans to white-tailed deer in the US......»»