How to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 virus
In the absence of effective treatments for COVID-19, many countries have approved the therapeutic use of blood plasma from recovering patients because it contains antibodies against the coronavirus. But not every type of antibody can neutralize the v.....»»
Android will now scan sideloaded apps for malware at install time
Sideloaded app installs can be delayed by a fullscreen virus-scanner interface. Enlarge / Google's new malware scanner for sideloaded apps. (credit: Google) The Google Play Store might not be perfect for stopping Android.....»»
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.....»»
The Flu Vaccine Works--In a Way Most People Don"t Appreciate
The CDC is emphasizing how the flu vaccine can turn the virus from “Wild to Mild”.....»»
Gene-edited chickens in the fight against bird flu
Scientists have used gene editing techniques to identify and change parts of chicken DNA that could limit the spread of the bird flu virus in the animals......»»
After COVID killed off a flu strain, annual flu shots are in for a redesign
It's TBD how and when a reformulation will happen, but it's now in the works. Enlarge / The flu virus, showing the H and N proteins on its surface. (credit: CDC) Vaccine advisors for the Food and Drug Administration vote.....»»
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.....»»
Why It"s Too Soon to Call It Covid Season
Covid seems to spike twice a year—but unlike with flu season, not in a predictable pattern. That could be due to the virus, the environment, or the people it is infecting......»»
WHO says flu vaccines should ditch strain that vanished during COVID
Influenza viruses in the B/Yamagata lineage have not been seen since March 2020. Enlarge / Influenza virus. Image produced from an image taken with transmission electron microscopy. Viral diameter ranges from around 80 to 120 nm......»»
How disordered proteins contribute to the properties of the rabies virus
A large team of international researchers have used techniques at ANSTO's Australian Synchrotron to understand how key proteins contribute to the virulence of the rabies virus, sometimes called the "zombie virus.".....»»
Using a cutting enzyme and an RNA repair enzyme to modify RNA virus genomes
A team of microbiologists at Montana State University has developed a way to use a cutting enzyme and an RNA repair enzyme to modify the genome of an RNA virus. They describe their technique in Science Advances......»»
RSV vaccine during pregnancy gets seasonal sign-off from CDC
The vaccine is recommended for use only in the run-up to RSV season. Enlarge / An intensive care nurse cares for a patient suffering from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), who is being ventilated in the children's intensive car.....»»
Inside the Race to Stop a Deadly Viral Outbreak in India
Quick thinking and medical sleuthing allowed Kerala to contain a potentially disastrous Nipah virus outbreak this month—but with viral spillovers happening more frequently, containment is a fragile shield......»»
Researchers develop tool to quickly and accurately identify mobile genetic elements like plasmids and virus
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are genetic entities that seek to replicate themselves and spread from cell to cell. Two of the most common forms of MGEs are viruses and plasmids. They can be found in virtually all of Earth's ecosystems......»»
Nanoparticle vaccine candidate shows promise against emerging tick-borne virus in early studies
Cleveland Clinic researchers have used nanoparticles to develop a potential vaccine candidate against Dabie Bandavirus, formerly known as Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus (SFTSV), a tick-borne virus that currently has no prevention,.....»»
US to again offer free COVID tests ahead of respiratory virus season
On Monday, households can order 4 free tests with shipments expected to start Oct. 2. Enlarge (credit: Getty | picture alliance) Americans will again have an opportunity to receive free at-home COVID-19 rapid tests from.....»»
New imaging technique detects virus movement in unprecedented detail
Proteins are the workhorses of biological systems, carrying out their work with extraordinary precision and speed. For years, observing proteins in action has been a significant challenge, as imaging methods often lacked sufficient speed and resoluti.....»»
A newly identified virus emerges from the deep
The Mariana Trench, the deepest place on Earth, plunges nearly 11,000 meters at its lowest point on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Life persists in the deep and cold darkness, and "wherever there's life, you can bet there are regulators at work," sa.....»»
Incubator or barrier? Exploring the links between agriculture, biodiversity and the spread of pathogens
Many pathogens, including the virus that causes COVID-19, are thought to have originated in wild animals before spilling into human populations......»»
Accelerometers that read behavior of wild boars can detect when they are infected with a fatal virus
Behavioral sensors attached to wild boars have been used to detect when animals are sick with African Swine Fever, a fatal viral disease that affects both boar and domestic pigs. Accelerometer sensors, which measure tiny changes in movement, showed t.....»»
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......»»