Virology News

May 9, 2024

Top Headlines

New Vaccine Effective Against Coronaviruses That Haven't Even Emerged Yet

May 6, 2024 — Researchers have developed a new vaccine technology that has been shown in mice to provide protection against a broad range of coronaviruses with potential for future disease outbreaks -- including ones we don't even know ...

GPS-Like System Shows Promise as HIV Vaccine Strategy to Elicit Critical Antibodies

May 9, 2024 — A team has developed a vaccine approach that works like a GPS, guiding the immune system through the specific steps to make broadly neutralizing antibodies against ...

Marine Bacteria Team Up to Produce a Vital Vitamin

May 8, 2024 — Two species of marine bacteria from the North Sea have established an unusual and sometimes destructive relationship to produce the important vitamin B12. The team's experiments show that the two microbial species have developed a coordinated ...

Promising New Treatment Strategy for Deadly Flu-Related Brain Disorders

May 2, 2024 — Researchers have found that a brain disorder associated with flu (influenza-associated encephalopathy, or IAE) can be caused by the influenza virus entering the brain from the blood via endothelial cells. In these cells, the researchers observed ...

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Progression of Herpesvirus Infection Remodels Mitochondrial Organization and Metabolism

May 7, 2024 — Researchers have found that herpesvirus infection modifies the structure and normal function of the mitochondria in the host cell. The new ...

Activation of Innate Immunity: Important Piece of the Puzzle Identified

May 2, 2024 — Researchers have deciphered the complex interplay of various enzymes around the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), which plays an important role in defending our bodies against ...

Key Functions of Therapeutically Promising Jumbo Viruses

May 1, 2024 — Viruses known as 'jumbo' phages are seen as a potential tool against deadly bacterial infections. But scientists must first decipher the extraordinary makeup of these mysterious viruses. Researchers ...

Scientists Discover New Phage Resistance Mechanism in Phage-Bacterial Arms Race

Apr. 8, 2024 — Scientists describe a new mechanism impacting the phage-bacterial arms race, a nanosized epibiotic parasite, TM7x, which helps its host bacterium (a ...

Study Details a Common Bacterial Defense Against Viral Infection

Apr. 26, 2024 — Researchers report on the molecular assembly of one of the most common anti-phage systems -- from the family of proteins called Gabija -- that is estimated to be used by at least 8.5%, and up to 18%, ...

Florida Dolphin Found With Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu

Apr. 26, 2024 — Report details first-ever finding of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in North American ...

How Immune Cells Communicate to Fight Viruses

Apr. 25, 2024 — Chemokines are signalling proteins that orchestrate the interaction of immune cells against pathogens and tumors. To understand this complex network, various techniques have been developed to ...

Can Climate Change Accelerate Transmission of Malaria? Pioneering Research Sheds Light on Impacts of Temperature

Apr. 24, 2024 — A groundbreaking study combined novel experimental data within an innovative modeling framework to examine how temperature might affect transmission ...

Giant Viruses Infect Deadly Parasite

Apr. 24, 2024 — The single-celled organism Naegleria fowleri ranks among the deadliest human parasites. Researchers have now discovered viruses that infect this harmful microbe. Named Naegleriavirus, these belong to ...

World's Chocolate Supply Threatened by Devastating Virus

Apr. 23, 2024 — A rapidly spreading virus threatens the health of the cacao tree and the dried seeds from which chocolate is made, jeopardizing the global supply of the world's most popular treat. Researchers have ...

Odor-Causing Bacteria in Armpits Targeted Using Bacteriophage-Derived Lysin

Apr. 23, 2024 — A research team has synthesized a lysin that during in vitro experiments targets bacteria responsible for producing odors in human ...

Dengue Fever Infections Have Negative Impacts on Infant Health for Three Years

Apr. 23, 2024 — Dengue infections in pregnant women may have a negative impact on the first years of children's lives, new research has ...

New Research Defines Specific Genomic Changes Associated With the Transmissibility of the Monkeypox Virus

Apr. 19, 2024 — Scientists have located and identified alterations in the monkeypox virus genome that potentially correlate with changes in the virus's transmissibility observed in the 2022 ...

Key Protein Regulates Immune Response to Viruses in Mammal Cells

Apr. 19, 2024 — Researchers have revealed the regulatory mechanism of a specific protein, TRBP, that plays a key role in balancing the immune response triggered by viral infections in mammal cells. These findings ...

Metabolic Health Before Vaccination Determines Effectiveness of Anti-Flu Response

Apr. 18, 2024 — The annual influenza vaccine has become less effective on average over time. One reason may be reduced vaccine efficacy in people with obesity than those with a healthier body mass index (BMI), while ...

Honey Bees Experience Multiple Health Stressors out-in-the-Field

Apr. 17, 2024 — It's not a single pesticide or virus stressing honey bees, and affecting their health, but exposure to a complex web of multiple interacting stressors encountered while at work pollinating ...

Real-Time Detection of Infectious Disease Viruses by Searching for Molecular Fingerprinting

Apr. 16, 2024 — Researchers develop breakthrough technology for wide-ranging and ultra-sensitive active nano-spectral sensor, surpassing current ...

How Seaweed Became Multicellular

Apr. 12, 2024 — A deep dive into macroalgae genetics has uncovered the genetic underpinnings that enabled macroalgae, or 'seaweed,' to evolve multicellularity. Three lineages of macroalgae developed ...

Innovative Antiviral Defense With New CRISPR Tool

Apr. 12, 2024 — The rise of RNA viruses like SARS-CoV-2 highlights the need for new ways to fight them. RNA-targeting tools like CRISPR/Cas13 are powerful but inefficient in the cytoplasm of cells, where many RNA ...

New Drug Prevents Flu-Related Inflammation and Lung Damage

Apr. 10, 2024 — Findings show a newly created drug can prevent runaway inflammation while still allowing the immune system to handle the virus, even when given late into ...

Scientists Identify Pro-Aging 'Sugar Signature' in the Blood of People Living With HIV

Apr. 10, 2024 — Scientists have identified sugar abnormalities in the blood that may promote biological aging and inflammation in people living with ...

New Diagnostic Tool Achieves Accuracy of PCR Tests With Faster and Simpler Nanopore System

Apr. 10, 2024 — A new diagnostic tool developed by researchers can test for SARS-CoV-2 and Zika virus with the same or better accuracy as high-precision PCR tests in a matter of ...

How Mosquito Larva Guts Could Help Create Highly Specific Insecticides

Apr. 8, 2024 — Did you know that the world's deadliest animal is the mosquito? And Aedes aegypti is one of the most dangerous. This bug spreads viruses that cause dengue fever, which was recently declared as ...

New Research Offers Insight Into the Future Understanding of MS and Its Treatments

Apr. 4, 2024 — Researchers have developed a new and unique blood test to measure the immune response to the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) which is the leading risk factor for developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Their ...

Discovery Could End Global Amphibian Pandemic

Apr. 3, 2024 — A fungus devastating frogs and toads on nearly every continent may have an Achilles heel. Scientists have discovered a virus that infects the fungus, and that could be engineered to save the ...

How the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Enters Our Cells

Mar. 28, 2024 — Researchers have identified how the tick-borne Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus enters our cells. The results are an important step in the development of drugs against the deadly ...

New Method Developed to Isolate HIV Particles

Mar. 28, 2024 — Researchers have developed a new method to isolate HIV from samples more easily, potentially making it easier to detect infection with the virus. They focus on peptide nanofibrils (PNFs) on magnetic ...

Old Immune Systems Revitalized in Mouse Study, Improving Vaccine Response

Mar. 27, 2024 — Those with aging immune systems struggle to fight off novel viruses and respond weakly to vaccination. Researchers were able to revitalize the immune system in ...

New Testing Approach Improves Detection of Rare but Emerging Powassan Virus Spread by Deer Ticks

Mar. 26, 2024 — Researchers have come up with a new, more accurate method for detecting in ticks the emerging Powassan virus, which can cause life-threatening neuroinvasive disease, including encephalitis and ...

Silicon Spikes Take out 96% of Virus Particles

Mar. 26, 2024 — An international research team has designed and manufactured a virus-killing surface that could help control disease spread in hospitals, labs and other high-risk ...