New Hope for AFM: NIH Tests Experimental Monoclonal Antibody
A monoclonal antibody was developed from the blood of patients who were recovering. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a clinical trial to…
Virus News
A virus is a microscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses can infect all types of life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Structurally, viruses consist of genetic material (either DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protective protein coat called a capsid; some viruses also have an additional lipid envelope. They lack the cellular machinery necessary for their own energy production and reproduction, thus relying on the host cell’s metabolic machinery to replicate and produce new viral particles.
Alarming Findings: COVID-19 Triggers Lethal Lung Disease in Previously Unaffected Populations
Researchers discovered that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in a rare autoimmune disease among previously unaffected demographic groups, leading to the deaths…
Emerging Threat: New RNA Virus Found in Human Neurons
Researchers discovered Apocryptovirus odysseus, a new RNA virus linked to severe inflammation in Toxoplasma gondii-infected humans. An international team led by researchers at the University…
Scientists Uncover New Nidoviruses That Could Cause the Next Pandemic
Suddenly they appear and — like the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus — can trigger major epidemics: Viruses that nobody had on their radar. They are not really…
Pandemic Potential: New Research Shows H5N1 Bird Flu Can Transmit Through Air
New findings show that a strain of the H5N1 influenza virus has developed only a minimal capacity for airborne transmission. In March, the United States…
Brain-Eating Amoeba Meets Its Match: Unusual Giant Virus Discovered in Austria
A new, unusual giant virus has been discovered at a wastewater treatment plant near Vienna. The single-celled organism Naegleria fowleri ranks among the deadliest human…
Previously Unknown Rogue Immune Key to Chronic Viral Infections Discovered
Scientists discovered a previously unidentified rogue immune cell linked to poor antibody responses in chronic viral infections. Australian researchers have discovered a previously unknown rogue…
Columbia Study Proves Far-UVC Light Nearly Eradicates Airborne Viruses in Workspaces
Far-UVC light holds potential as an innovative approach to lower airborne virus concentrations in occupied indoor settings, yet its real-world efficacy remains unassessed. A new…
Revolutionary Silicon Spikes Destroy 96% of Viruses on Contact
An international research team led by RMIT University has designed and manufactured a virus-killing surface that could help control disease spread in hospitals, labs, and…
Scientists Propose New Way To Prevent Spread of Flu
Researchers have long understood that certain viruses and bacteria initiate infections by initially attaching to sugar molecules present on the cell surfaces lining the sinuses…
Deadlier With Time: Ancient DNA Reveals a Chicken Virus’ Evolutionary Leap
A group of scientists from around the world, including geneticists and disease biologists from the University of Oxford and LMU Munich, have utilized ancient DNA…
Which Virus Will Cause the Next Global Pandemic? Scientists Discover New Disease X Clues
Understanding the ancestry of virus families may assist researchers in pinpointing which variants possess the potential to become Disease X, the elusive pathogen responsible for…
The Invisible Defense: Gut Bacteria’s Surprising Role in Combating Flu and COVID-19
Researchers at the Center for Translational Antiviral Research within the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University have discovered that the makeup of gut…
Willow Bark Extract: A Revolutionary Antiviral From Nature
Willow bark, already the origin of aspirin, could now be the key to a vital new antiviral medication. From seasonal colds to stomach bugs, it’s…
Ocean’s Genetic Messengers: Tiny Vesicles Redefine Cell Communication
Extracellular vesicles significantly contribute more to horizontal gene transfer in oceans than previously thought. The oceans are teeming with microorganisms engaging in a dynamic exchange…
Bacteria-Killing Viruses: The Surprising Nutrient Packets for Mammalian Growth
Bacteriophages, also called phages, are viruses that infect and kill bacteria, their natural hosts. But from a macromolecular viewpoint, phages can be can be viewed…
Scientists Discover a Completely New Type of Enzyme That Helps Fight Genomic Parasites
Professor René Ketting’s team at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, Germany, along with Dr. Sebastian Falk’s group at the Max Perutz Labs…
Sharper and Smaller – Tiny CRISPR Tool Could Help Shred Viruses
Detailed 3D modeling aided Rice scientists in enhancing the system’s precision. Small and precise: These are the ideal characteristics for CRISPR systems, the Nobel-prize winning technology used…