Articles tagged with Viral Infections
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have identified a blood-borne immune system compound that suppresses antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection, a phenomenon linked to some viral disease outbreaks. C1q, a key immune compound, blocks ADE by blocking the virus' ability to hijack antibodies.
Researchers found that avian polyomaviruses spread through an 'upwards vertical' route, from offspring to parents via nestling faeces, highlighting a previously unnoticed cost of parental care. This study may open new research agendas on the evolution of virulence and coevolution of vectors, viruses, and hosts in the wild.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute have developed two new tests that can identify lethal prion strains quickly and accurately. The tests, the Standard Scrapie Cell Assay and the Cell Panel Assay, significantly accelerate prion research by producing results in under two weeks.
Researchers found that treating patients with psychiatric disorders for hepatitis C yields a sustained viral response without increased risk of side effects. The study suggests using a multidisciplinary team and anti-depressant agents can lessen depressive reactions during treatment.
A new aerosol launches an immune response in the lungs to wipe out lethal infections, including bacterial and fungal infections. The treatment showed an 83% survival rate against pneumococcal pneumonia in mice treated with the aerosol before exposure.
A Chikungunya virus outbreak in Italy emphasizes the need for preparedness and response to emerging infectious threats as globalisation increases. The disease was fairly mild in nearly all cases, with only one reported death.
Researchers found that eltrombopag boosted platelet counts in a majority of patients with low platelet counts and cirrhosis due to HCV infection, allowing most to continue or start conventional antiviral treatment. The study's results are an important development for people infected with the hepatitis C virus worldwide.
New study reveals that alcohol and tobacco use do not increase the risk of head and neck cancers in people infected with HPV16, a common strain of the sexually-transmitted virus. The findings suggest two distinct causes for these major cancers, requiring different prevention and treatment strategies.
Scientists at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health used MassTag PCR to detect a new human rhinovirus as the cause of severe pediatric respiratory tract infections in Europe. Human rhinoviruses are frequent causes of respiratory illness worldwide, and this discovery confirms earlier findings in New York.
A recent study published by the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston found that bites from uninfected mosquitoes can make West Nile virus worse in lab mice. The research showed a significant increase in mortality rates when mice were exposed to multiple mosquito feedings before being infected with West Nile virus.
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine found that viral infections like poliovirus target a protein called G3BP, which helps cells respond to stress. This disruption prevents the virus from being translated into proteins and killing the cells.
Researchers found that Yellowstone viruses migrate from pool to pool through droplets of steam, thriving in acidic environments even when hosts are rare. This discovery sheds light on how these viruses survive and interact with microbes in hostile surroundings.
Researchers found that severe respiratory viral infections induce an allergic-type immune response, leading to long-term changes in the airways of mice. Interfering with this process could potentially prevent childhood asthma.
Researchers identified three pathways common to in vitro and in vivo dengue virus infections, including the NF-kappaB initiated immune pathway, type I interferon pathway, and ubiquitin proteasome pathway. Inhibiting these pathways resulted in significant inhibition of viral replication, suggesting new avenues for drug development.
Researchers have identified multiple genes that confer broad-spectrum resistance to Turnip Mosaic Virus in brassicas like broccoli and cabbage. This discovery has the potential to develop resilient crop varieties that can withstand virus mutations.
A new laser technique uses femtosecond pulses to selectively destroy viruses and bacteria, including those causing AIDS and hospital infections. The treatment is non-toxic to human cells, offering a promising solution for disinfection and disease treatment.
Synagis, a monoclonal antibody, is the standard of care for preventing severe RSV infections in high-risk infants. The new analysis found that preventing RSV early in life makes economic sense by reducing potential costs of future complications and improving quality of life.
Researchers found that avian influenza viruses can infect children's cells more easily than adults' due to the widespread distribution of sialic acid receptors in children's lower respiratory tract. This may explain why avian H5N1 viruses can infect human upper respiratory tracts despite lacking traditional receptors.
A team of scientists will use a systems biology approach to build a detailed picture of immune system function, focusing on innate and adaptive immunity. The research aims to develop new treatments, diagnostics, and vaccines for infectious diseases.
Exogenous sphingomyelinase was found to increase intestinal permeability in vitro by altering the composition of tight junctions. This is achieved through the localized accumulation of ceramide at cell-cell contacts, leading to increased permeability and changes in the epithelial barrier.
Research suggests viruses like Human Ad-36 may play a role in causing obesity in humans, with evidence showing weight gain and fat storage in infected animals. Studies also found connections between viral infections and obesity in human subjects, including exposure to the Ad-36 virus.
Researchers found that influenza vaccine was more effective in a semi-urban population than in a rural population of schoolchildren in Gabon, Africa. Infection with parasites and/or poor nutrition may compromise immune responses to the flu vaccine.
A virtual simulation model called Pathogen Simulation (PathSim) was developed to study the progression of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in humans. The researchers used PathSim to simulate EBV infection and observe its impact on the immune system, finding critical switch points that determine disease progression.
A common human virus, Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), has been found to be associated with the deadliest form of brain tumors, glioblastoma multiforme. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have developed a vaccine targeting HCMV that could empower the body's immune system to fight infected tumor cells and destroy cancer.
Researchers found that West Nile virus can spread through nerve cells, breaking into the central nervous system and triggering acute flaccid paralysis. Injection of a therapeutic antibody blocked both encephalitis and paralysis in laboratory animals.
A recent study found that one in every 1,300 blood donors tested positive for dengue virus in Puerto Rico, highlighting the risk of transfusion-associated transmission. The disease is also grossly underreported globally, with an estimated 8 million cases and nearly 20,000 deaths projected annually.
A recent study published in Cell Host & Microbe has found that the protein PB1-F2 from the 1918 influenza virus strain increases virulence and secondary bacterial pneumonia in mouse models. This discovery provides crucial insights into the pathogenicity of IAVs and has significant implications for preparing for future pandemics.
Researchers found that prolonged antiviral therapy can improve residual liver function and reduce portal hypertension in patients with compensated hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis. The study, published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, suggests that this treatment approach may delay complications and prolong survival rates.
Human and avian influenza viruses target different cells in the lower respiratory tract, with human virus targeting upper respiratory tract cells and avian virus targeting deeper lung cells. The study provides insights into the pathogenesis of these divergent diseases.
A retrospective cohort study found that international medical graduates, physicians with high practice volumes, and those who were in practice longer were more likely to prescribe antibiotics inappropriately. This inappropriate prescribing is associated with increased risk of antibiotic resistance, adverse events, and healthcare costs.
Scientists have found Marburg virus in Egyptian rousette fruit bats, a non-symptom developing carrier species that likely transmits the virus to humans. The discovery reveals this bat as Africa's natural reservoir and highlights the need for public health measures to prevent future outbreaks.
A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison identified a single change in a viral protein that facilitates the H5N1 avian flu virus's ability to infect the upper respiratory system in mammals. This adaptation enables efficient transmission through coughing and sneezing, potentially setting the stage for a pandemic.
MedImmune presents Phase 2 safety data for its anti-RSV antibody, motavizumab, in young children with a history of prematurity. The company also releases national RSV surveillance results showing regional variability of the virus in the southern United States.
Researchers have discovered 36 bottlegourd accessions with complete resistance to ZYMV, a major scourge of commercial cucurbits. Grafting popular watermelon cultivars onto resistant bottlegourd rootstocks may provide a sustainable solution to control the virus.
Data suggests MIF may provide a target for developing therapeutics to treat West Nile Virus encephalitis. Abnormal microglial cell migration is also implicated in age-related macular degeneration, with CX3CR1-dependent accumulation linked to disease progression.
Infection with West Nile Virus increases plasma and spinal fluid MIF levels, improving survival in mice; delayed viral neuroinvasion allows clearance of the virus.
Researchers detected viral genetic material in the placenta of a pregnant woman who died from bird flu. The study found that H5N1 virus can infect organs other than the lungs, including the brain, liver, and intestinal cells, in infected adults and fetuses.
A new biosensor can detect avian influenza virus in just minutes, improving quick identification and controlling outbreaks. The sensor is economical, field-deployable, sensitive to different strains and requires no labels or reagents.
The study found that the H5N1 virus not only affects the respiratory system but also spreads to the gastrointestinal tract, immune system, and central nervous system. In one case, the virus was transmitted from mother to fetus through the placenta.
Plants form networks to warn each other of enemies and threats, allowing them to strengthen their defenses. However, these same networks can be used by plant viruses to rapidly spread and infect other plants.
A recent study published in The Journal of Immunology found that SIV infection in monkeys does not always lead to AIDS, contradicting current thinking. Researchers propose that host/virus co-adaptation enables monkeys to limit T cell immune activation and apoptosis, a mechanism that contributes to disease progression.
Biologists have found that the influenza A virus migrates globally and mixes with other viral strains during the summer off-season before returning to the Northern Hemisphere as a genetically different virus. The research suggests widespread viral traffic across the equator, contributing to new epidemics in both hemispheres.
Assistant professor John Drake is studying how West Nile virus differs between urban and rural areas using computer models and data on infected mosquitoes, birds, and humans. The goal is to provide recommendations for improving New York City's mosquito control strategies and early warning systems.
Researchers have determined the three-dimensional structure of a glycosyltransferase enzyme crucial for viral assembly. This discovery may enable scientists to develop drugs inhibiting certain viral infections.
A human peptide called LL37, normally used as a natural antibiotic, can bind to the body's own DNA and trigger an immune response. This may drive autoimmunity in psoriasis and other autoimmune diseases.
Researchers have identified potential targets for ALS treatment by studying SOD1 gene mutations. Additionally, a new study on Candida parapsilosis has revealed that lipase is an essential virulence factor. Further research suggests that the timing of treatment with immune-modifying drugs can significantly impact viral infection outcomes.
Researchers in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics have identified key proteins involved in schistosomiasis, a tropical disease affecting up to 200 million people. The study also reveals the structural proteome of a lethal shrimp viral disease and unique proteins allowing algae to thrive in salty environments.
Researchers discovered that soy isoflavone genistin significantly reduced rotavirus infectivity by 33-74%, with the active component being genistin alone. The study found an effective range of concentrations, and the results held up even in high levels of rotavirus exposure.
Researchers discover Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) significantly associated with colony collapse disorder (CCD) in honey bee colonies. IAPV was found in all four affected operations and correctly distinguished CCD from non-CCD status 96.1% of the time.
Scientists recorded entire genomic expression of a host bacterium and infecting virus over eight-hour infection course. The study suggests viral infection may play role in shaping bacterial genetic repertoire, leading to evolutionarily significant exchange.
Hepatitis E virus has been detected in European pigs and pork products, posing a risk to human health. The disease is often fatal for pregnant women and can be transmitted through direct contact with animals or contaminated food.
A 2004 outbreak of Norwalk virus at The Johns Hopkins Hospital resulted in estimated $650,000 in total hospital costs. Strict precautions taken to control the outbreak included isolating infected units, implementing strict hand hygiene and thorough cleaning protocols.
Researchers at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found gamma globulin to be highly effective against adenovirus-mediated eye infections, including conjunctivitis. The treatment showed significant antiviral activity and minimal toxicity.
In a first systematic analysis, researchers confirm the limited human-to-human spread of avian-flu virus in Indonesia. Biostatistician Ira M. Longini Jr. found the virus spread within a small family, with the new software providing real-time analysis.
A Japanese patient with liver cirrhosis and HCV infection underwent liver transplantation and was cleared of the virus just one month later. The long-term use of PEGylated IFN may have contributed to this outcome.
Scientists have identified Marburg virus RNA genome and antibodies in African fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), providing new insight into a deadly disease that has long baffled epidemiologists. The discovery, published in PLoS ONE, offers potential for understanding transmission and development of a vaccine or drug therapy.
A new study suggests that infection with human adenovirus-36 (Ad-36) may contribute to the development of obesity in some individuals. The virus transforms adult stem cells into fat cells, leading to increased fat accumulation.
A genetically modified maize variety resistant to the severe maize streak virus has been created using pathogen-derived resistance, delaying symptom development and increasing survival rates. The research aims to alleviate Africa's food shortages and famine by providing a disease-resistant crop for local farmers.
A study published in JAMA found that the HPV-16/18 vaccine does not accelerate clearance of the virus in women with pre-existing infections. The vaccine is effective only in preventing new HPV infections and cervical precancers.
Researchers have identified common attributes in viral replication machinery that could be vulnerable to disruption, potentially leading to broad-spectrum antiviral agents. A study on flock house virus reveals a new compartment for RNA synthesis, where the virus can collect components and carry out processes efficiently.