Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created nanostructured alumina surfaces which are strongly antibacterial but can be used to culture cells. They found that anodic porous alumina (APA) surfaces prepared using electrochemistry in concentrated sulfuric acid had unprecedented resistance to bacterial growth, but did not hamper cell cultures.

In a groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at Uppsala University, crucial insights have been gained regarding the mechanisms by which the Semliki Forest virus infiltrates the central nervous system.

Background and Objectives: People living with HIV/AIDS have been impacted notably by the COVID-19 pandemic in diverse dimensions. Although some impacts of COVID-19 on PLHIV have been well documented, there is still insufficient research that captures the overall understanding of the implications...

New findings from the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative suggest that infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, may be associated with an increase in the number of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome...

Coronaviruses (CoV) infect a wide variety of hosts, causing epidemics in humans, birds, and mammals over the years. Bats (order Chiroptera) are one of the natural hosts of the Coronaviridae family. They represent 40% of the total number of mammal species in the Pantanal, a biodiversity hotspot in...

Both postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and Long COVID are currently viewed as heterogeneous disorders with complex, multi-factorial and multi-systemic pathophysiology. POTS, one of the most common autonomic disorders, is a frequent sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background/Objectives: The endosomal escape of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) is crucial for efficient mRNA-based therapeutics. Here, we present a cationic polymeric micelle (cPM) as a safe and potent co-delivery system with enhanced endosomal escape capabilities.

Background: This study addresses a particular aspect of the biological behavior of the Spike subunit S1 of SARS-CoV-2. Researchers observed S1 acting freely in the human organism during and after COVID-19 and vaccination. One of its properties is that it interacts one-to-one with human proteins.

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have shown that people 60 years or older with weakened immunity -; primarily organ transplant recipients who take immunosuppressive medications to reduce the risk of rejection and others with immune system disorders -; do not respond as strongly to vaccines...

Milestone: COVID-19 five years ago In-Depth Coverage World Health Organization 30 December 2024 Statement Five years ago on 31 December 2019, WHO's Country Office in China picked up a media statement by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission from their website on cases of 'viral pneumonia' in Wuhan, China. In the weeks, months and years that unfolded after that, COVID-19 came to shape our lives and our world. At WHO, we went to work immediately as the new year dawned. WHO employees activated emergency systems on 1 January 2020, and informed the world on 4 January. By 9-12 January, WHO had published its first set of comprehensive guidance for countries, and on 13 January, we brought together partners to publish the blueprint of the first SARS-CoV-2 laboratory test. All along, we convened experts and ministries of health from around the world, gathered and analysed data, and shared what was reported, what we learned and what it meant for people. Read about WHO's actions in this interactive timeline. As we mark this milestone, let's take a moment to honour the lives changed and lost, recognize those who are suffering from COVID-19 and long COVID, express gratitude to the health workers who sacrificed so much to care for us, and commit to learning from COVID-19 to build a healthier tomorrow. We continue to call on China to share data and access so we can understand the origins of COVID-19. This is a moral and scientific imperative. Without transparency, sharing, and cooperation among countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics. As we pose the question, "Is the world better prepared for the next pandemic than we were for COVID-19?" see WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus's response at a recent press conference: https://who.canto.global/b/SHEJL NEWSLETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list

The present study aimed to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of different doses of an inactivated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine against Omicron BA.2.2 infection in Beijing, China, 2022.

Background: COVID-19 became a global health crisis in early 2020, and the way out of the crisis was the rapid development of vaccines by Sinopharm, Pfizer, and Sputnik, among others, which played a crucial role in controlling the pandemic.

The mosquito-borne Zika virus is known for causing microcephaly, a birth defect in which abnormal brain development results in a smaller-than-expected head.

Germany took further steps Monday to limit the potential spread of foot-and-mouth disease, as an outbreak of the virus threatened to hit the country's agricultural exports.

An often-overlooked mechanism of gene regulation may be involved in the failure of antifungal drugs in the clinic, claims a German-Austrian research team led by the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology–Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI). Their study, published in Nucleic Acids Research, focused on the mold fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, which can cause life-threatening infections, especially in immunocompromised people.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been associated with various hematological disorders. Understanding the pathology of erythrocytes (red blood cells) in coronavirus infection may provide insights into disease severity and progression.

Germany on Friday registered three cases of foot-and-mouth disease in water buffalo on a farm near Berlin, the country's first reported cases of the livestock disease since 1988.

Recent decades have seen growing attention on viruses in the environment and their potential impacts as a result of global epidemics. Due to the diversity of viral species along with the complexity of environmental and host factors, virus extraction and detection methods have become key for the...

The University of Cape Town, along with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, have conducted a large-scale study identifying significant cranial shape differences between four genetically distinct giraffe species. The findings suggest that these species exhibit unique developmental and morphological characteristics, which have implications for conservation efforts.

What began as a childhood hobby more than six decades ago has led to what might be Africa's largest butterfly collection in a suburb of Kenya's capital.

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to determine the percentage and duration of neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant in human milk after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, considering the three different vaccine technologies approved in Brazil.

The American Journal of Medicine and American Journal of Medicine Open present a joint special issue titled "Long COVID Mechanisms, Risk Factors, and Recovery: From Cells to Society." This issue contributes to the expanding field of long COVID research, a complex condition affecting millions globally. Persistent COVID-19 symptoms, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), impact multiple physiological systems—such as respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological—producing a diverse range of symptoms that can endure for months or even years.

New report by WHO states that mystery disease affecting Kwango Province in the Congo probably caused by respiratory viruses exacerbated by malaria, malnutrition.

Background/Objectives: Intranasal vaccination enhances protection against respiratory viruses by providing stimuli to the immune system at the primary site of infection, promoting a balanced and effective response.

Scientists have has pioneered antivirals targeting viral methyltransferases, offering a new strategy for treating RNA and DNA viruses. This breakthrough could complement existing therapies, offering robust solutions against future pandemics.