Virus

A study, from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet, has demonstrated a new method that can distinguish between two different, but closely related, strains of the herpes virus, offering evidence to suggest the virus plays a role in multiple sclerosis.

New research has found the ketogenic diet can protect from influenza infection in mice. Whilst experts are calling the study intriguing, many are also cautioning these animal results are not transferable to humans.

In a milestone for humanity, the World Health Organization has officially announced the global eradication of wild poliovirus type 3. One strain of the virus remains, with small numbers of cases continuing to be reported in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In lab tests, researchers have identified a cellular “switch” that could be turned off to clear out HIV lying dormant inside cells.

A novel herpes vaccine has achieved a nearly 100-percent success rate in animal testing, with researchers hoping to soon move into human safety and efficacy trials.

A new study shows that disabling a single protein in human cells could render the cold virus ineffective.

Scientists have developed a smartphone-based system that detects even small concentrations of norovirus instantly, on the spot.

​Acyclovir is one of the most commonly-used herpes-treatment drugs. It can also damage the kidneys, however, so the less of it that's used, the better. According to a new study, combining the drug with activated carbon helps make it more effective, so a smaller amount of it is required.

A clinical trial taking place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been terminated early due to the success of two drugs being investigated to treat the Ebola virus. The two drugs have displayed incredible survival rates, especially if given at the earliest stages of infection.

A compelling new study has described a novel association between viral infections, neurodegenerative disease, the gut microbiome, and our immune system. The research suggests gut bacteria disruptions can allow harmful viruses to trigger neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

There exists a group of HIV-positive people who have a rare ability to naturally control the HIV infection. Now, after years of research, a team of scientists from the Institut Pasteur in Paris, has successfully reprogrammed cells that lack this ability, giving them the same, antiviral potency.

By guiding evolution, scientists have managed to manipulate micro-organisms into producing useful new drugs and materials, but it’s a time-consuming process. Now, UNC researchers have developed a new tool that speeds up the process in mammalian cells, creating new therapeutics in a matter of days.