Virus

Since early 2020 it has been suggested dogs can sniff out patients with COVID-19. Now, a study has reported on a real-world investigation into this method of detection, finding it's potentially effective, at least in detecting COVID-negative people.

A new direct-to-consumer test designed to detect a number of different respiratory viruses including COVID-19 and influenza has been authorized by the FDA. The test is the first of its kind to be approved that doesn't need a prescription from a doctor.

Two common herpesviruses have been associated with the onset of prediabetes in a new study led by researchers in Germany. The findings build on a growing body of evidence connecting viral infections to the development of chronic disease.

Two new studies indicate a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose can substantially boost immunity and reduce risk of infection compared to triple-dosed individuals but experts are divided on whether all age groups should be offered the extra booster.

Estimates from the CDC indicate a new Omicron subvariant is becoming prevalent in the US. Dubbed BA.2.12.1, it is likely to be the most infectious version of SARS-CoV-2 to date and experts warn it could be triggering a new wave of cases in the country.

A report from the CDC has found COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the US in 2021, after heart disease and cancer. Another new CDC report estimates nearly 60 percent of the US population had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 by February 2022.

New research has followed the recovery of more than 2,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The findings show barely one in four patients reported feeling fully recovered from COVID-19 a year after being discharged from hospital.

Researchers are reporting the case of a healthcare worker testing positive to COVID-19 twice in 20 days. Genomics revealed the first infection was Delta and the second Omicron, making this the shortest recorded gap between two SARS-CoV-2 infections.

A new study has found some COVID-19 patients can shed fragments of the virus in their feces up to seven months past their initial infection. The researchers hypothesize this persistence of virus in the gut may play a role in long COVID symptoms.

The first breath-based COVID-19 test has been issued an emergency use authorization by the FDA. The device takes three minutes to return results and has been found to be over 90 percent accurate in detecting positive COVID-19 cases.

New research published in Nature Medicine has found COVID-19 vaccination can reduce a person’s infectious viral load. The study compared the infectiousness of different SARS-CoV-2 variants in vaccinated and unvaccinated subjects.

The world has surpassed 500 million officially recorded COVID-19 cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Other researchers estimate nearly half of the world’s total population has likely been infected at least once with SARS-CoV-2.