This article gives a good overview of data indicating how COVID-19 acts on the body, specifically in activating the immune system. The authors emphasize the need for standardized treatment protocol while also considering that a combination of treatments may be the most effective. Additionally, they emphasize how much is still unknown about how long and … Read more
This is an article from the New York Times that shares the results of a study done at UCSF to find possible cellular targets for COVID-19 as well as drugs that are already approved on in clinical trials that could help. Carl Zimmer does a good job of accurately presenting the work from the paper … Read more
Researchers at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil are studying the replication of the virus and while using a transmission electron microscope, were able to image the exact moment when the virus infects and invades a healthy cells. The link below leads to an article with three of the images captured during this discovery. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/moment-coronavirus-infects-healthy-cell-captured-pictures/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2223-y While most of the focus is currently on finding a vaccine for COVID-19 to prevent new infections, there is also a lot fo work being done to discover and create drugs that can treat it. If it truly is going to become endemic, and it is going to continue mutating, there needs to be … Read more
There’s been a lot of discussion and speculation as to whether or not someone who has already contracted Coronavirus can get sick again. I came across this article today, which presents somewhat pessimistic findings… https://nypost.com/2020/04/07/51-recovered-coronavirus-patients-test-positive-again-in-south-korea/ Brown, Lee. “51 Recovered Coronavirus Patients Test Positive Again in South Korea.” The New York Post. April 7, 2020.
This article from April 4th, 2020 explains the value of quickly developing an antibody test for Covid-19. While testing so far has been able to determine if an individual is currently infected by the SARS-CoV-2, it is unable to distinguish people who previously had the virus and have since recovered. An antibody test would be … Read more
Article link: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/biotech/story/2020-04-06/inovio-pharmaceuticals-begins-phase-1-human-trials-for-covid-19-vaccine Author: Mike FreemanPublished on April 6, 2020, San Diego Union-Tribune Developed by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, a novel plasmid DNA-based vaccine to prevent COVID-19 has started its first phase of clinical testing with humans. Unlike traditional vaccines, this one will artificially incorporate the DNA of antibodies that destroy the virus into the patient’s own … Read more
Today, The Lancet published an article from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center about a new potential vaccine for COVID-19. The vaccine generates a potent, antigen-specific antibody response to the virus. The vaccine has been effective in mouse trials thus far. Further, the researchers were successful in designing an effective method of administration … Read more
Interview with Yale Epidemiologist and specialist in microbial diseases suggesting that 50-60% of people who are infected don’t exhibit symptoms at all – really puts things in perspective — and, means that many of us have probably already gotten the virus or are carrying it right now. This interview really speaks to the sheer amount … Read more
Article link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jmv.25785 Published in the Journal of Medical Virology on March 27, 2020, Cheng and colleagues demonstrate that an enzyme found in the lungs, Angiotensin-converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), is highly protective against acute lung injury – particularly in the case of COVID-19 patients who are in critical condition. Therefore, the authors believe that the … Read more
