Tags: Virus

Fighting Fire With Fire—Viruses to Combat Disease

University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have unraveled the mystery of a strange virus in the hopes of creating more effective tools in the war against human disease. The secret weapon this virus may offer? "Armor" for disease-fighting DNA courtesy of the SIRV2 virus, who calls acid at almost boiling temperatures home.

Skin Cancer Treated with...Herpes

In a new trial that could pave the way for future cancer treatments, patients with aggressive skin cancer were successfully treated with "virotherapy." This type of therapy uses a modified herpes virus to attack melanoma cells and even has shown the potential to overcome the cancer even when the disease has spread throughout the body.

Sampling the World’s Oceans on a Global Scale Reveals the Complex Relationship between Viruses and Microbes

If you're going to study something as vast as the world's oceans, it helps if you have a large cadre of scientists to sift through the data. And that's just what an international research team, led by University of Arizona scientists, have done. They are rolling out the results of a three-year expedition in which they cataloged over 150,000 tiny ocean creatures, most of which are brand new discoveries.

Texas Reports First Case of West Nile Virus

The Texas Department of State Health Services has reported the state's first case of West Nile virus and is now reminding people how to protect themselves from the virus caused by mosquitoes.

Health Official Warn Ebola Survivors Against Having Sex

Health officials have begun warning survivors of the Ebola virus against having unprotected sex after the virus was found in a male survivor's semen 175 days after he first developed symptoms of the virus, which it noted was 74 days longer than it has been found in other survivors.

Could Polio Cure Brain Cancer?

Could the cure from brain cancer rest in the hands of polio? Scientists from Duke University believe it could be. They have re-engineered the polio virus and actually adapted it to cure brain cancer, with hopes that it could further be modified to even cure other types of cancers, as well.

Researchers Reveal That Killer ‘Bourbon Virus’ is Of the Rare Thogotovirus Genus

Forget Ebola, Americans may have an even more viral threat, mutating close to home. Months ago we reported on the death of a Kansas man who had been bitten by ticks and died from complications with what appeared to be a virus—what researchers called the “Bourbon Virus”. Now, health officials say that the virus is not anything like which they have ever seen, and as a member of an entirely novel genus of viruses, it may pose significant health risks throughout the United States.

How Arachnids May Reveal Looming New Threats to American Public Health—Bourbon Virus

While these little arachnids are not much to look at, ticks are the carriers of a myriad of diseases, which makes them of great importance to researchers. History has shown that they can cause sepsis, this past summer researchers discovered that the Lone Star tick can create a severe allergy to red meats, and now health officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that a new tick-borne virus can even cause multiple organ failure.

When It Comes to Pandemics and Outbreaks, Could Climate Change Be to Blame?

While many factors play into the development of a viral or bacterial outbreak, including herd immunity and preexisting healthcare practices, current outbreaks of the Ebola virus and the measles have many wondering exactly what’s causing the reemergence of such lethal diseases. Well, the obvious answers of vaccinations and poor sanitation conditions are readily available, but many may not consider an even more significant culprit—climate change.

New HIV Strain in Cuba Has Researchers Rushing to Stop Fast Progression of AIDS

In a new study published in the journal EBioMedicine, researchers with Belgium’s University of Leuvan report the discovery of a new strain of HIV which may prove to be far more lethal to patients in the West. Originally found in patients in Cuba, the new strain poses particular threats to those infected with HIV as it can develop into AIDS within three years of infection. Though efforts have significantly lowered the infection rates of HIV, as well as prolonged lives with the help of antiretroviral drugs, researchers fear that the fast-moving virus may advance too quickly to treat.

Negative Measles Tests End Threat in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Health issued a public health warning on Sunday, Dec. 28 warning of the potential for measles exposure, which they believe may have occurred at a local CVS Pharmacy in Wayne, Pennsylvania. The next day they also reported another potential exposure at the Please Touch Museum. Fortunately, these potential measles threats have all tested negative, and it appears that the measles outbreak is no longer considered a threat by health officials.

Teen’s Death Demonstrates The Dangers of This Year’s Flu

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the death of an otherwise healthy 17-year-old girl only highlights the severity of this year's influenza outbreak. Shannon Zwanziger seemed like a perfectly health teenager. She was active and rarely got sick; in fact, she had not even seen a doctor in more than three years. Then, she came down with the flu. Within only a week of fighting the virus, she was dead.

FDA Approves a Fast-Acting Ebola Test

The fight to stop Ebola continues to rage on across the world as researchers continue to find new ways to both detect and treat the deadly virus. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just approved a new test to detect the virus in patients believed to be suffering from the virus.

First Case of Deadly Bird Flu Confirmed

The first case of the deadly bird flu has been confirmed in Hong Kong and health officials fear that this season may see many more infections that past cases of H7N9 -- the newest strain of the disease. Patient zero, a woman from Hong Kong, is in critical condition, and has been confirmed as having the lethal strain of the influenza virus, marking the first case of the deadly flu this winter.

Tick-Bourne ‘Bourbon Virus’ Wreaks Havoc on Kansas

While these little arachnids are not much to look at, ticks are the carriers of a myriad of diseases, which makes them of great importance to researchers. History has shown that they can cause sepsis, this past summer researchers discovered that the Lone Star tick can create a severe allergy to red meats, and now health officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that a new tick-borne virus can even cause multiple organ failure.

Why the CDC Says Bay Area Residents are In For the Flu Season of Their Lives

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning that this year's flu season could be one of the worst to date. The CDC issued a warning on Friday that the flu season has started earlier than expected and is spreading rapidly. Already reaching 29 of the 54 states and territories, this year's flu is spreading faster than previously seen. In comparison, at the same time last year, it had only spread to four states.

Virus Causes Stupidity In Infected Patients

Researchers found a certain virus that causes increased stupidity. Fever, fatigue and a weakened immune system that could lead to more diseases, and worse, death are common features of viral infections.
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