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Alterations in Immune Genes Make Bats Great Viral Hosts
Alterations in Immune Genes Make Bats Great Viral Hosts
Bat species use different strategies to dampen immune activation in response to viruses.
Alterations in Immune Genes Make Bats Great Viral Hosts
Alterations in Immune Genes Make Bats Great Viral Hosts

Bat species use different strategies to dampen immune activation in response to viruses.

Bat species use different strategies to dampen immune activation in response to viruses.

infectious disease, immunology

Long-Lasting Wound Infections Linked to Microbes and Genetics
Lisa Winter | Sep 1, 2020 | 2 min read
Two gene variations might help explain why some people experience chronic wounds.
Zika Infection Increases Risk of Severe Dengue Fever
Ruth Williams | Aug 27, 2020 | 4 min read
A study of Nicaraguan children links prior Zika virus infection with aggravated dengue fever symptoms.
Extreme Biotech: Understanding Extremophile Biology to Impact Human Health
The Scientist | 1 min read
Jaclyn Winter and Shiladitya DasSarma will discuss how they harness the unique biology of extremophiles for the discovery and development of new therapeutics.
Cold-Causing Coronaviruses Don’t Seem to Confer Lasting Immunity
Shawna Williams | Aug 18, 2020 | 4 min read
Studies on SARS-CoV-2’s milder cousins hint that our immune systems are quick to forget the viruses, but it’s unclear whether the same is true for the agent that causes COVID-19.
Moderna’s Coronavirus Vaccine Spurs Immune Response: Early Data
Ashley Yeager | May 18, 2020 | 3 min read
A clinical trial of the shot in eight volunteers suggests that it is safe and that it generates antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2, but further testing is needed, scientists say.
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antibody test coronavirus pandemic covid-19 sars-cov-2 serology igg igm immunity
Why the Accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Tests Varies So Much
Diana Kwon | May 5, 2020 | 8 min read
The FDA cracks down on test makers as independent evaluations of their products’ performance show a need for improvement.
an explosion of red light radiating out from a core
Could Curbing Runaway Immune Responses Treat COVID-19?
Shawna Williams | Apr 21, 2020 | 5 min read
Drugs targeting patients’ immune systems, rather than the virus itself, could be key to recovery from severe cases of the disease, some researchers suggest.
Special Report
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What Do Antibody Tests For SARS-CoV-2 Tell Us About Immunity?
Katarina Zimmer | Apr 15, 2020 | 9 min read
Studies from serum samples could transform our understanding of the spread of COVID-19, but what antibodies alone say about immunity is not yet clear.
Discovered: Metabolic Mechanism of Cytokine Storms
Ruth Williams | Apr 15, 2020 | 3 min read
By studying influenza in mice and cells, researchers identify a glucose metabolism pathway critical to the dysregulated immune response that kills many infectious disease patients, including those with COVID-19.
Measles Leaves the Immune System Vulnerable to Other Diseases
Ruth Williams | Oct 31, 2019 | 4 min read
Two studies present biological evidence that measles infections in unvaccinated children wipe out immune memories of other pathogens, putting the kids at risk of other deadly diseases.
ccr5 delta32 genetic mutation hiv t cell
Genetic Mutation that Prevents HIV Infection Tied to Earlier Death
Emma Yasinski | Jun 3, 2019 | 3 min read
Those with two copies of the Δ32 allele in the CCR5 gene are 21 percent more likely to die by age 76, although it’s not clear why.
taming the beast the scientist
Could Tolerating Disease Be Better than Fighting It?
Ashley Yeager | Jun 1, 2019 | 10+ min read
Quieting immune attacks against pathogens and even providing nutrients to the invaders could improve health, according to a new line of research.
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Infographic: Immunity Isn’t the Body’s Only Defense System
Ashley Yeager | Jun 1, 2019 | 3 min read
Symbiotic bacteria, metabolism, and stress pathways can all help animals tolerate, rather than succumb, to disease.
Does Prior Dengue Exposure Help or Hurt a Zika Infection?
Diana Kwon | Mar 6, 2019 | 5 min read
Animal and cell culture studies show evidence that dengue antibodies can both neutralize and enhance Zika, but human investigations have only found protective effects.
First Universal Flu Vaccine to Enter Phase 3 Trial
Ashley P. Taylor | Nov 12, 2018 | 7 min read
Numerous experimental vaccines that aim to provide multi-season protection are in human studies.
Antibody Combo Knocks Down HIV in Clinical Trials
Kerry Grens | Sep 26, 2018 | 2 min read
Some patients could suppress the virus without antiretroviral therapy for months after the drug infusions.
This Flu Season Killed 172 Kids
Sukanya Charuchandra | Jun 11, 2018 | 1 min read
Vaccination reduced the risk of death by two-thirds for children with no other health problems.  
“Public” T-Cell Receptors From Resistant People Fend Off HIV
Shawna Williams | Jun 8, 2018 | 4 min read
The receptors, found in so-called elite controllers who don’t need medications to keep the virus in check, suggest a new path toward immunotherapy.
Image of the Day: Jasper the Cat
The Scientist Staff | May 22, 2018 | 1 min read
Researchers found a previously undiscovered hepadnavirus in an immunocompromised cat.
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