A Viral Heist
HSV-1 virions capture the cellular motor protein kinesin from initially infected epithelial cells and ferry it to subsequently infected neuronal cells to deliver their genome into the nucleus of those cells.
Basic virology
A controlled trial of face masks for COVID-19
It will be some time before a substantial fraction of the human population is immunized to prevent COVID-19. In the meantime, widespread use of face masks can have an impact on disease, a conclusion suggested by results of a trial carried out in Bangladesh. WHO would not recommend the use of face masks until June …
The Esperanza Patient
This post describes the case of a woman who appears to have been naturally cured of her HIV infection.
Pills for COVID-19
Multiple vaccines have been developed that have made substantial contributions to controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, but where are the antivirals? Only repurposed drugs have been used and not with much success. That situation seems about to change with the authorization of drugs that target the RNA polymerase (Molnupiravir) and a viral protease (Paxlovid). Molnupiravir is …
Spikevax Induces Durable Protection from the Delta Variant in Rhesus Macaques
Rhesus macaques that are vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 are protected from severe disease and probably transmit very little virus when infected with SARS-CoV-2 one year later.
Wuhan spiny eel influenza virus
Influenza B viruses, unlike influenza A viruses, do not cause pandemics. There are many non-human animal reservoirs of influenza A viruses which provide gene segments that go towards making reassortant viruses that can infect humans. Influenza B viruses do not appear to have an animal reservoir other than humans – they have been isolated from …