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Whole plant cells producing viral capsid protein as a poliovirus vaccine candidate

Basic virology, Information / By

Although the use of the live, attenuated (Sabin) poliovirus vaccines has been instrumental in nearly eradicating the virus from the planet, the rare reversion to virulence of these strains has lead to the World Health Organization to recommend their replacement with inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV). Unfortunately IPV is also not without shortcomings, including high cost, failure …

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Mosquito saliva enhances virus replication and disease

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Mosquito saliva, which is injected into the host as a mosquito probes for a blood vessel, contains a collection of chemicals which include anticoagulants to prevent blood clotting, vasodilators to keep blood vessels wide, and anesthetics to prevent us from sensing the mosquito. Saliva also contains components that enhance viral replication, dissemination, and pathogenesis by …

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Antibodies aid dengue and Zika virus infection

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Flaviviruses are unusual because antibodies that cross-react with different viruses can enhance infection and disease. This property, called antibody-dependent enhancement or ADE, has been documented to occur among the four serotypes of dengue virus. It has implications for infection with or vaccination against Zika virus or dengue virus. Earlier this year (virology blog link) it was …

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A herpesvirus associated with female infertility

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Viruses that replicate in the male or female reproductive tract are considered to be potential causes of human infertility. Several herpesviruses have been implicated in male infertility, and now human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) has been found in endometrial cells of women with unexplained infertility (paper link). HHV-6 was only recently discovered (1986) and is now known …

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Congress fails on Zika virus

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Andrew W. Gurman, M.D., President of the American Medical Association, has expressed disappointment in the failure of Congress to support the US public health response to Zika Virus: At a time when concerns continue to mount about the nation’s readiness to protect the public from the Zika virus, the AMA is disappointed by Congress’ failure to pass legislation before …

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