AVI-4773 and related MPro inhibitors outperform existing treatments like nirmatrelvir in preclinical studies, offering a promising path toward pan-coronavirus therapies. Study:  Structure-based discovery of highly bioavailable, covalent, broad-spectrum coronavirus MPro inhibitors with potent in vivo efficacy. Image Credit: H_Ko / Shutterstock.com Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019…

A dramatic spike in measles cases across Europe in 2024, driven by low vaccination rates and widening immunity gaps, has reignited urgent calls for catch-up immunization and strengthened disease surveillance. Country reports from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,…

Scientists spotlight salutogenesis and the TCF7 gene as powerful tools to fight inflammation, boost longevity, and prevent age-related disease. Study:  The 15-Year Survival Advantage: Immune Resilience as a Salutogenic Force in Healthy Aging . Image Credit: ORION PRODUCTION / Shutterstock.com A recent Aging Cell study examines how salutogenesis, the…

A new perspective highlights how Brexit has fractured the UK’s food system, exposing vulnerabilities and ushering in new economic strategies that threaten food access, resilience, and public health. Perspective: The Impact of Brexit on UK Food Standards and Food Security: Perspectives on the Repositioning of Neoliberal Food Policy. Image Credit: Mhai Little…

Men who’ve had COVID-19 may face hidden fertility risks. This study uncovers how the virus disrupts sperm health, even months after recovery. Study:  COVID-19 infection was associated with poor sperm quality: a cross-sectional and longitudinal clinical observation study. Image Credit: Marko Aliaksandr / Shutterstock.com The severe acute respiratory syndrome…

A team at UC San Francisco and Gladstone Institutes has developed new drug candidates that show great promise against the virus that causes COVID-19 and potentially other coronaviruses that could cause future pandemics. In preclinical testing, the compounds performed better than Paxlovid against SARS-CoV-2 and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus, which periodically causes…

New research shows that while many cloth and medical masks fall short against tiny airborne particles, simple hacks like overmasking or using braces can dramatically improve your protection, yet only N95 and CaN99s respirators consistently keep you safest. Study: Measuring the fitted filtration efficiency of cloth masks, medical masks and respirators.…

Sugar coatings aren't only for candies; they also help viruses, like the ones that cause COVID-19, hide from their hosts' immune system. Now, researchers have developed a universal vaccine that targets coronaviruses and the sugars that they use as cover. As demonstrated in animal studies, the vaccine removed sugar molecules from an area of a…

A multi-state study reveals that many high-risk adults diagnosed with influenza (flu) in emergency departments and urgent care centers are not receiving timely antiviral treatment. Researchers found that only slightly more than half of these patients received antiviral prescriptions, and of those, only 80 percent were filled. This gap in treatment could increase the risk…

Unvaccinated children and adolescents were up to 20 times more likely to develop long COVID than their vaccinated peers, according to new research led by a team from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. However, the analysis they performed also indicated that protection afforded by the vaccine primarily comes from preventing…