Vero cells are a type of cell line that is commonly used in laboratory research to study the growth and behavior of viruses. Vero cells are derived from the kidney cells of an African green monkey and are known for their ability to support the growth of a wide rangeRead More →
It is difficult to determine the exact number of viruses in the world, as new viruses are constantly being discovered and some viruses may be difficult to detect or study. However, it is estimated that there are millions of different viruses in the world. The number of known viruses variesRead More →
The species barrier is an important factor in the spread and control of infectious diseases. It refers to the natural resistance of one species to the diseases that affect another species. This resistance is due to differences in the physiology, genetics, and immune system of the different species, which makeRead More →
Aidan Burn, Tufts University Remnants of ancient viral pandemics in the form of viral DNA sequences embedded in our genomes are still active in healthy people, according to new research my colleagues and I recently published. HERVs, or human endogenous retroviruses, make up around 8% of the human genome, leftRead More →
Glenn J Rapsinski, University of Pittsburgh Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. How does a COVID-19 vaccine work in the body? – Wixy, age 12, New York The COVID-19 pandemic, causedRead More →
Connor Bamford, Queen’s University Belfast Right now, there’s just one virus on everyone’s minds: SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. But humanity is plagued by many respiratory viruses, such as influenza A (IAV) and respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV), which cause hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Most of theseRead More →
Charlotte Thålin, Karolinska Institutet Israel was way ahead of the rest of the world when it came to COVID vaccination, so it’s not surprising that data from this corner of the Mediterranean causes a lot of excitement – it’s a glimpse into the future. Indeed, this happened recently when researchersRead More →
Luke O’Neill, Trinity College Dublin The World Health Organization (WHO) has added another coronavirus variant to its list to monitor. It’s called the mu variant and has been designated a variant of interest (VOI). What this means is that mu has genetic differences to the other known variants and isRead More →
Veenu Manoharan, Cardiff Metropolitan University Most vaccines have side-effects and COVID vaccines are no different. The public are being reassured that if they experience a sore arm where the needle went in, or tiredness, a headache, fever or nausea, these are merely signs that the immune system is working asRead More →
William Petri, University of Virginia Maybe you’ve postponed your second COVID-19 vaccine appointment, whether because of scheduling hassles or general reluctance. But how safe are you after just a single dose? As an immunologist, I hear this question frequently – and the answer has changed as new genetic strains ofRead More →
