Viruses

TUESDAY, Feb. 3, 2026 — The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is a low risk that the deadly Nipah virus will spread beyond India, where two people tested positive. In an email sent to the Reuters news agency, the WHO said it does not...

A recent international research project has used advanced microscopy techniques and computational modeling to discover why virus infection changes the nuclear structures and biomechanical forces affecting the nucleus.

WHO is monitoring a Nipah virus outbreak in India after two confirmed cases, warning of epidemic risk as vaccine research accelerates amid global surveillance efforts.

Sens. Diagn.DOI: 10.1039/D5SD00185D, Paper Open Access   This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence.Ojodomo Achadu, Nnamdi Nwahara , Saba Niaz, Muthumuni Managa, Christian Nkanga, Oluwasesan AdegokeThe development of robust and ultrasensitive point-of-care diagnostics for viral pathogens, particularly for detecting seasonal respiratory viruses, remains a critical challenge, as traditional biosensing platforms often suffer from signal instability...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

Last year, at least one million people in the U.S. were hospitalized for respiratory virus illnesses like the flu or COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Scientists warn that a virus family once linked to 500 million deaths could spark the next pandemic, urging improved surveillance, awareness and vaccine strategies to protect global health.

Bats, critical reservoirs of viruses with significant cross-species spillover risks, have long been understudied in the Indochina Peninsula.

The study on Influenza D and Canine Coronavirus HuPn-2018 underscores urgent needs for targeted surveillance and diagnostics in infectious disease research.

Nipah Virus has caused deadly outbreaks in Asia with fatality rates up to 75%.

Researchers in Bangladesh have identified a bat-borne virus, Pteropine orthoreovirus, in patients who were initially suspected of having Nipah virus but tested negative. All had recently consumed raw date-palm sap, a known pathway for bat-related infections. Genetic analysis confirmed live virus in several samples, pointing to active human infection. The finding raises concerns that dangerous bat viruses may be circulating undetected alongside Nipah.

Antimicrobial resistance - when bacteria and fungi defend themselves against the drugs design to kill them - is an urgent threat to global public health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers at WashU Medicine have developed a nasal vaccine against the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus, or bird flu, which has jumped from wild birds to livestock to humans.

The Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from more than 90 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in over 40 countries dedicated to advancing research, collaboration, and pandemic preparedness, is monitoring reports of a Nipah virus outbreak in India and emphasizes that such cases, while very concerning and serious, are not unexpected or unprecedented. Sporadic Nipah virus infections have occurred almost annually in parts of South Asia, particularly in India and Bangladesh, and do not indicate a new or escalating global threat.

The rapid evolutionary dynamics of RNA viruses, driven by high mutation rates and the consequent formation of complex quasispecies populations, present a formidable obstacle to conventional molecular diagnostic approaches.

Recent reports of Nipah virus (NiV) infections in West Bengal, India, have reignited global concern, prompting public health authorities to prioritize research into this high-mortality pathogen.

Indian authorities confirm containment of the deadly Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal, easing global fears but leaving questions about future safety.

Two emerging pathogens with animal origins - influenza D virus and canine coronavirus - have so far been quietly flying under the radar, but researchers warn conditions are ripe for the viruses to spread more widely among humans.

The ubiquitous Epstein-Barr virus is increasingly being linked to conditions like multiple sclerosis and lupus. But why do only some people who catch it develop these complications? The answer may lie in our genetics

Two cases of the deadly Nipah virus in India have prompted authorities in Thailand and Malaysia to step up airport screening.

Doctors warn Nipah virus symptoms can mimic flu or COVID early, but rapid brain inflammation, seizures and high death risk make early action vital globally now.

Although it is the leading infectious cause of birth defects, patients and some doctors know little about cytomegalovirus.

Learn about the symptoms and transmission of the Nipah virus as India implements urgent containment measures to stop the spread of this deadly zoonotic disease.

TUESDAY, Jan. 27, 2026 — Health officials across parts of Asia are stepping up disease checks after several people in India were diagnosed with Nipah virus, a rare but deadly infection that can spread from animals to humans.So far, five people have...

Taiwan officially classifies Nipah virus—which kills 80–91% of infected people—as a Category 5 notifiable disease following India's outbreak, raising critical questions about media silence surrounding a pathogen deadlier than COVID-19.

Deadly Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal infects five, 100 quarantined; experts warn its 75% fatality rate poses a greater threat than COVID-19.

Doctors warn a Nipah virus outbreak in eastern India has no vaccine or treatment, as cases are traced and health officials stress extreme lethality.

A large, multidisciplinary team led by researchers from Texas A&M University has made a potentially game-changing discovery about the development of devastating motor neuron diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Thai authorities enforce strict airport screenings for travellers from India following a Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal. Neighbouring Nepal also tightens border security as cases rise.

The Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal has confirmed five cases, with fatality rates up to 75% making it more dangerous than Covid. Check if it's spread to your country and learn key symptoms.

How different is the Nipah virus from COVID-19? Here's what you need to know about it as India sounds a nationwide alarm.

Two nurses are infected in India's Nipah virus outbreak, prompting hospital quarantines, national alerts and fears of undetected transmission.

In a major scientific breakthrough, researchers from Monash University and the Lions Eye Institute have discovered a tissue protein that acts as a central 'traffic controller' for immune cells and can be hijacked by a virus to weaken immune responses.

Researchers from New England Biolabs (NEB®) and Yale University describe the first fully synthetic bacteriophage engineering system for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an antibiotic-resistant bacterium of global concern, in a new PNAS study. The system is enabled by NEB’s High-Complexity Golden Gate Assembly (HC-GGA) platform. In this method, researchers engineer bacteriophages synthetically using sequence data rather than bacteriophage isolates.

Preclinical study demonstrates how the cells in our noses defend us from the common cold and suggests that such defenses to rhinovirus—and not the virus itself—typically predict whether we catch a cold, as well as symptom severity. The post Nasal Passage Cell Response to Common Cold Virus Determines Sickness Severity appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

The Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from more than 90 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in over 40 countries dedicated to advancing research, collaboration, and pandemic preparedness, expresses deep concern regarding the ongoing resurgence of measles in the United States and around the globe.

A mysterious outbreak called "el virus" is devastating Cuba, causing dehydration and peeling skin in children, overwhelming hospitals amid a broader arbovirus epidemic.

Scientists found that microgravity fundamentally slows the infection cycle, pushing phages to become hyper-efficient at binding to hosts.

Near-weightless conditions can mutate genes and alter the physical structures of bacteria and phages, disrupting their normal interactions in ways that could help us treat drug-resistant infections.

When scientists sent bacteria-infecting viruses to the International Space Station, the microbes did not behave the same way they do on Earth. In microgravity, infections still occurred, but both viruses and bacteria evolved differently over time. Genetic changes emerged that altered how viruses attach to bacteria and how bacteria defend themselves. The findings could help improve phage therapies against drug-resistant infections.

A recent study shows that viruses in wild bees are closely linked to the flowers they visit and the availability of floral resources across the landscape. Researchers found that certain floral communities increase the likelihood of virus presence, and that flowers can serve as hubs for virus transmission between wild bees and honey bees. The findings suggest that pollinator conservation efforts must consider disease dynamics alongside habitat restoration.

Health experts warn that mpox, rubella, bird flu and Oropouche could spark the next pandemic as vaccine rates plummet globally and the UK remains unprepared.

THURSDAY, Jan. 15, 2026 — Genetics appear to help determine who develops multiple sclerosis (MS), a pair of new studies says.A person’s genetics interact with an infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) to cause a severe autoimmune reaction that lea...

Autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis arise when the immune system turns against the body itself.

A damaging cotton virus thought to be a recent invader has actually been hiding in U.S. fields for nearly two decades. New research shows cotton leafroll dwarf virus was present as early as 2006, quietly spreading across major cotton-growing states long before it was officially identified. By reanalyzing old genetic data with modern tools, scientists uncovered a hidden history of the virus’s spread—including its first confirmed appearance in California and even traces in animal feed.

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One of the leading triggers for multiple sclerosis (MS) is an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus. However, certain gene variants also play an important role.

"Microbes continue to evolve under microgravity, and they do so in ways that are not always predictable."

Newly published interdisciplinary research led by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and University of Maryland shows that viral infection of blue-green algae in the ocean stimulates productivity in the ecosystem and contributes to a rich band of oxygen in the water.

A research team led by Václav Vopálenský and Martin Pospíšek from the Faculty of Science, Charles University, has discovered a surprising way in which the vaccinia virus handles its genetic messages.

Researchers reconstruct the spatial spread of pandemic respiratory viruses across metropolitan areas throughout the United States

Researchers are not just worried about the virus popping up on American farms. Other types are causing trouble around the world.

Researchers are not just worried about the virus popping up on American farms. Other types are causing trouble around the world.

A new review highlights major advances in a promising class of diagnostic tools known as aptamer-based biosensors, which could help deliver faster, cheaper, and more portable virus testing in clinics, communities, and the field.

A virus relies on the host's translation machinery to replicate itself and become infectious. Translation efficiency partially depends on the usage of a codon, or sequence of three nucleotides, that matches the cellular pool of tRNA, key molecules in translation. Using rare codons that are poorly supported by the cellular tRNA pool tends to induce ribosome pausing and mRNA instability, often weakening the virus.

The origin of life on Earth becomes even more fascinating and complex as we peer into the mysterious world of viruses.

Planthoppers and leafhoppers not only feed on rice plants but also act as highly efficient vectors for plant viruses, causing substantial yield losses worldwide. Notably, their persistent ability to evade natural enemies is not merely a matter of chance—it is subtly reinforced by the plant viruses they carry.

The origin of life on Earth becomes even more fascinating and complex as we peer into the mysterious world of viruses. Said to have existed since living cells first appeared, these microscopic entities differ greatly from other forms of life. Composed of only genetic material, they lack the ability to synthesize proteins, which are essential for carrying out cellular activity and, ultimately, for life by itself.

Researchers have reconstructed ancient herpesvirus genomes from Iron Age and medieval Europeans, revealing that HHV-6 has been infecting humans for at least 2,500 years. Some people inherited the virus directly in their DNA, passing it down across generations. The study shows that these viruses evolved alongside humans—and that one strain eventually lost its ability to integrate into our chromosomes. It’s the first time this long, intimate relationship has been proven with ancient genetic evidence.

Researchers studying Caribbean whales and orcas have discovered two new viruses not previously observed in these animals. The viruses were found using advanced genetic sequencing of archived samples, revealing a previously invisible layer of marine life. Their genetic makeup suggests these viruses may have ancient roots in whale evolution. What they mean for whale health is still a mystery, but the discovery opens the door to many new questions.

Crystalline quartz films grown on four-inch silicon wafers detect Chikungunya virus at sensitivities surpassing standard immunoassays while enabling piezoelectric resonators at 17.8 gigahertz.

Infectious disease researchers have identified Pteropine orthoreoviruses (PRVs), a group of newly emergent bat-borne viruses, as the culprit for previously unexplained illness in five Bangladeshi patients, one of whom eventually died with unexplained illness.

Scientists took samples from whale blow, identifying possible disease risks for marine mammals in northern seas.

Trump has sent a controversial fundraising email invoking a 'woke mind virus' and warning that Democrats will steal benefits without urgent donations.

Plastic pollution does more than litter landscapes and oceans. According to a new perspective article published in Biocontaminant, viruses living on plastic surfaces may play an underrecognized role in spreading antibiotic resistance, raising concerns for environmental and public health worldwide.

Catch up on the latest trends in health news in this roundup of long-reads compiled by Live Science's health channel editor.

Agency may be expanding list of pathogens subject to dangerous “gain-of-function” regulations

Findings from ancient DNA may shed light on HPV’s history in our species

Agency may be expanding list of pathogens subject to dangerous “gain-of-function” regulations

Doctors say the fast-spreading throat illness is likely adenovirus, causing severe sore throats and fatigue, with treatment focused on rest, fluids and symptom relief.

Potential treatments for one of the world’s most dangerous hospital superbugs have been found in a surprising location

As the super flu virus hits the US, the influenza infections increased by almost 500%. Health experts are now concerned.

Drones have been used to successfully collect samples from the exhaled breath—or "blow"—from wild humpback, sperm and fin whales in northern Norway, hailing a new era of non-invasive health monitoring for these marine giants in Arctic regions.

Human norovirus and adenovirus, two major causes of viral gastroenteritis, can persist for extended periods inside free-living amoebas that are common in natural and engineered water systems. A newly published study shows that these gut viruses can "hide" within different stages of the amoebas and remain capable of causing infection after this detour.

Investigators from the laboratory of Derek Walsh, Ph.D., professor of Microbiology-Immunology, have discovered how human cytomegalovirus rewires intracellular mechanisms to control the movement of the cell nucleus, promoting infection and mediating cell migration, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers at Texas Biologics have made an important discovery that could improve treatment of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a common but overlooked virus that poses serious risks to vulnerable populations, including people with compromised immune systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus is the most infectious cause of birth defects in the United States.

An outbreak of a highly contagious cattle disease has left France, the world's top exporter of live animals, struggling since June to prevent devastating impacts on its industry, amid growing protests by farmers.

Composite copper–lanthanum and copper–yttrium oxides developed by researchers from Japan demonstrate exceptionally high antiviral activity against non-enveloped virus. These oxides are highly stable and achieve more than 99.999% viral inactivation in laboratory tests.

Washington State University researchers have found a way to modulate a common virus protein to prevent viruses from entering cells where it can cause illness, a discovery that could someday lead to new antiviral treatments.

Research relies on replication: Different teams need to make the same conclusion multiple times before a consensus is reached and the finding can be built upon or applied. More may rest on the tools researchers use than previously realized—at least for understanding viruses, according to a team at Penn State.

A study from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), published in Nature Communications, reveals how enteroviruses—including pathogens that cause polio, encephalitis, myocarditis, and the common cold—initiate replication by hijacking host-cell machinery.

Washington State University researchers have found a way to modulate a common virus protein to prevent viruses from entering cells where it can cause illness, a discovery that could someday lead to new antiviral treatments.

Researchers discovered a hidden molecular “switch” that herpes viruses rely on to invade cells. By combining AI, simulations, and lab experiments, they identified and altered a single amino acid that shut down viral entry. What once might have taken years was achieved far faster using computational tools. The findings open new possibilities for designing future antiviral treatments.

The UK is facing a severe 'super flu' surge that has driven hospital admissions up by 55%, placing extreme pressure on the NHS and prompting urgent calls for vaccination and preventive measures.

Viruses are typically described as tiny, perfectly geometric shells that pack genetic material with mathematical precision, but new research led by scientists at Penn State reveals a deliberate imbalance in their shape that helps them infect their hosts.

Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) are highly lethal viruses that cause severe disease in infected patients by extensively damaging the body.

With the help of artificial intelligence, an international team of researchers has made the first major inroad to date towards a new and more effective way to fight the monkeypox virus (MPXV), which causes a painful and sometimes deadly disease that can be especially dangerous for children, pregnant women and immunocompromised people.

Viruses in wetland soil play a more important role than previously understood and could even be indicators of ecosystem health, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Recently published in Nature Microbiology, the study examined viruses in peatlands, which are wetlands that act as vital carbon sinks around the globe.

UK experts warn a rapidly mutated H3N2 subclade is driving rising hospitalisations across England, prompting calls for vaccination and renewed vigilance.

A research team led by Prof. Sun Chaomin from the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS) has unveiled the crucial role of viruses in deep-sea carbon cycling and microbial community structure. Their findings are published in Nature Communications.

Scientists uncovered how childhood BK virus infections may set off cancer-causing mutations decades later: by activating a host immune system enzyme that attacks DNA.

Researchers develop a cheaper, safer material for use in solar panels, sensors and optical devices.

SARS‑CoV‑2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues to mutate, with some newer strains becoming less responsive to current antiviral treatments like Paxlovid. Now, University of California San Diego scientists and an international team of researchers have identified several promising molecules that could lead to new medications capable of combating these resistant variants.

Using proteins from a common tobacco plant virus, McGill chemistry researchers have developed a simple, eco-friendly way to arrange gold nanoparticles into ultrathin sheets, strengthening the particles' optical properties. The result: cheaper, safer materials for solar panels, sensors and advanced optical devices.

An investigation into cellular components in bacteria has unexpectedly uncovered a feature with relevance across many life forms, paving the way for diverse research, biotechnical and medical applications.

Interactions among viruses can help them succeed inside their hosts or impart vulnerabilities that make them easier to treat. Scientists are learning the ways viruses mingle inside the cells they infect, as well as the consequences of their socializing.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham have modified a herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) that stimulates the immune system to attack glioblastoma cells.

For the first time, researchers have observed live and in high resolution how influenza viruses infect living cells. This was possible thanks to a new microscopy technique, which could now help to develop antiviral therapies in a more targeted manner.