Researchers at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine explain that the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus not only causes illness, but undermines the body’s ability to heal — a finding that could point toward new approaches to fighting infection.
State & Global
Microbes help hibernating animals recycle nutrients, maintain muscle through winter
The discovery could help people with muscle-wasting disorders and even astronauts on extended space voyages by putting space travelers into a hibernation-like state.
Current anti-COVID pills work well against omicron, but antibody drugs are less effective
Public health officials expect antiviral pills to become an increasingly common treatment for COVID-19 that will reduce the severity of the disease in at-risk patients and decrease the burden of the pandemic.
UW–Madison researchers lead effort to create a universal coronavirus vaccine
If the world already had a pan-coronavirus vaccine in March 2020, it could have served as a mitigation tool until vaccines specific to SARS-CoV-2 could be developed.
Gene-edited monkey embryos give researchers new way to study HIV cure
A gene that cured a man of HIV a decade ago has been successfully added to developing monkey embryos in an effort to study more potential treatments for the disease.
Early mutation in SARS-CoV-2 virus in Europe led to its domination worldwide
A study shows that the mutant virus is more easily transmitted and grows better within hosts, likely aiding its dominance. The mutation, researchers say, should not interfere with the effectiveness of vaccines against the virus.
First relatives of rubella virus discovered in bats in Uganda and mice in Germany
Neither of the new viruses is known to infect people, but the findings reinforce the important work scientists are undertaking to study the effects of a changing environment on human and animal diseases.
New vaccine strategy harnesses ‘foot soldier’ T-cells to provide protection against influenza
Researchers believe the same approach can be applied to several other respiratory pathogens, including the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
New COVID-19 clinical trials at UW–Madison and UW Health will study antibody approach
The trials center around an “antibody cocktail” called REGN-COV2, which was created by the New York-based pharmaceutical company Regeneron.
Hamsters develop protective immunity to COVID-19 and are protected by convalescent sera
The animals are useful to researchers trying to understand SARS-CoV-2 and in the evaluation of vaccines, treatments and drugs against the disease it causes.