Tag

Pandemics

All articles tagged with #pandemics

biotechnology3 days ago•49 min saved

AI-Designed Universal Vaccine Enters Human Trials with Early Safety Signals

Researchers at the University of Cambridge used AI to identify stable features across the sarbecovirus family and developed a DNA vaccine intended as a broad-spectrum, potentially universal shot. In the first human trial, the vaccine was safe and elicited antibodies recognizing diverse sarbecoviruses, and its needle-free delivery and stability could aid distribution. However, immune responses were modest, and duration of protection, optimal dosing, and real-world efficacy require larger trials; the goal of a universal vaccine remains years away.

via SingularityHub|

#artificial-intelligence #biotechnology #dna-vaccine

world1 month ago•4 min saved

Global Leaders Call for Urgent Pandemic Pact as Ebola Outbreaks Highlight Preventable Risk

An open letter from former leaders and health experts argues that recent Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks show a preventable pandemic risk and urges finalizing the WHO pandemic agreement, including rapid data and pathogen sample sharing, fair access to vaccines and financing, and stronger global health cooperation; negotiations have stalled over data sharing, with a Geneva meeting planned ahead of the UN General Assembly.

via politico.eu|

#ebola #global-health-governance #pandemics

technology1 month ago•3 min saved

Polymarket's Hantavirus Post Overhypes Case, Experts Say Risk Is Low

Polymarket circulated a post about a suspected hantavirus case in New York, but U.S. hantavirus is not typically spread person-to-person and the NY case appears mild; a sample is at the CDC for confirmation, and experts note the Andes virus on the cruise ship was rare and not linked to the NY case. The article criticizes Polymarket for sensationalism and warns that prediction markets generally mislead and many bettors lose money, urging readers not to panic over this report.

via Gizmodo|

#hantavirus #misinformation #pandemics

health1 month ago•10 min saved

Pandemic Ready? Lessons From a Hantavirus Cruise Outbreak

The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, while carrying low public risk, underscores that another pandemic could occur and highlights the need for sustained public health infrastructure, clear leadership, rapid detection and tracing, and transparent communication—along with continued investment in vaccine platforms and antivirals to be better prepared for future threats.

via Gizmodo|

#hantavirus #health #pandemics

business1 month ago•3 min saved

Hantavirus buzz fades as markets stay calm

Despite hantavirus headlines, officials say there’s no widespread transmission and the pandemic risk remains low; with no lockdowns expected, major indices stayed calm as investors shift focus to geopolitics and AI, and recent vaccine rallies are viewed as short-term bets.

via investingLive|

#business #geopolitics #health

world1 month ago•72 min saved

Hantavirus prompts global unease under COVID shadow

The world's reaction to hantavirus is shaped by memories of the COVID-19 pandemic, influencing media framing, public concern, and policy responses as authorities monitor the outbreak.

via AP News|

#covid-19 #hantavirus #health

politics2 months ago•74 min saved

Pandemic's lingering imprint shapes Ohio's 2026 governor race

The 2026 Ohio governor race is being shaped by the enduring legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, with candidates and voters weighing public health policy, vaccine messaging, economic recovery, and preparedness. The pandemic’s memory influences campaign strategies, policy priorities, and trust in leadership as debates address health infrastructure, schools, and emergency response amid ongoing concerns about future crises.

via AP News|

#covid-19 #elections #ohio

science3 months ago•5 min saved

Wildlife trade linked to human-pathogen sharing across mammals

A Science study quantifies the pathogen spillover risk from the global wildlife trade: among 2,079 traded mammal species, about 41% share one or more pathogens with humans, compared with 6.4% of non-traded mammals. Live-trade increases transmission risk, illegal trade plays only a modest role, and species in trade tend to accumulate more pathogens over time (about one extra pathogen per decade of presence). The authors hope the findings inform trade regulations to help curb future pandemics.

via Nature|

#mammals #pandemics #pathogen-transmission

health3 months ago•18 min saved

COVID's four truths, now blurred by time and politics

Washington Post health writer Fenit Nirappil reflects on the COVID-19 era—the toll on hospitals, masking and lockdowns, and how vaccine messaging and politics shifted public perception—arguing that four core truths have become clouded over time.

via The Washington Post|

#coronavirus #covid-19-pandemic #health

science4 months ago•6 min saved

Natural origins favored: study finds pandemic viruses can jump to humans without pre-adaptation

A UC San Diego‑led genomic analysis of Ebola, Marburg, mpox, influenza A, and SARS‑CoV‑2 finds no evidence that most pandemic viruses required adaptation in an animal reservoir or in a lab before infecting humans; selection changes usually appear after human transmission. The study does note a possible lab‑linked signal for the 1977 H1N1 influenza and cites palm civet–associated SARS‑CoV as a historical example, but argues SARS‑CoV‑2 likely arose through natural zoonotic transmission. The authors stress that distinguishing natural spillovers from lab mishandling relies on genomic signals and call for strengthened surveillance and spillover prevention to prepare for future pandemics, challenging theories that COVID‑19 was lab‑engineered.

via CIDRAP|

#coronavirus #evolution #pandemics

science4 months ago•7 min saved

Natural Spillovers Over Pre-Adaptation, UCSD Study Finds

UC San Diego researchers analyzed genomes from influenza A, Ebola, Marburg, mpox, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 and found that most zoonotic viruses do not show adaptive evolution before jumping to humans; SARS-CoV-2 shows no lab-adaptation signal, consistent with natural spillover, while the 1977 H1N1 pandemic shows lab-adaptation signatures—together providing a framework to distinguish natural outbreaks from laboratory manipulation and guiding future outbreak surveillance.

via UC San Diego Today|

#lab-origin #pandemics #sars-cov-2

science1 year ago•2 min saved

Genetic Adaptation Behind the Plague's Persistent Threat

Research shows that the bacteria causing the plague evolved to become less deadly over three major pandemics, which helped extend their duration by allowing easier spread, providing insights into pathogen adaptation and potential future pandemic responses.

via ScienceAlert|

#evolution #pandemics #plague

health-pandemics2 years ago•6 min saved

"Preparing for the Inevitable: Anticipating the Next Pandemic"

Experts warn that the next pandemic could be imminent and may arise from zoonotic disease spillovers or previously unknown viruses released due to climate change. Despite the need for preparedness, there is a lack of readiness globally, with concerns about infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health measures. Vaccine rollouts and pandemic infrastructure improvements offer some hope, but the future response to a new pandemic remains uncertain.

via IFLScience|

#disease-x #health-pandemics #pandemics

health-and-science2 years ago•3 min saved

"Human Transmission of Viruses to Animals Outpaces Animal Transmission to Humans, Study Shows"

A study analyzing nearly 12 million virus genomes found that humans give more viruses to animals than animals give to humans, with 64% of human-to-animal transmissions involving pets, domesticated animals, birds, primates, and wild animals. The study highlights the significant impact of humans on the environment and animals, emphasizing the potential for viruses to jump between different species through close contact. Zoonotic diseases, such as COVID-19 and bird flu, pose a major threat due to the lack of pre-existing immunity in host species, with many pathogens circulating in humans having been acquired from animals at some point in time.

via KSL.com|

#animal-to-human-transmission #health-and-science #pandemics

science-and-environment2 years ago•2 min saved

"Historical Plagues' Impact on Earth's Atmosphere"

Scientists studying Antarctic ice cores have found a connection between past levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and global pandemics over the past 2,000 years. The Law Dome and West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide ice cores show discrepancies in their measurements of CO2 levels, with the Law Dome core indicating a rapid decrease around 1610 CE, possibly due to human population decline and reforestation. However, a new study suggests a more gradual decline in CO2 levels, supporting the idea of large-scale land use changes following the New World-Old World contact. This research sheds light on the potential impact of historical pandemics on Earth's atmosphere and climate.

via ScienceAlert|

#antarctic-ice #atmospheric-carbon-dioxide #climate-change