News & Updates

The Spike single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assay, a single-reaction multiplex real-time RT-PCR, provides fast, inexpensive, and sensitive detection of specific mutations associated with SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoC), according to data presented at ID Week 2021.

Patients on sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT) 2 inhibitors are less likely to develop asthma compared with those on dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), a study has found.

Households, and not schools, are the major route of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission for those ≤18 years of age, according to a cross-sectional study of nearly 400 Hong Kong children and youths who contracted COVID-19 in 2020.

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) have developed a dry powder formulation of tamibaroterone, which displays broad-spectrum antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and pandemic 2009 influenza A virus (H1N1), when delivered intranasally or through inhalation in mouse and hamster models.

A Hong Kong study demonstrates vertical transfer of antibodies against acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to babies whose mothers have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

An infusion of convalescent plasma, obtained via blood donation from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19, did not prevent disease progression in high-risk outpatients who presented within 7 days of COVID-19 symptom onset, results of the phase III US-based SIREN-C3PO* study showed.

Late intubation compounds the risk of death among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients on mechanical intubation due to respiratory insufficiency, a recent study has found.

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) appear to be beneficial to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, with a recent study suggesting that the use of such drugs may slow down progression of emphysema and lung function decline.