The global eradication plan reduced polio incidence by 99% since 1988, but Polioviurs is still endemic in some countries and can circulate silently in others. Under the proper conditions, Poliovirus can spread in the population and cause the diasease, as it has happened in Gaza.
Tag Archives: Viruses
HCV: a virus able to elude the immune system
The Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) was discovered in the 80s thanks to the work of Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton, and Charles M. Rice, who jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020. Before that, two other viruses called Hepatitis A virus and Hepatitis B virus (HAV, HBV) were known to infectContinue reading “HCV: a virus able to elude the immune system”
The flu: seasonal outbreaks and pandemics
At the beginning of 2020, when the spread of SARS-CoV-2 was undeniable but its consequences were still unknown, some tried to minimize the situation, saying that it was “just like a flu”. However, the flu is not an insignificant disease: it is a viral infection of the airways that we can prevent with a vaccineContinue reading “The flu: seasonal outbreaks and pandemics”
When viruses are the ally: successful gene therapy for retinal dystrophy and beta-thalassemia
The goal of gene therapy is to cure monofactorial genetic disorders, caused by mutations in a single gene. In the sequence of each gene are the instructions for the production of a protein, and every block of three bases (codon) corresponds to a specific amino acid. Alterations in the DNA sequence (mutations) affect the sequenceContinue reading “When viruses are the ally: successful gene therapy for retinal dystrophy and beta-thalassemia”
Searching for extraterrestrial microbes
All of us, at least once, have asked this question: there is life on other planets? When thinking about extraterrestrial life we usually imagine little green creatures with antennae on their head, but what scientists are looking for are microscopic organisms, more similar to bacteria than to humans. The American National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationContinue reading “Searching for extraterrestrial microbes”
Virus&Co. 