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It is critical to track down a virus’s first human host. It helps public health officials isolate sick people and stop the spread of a disease during a small outbreak, and in large outbreak it enables scientists to mark the start of the epidemic curve and chart how a contagion moves through a population.

An outbreak of Rift Valley fever (RVF) has been reported in the African country of Mauritania. As of October 5, 2020 samples from over 88 potential cases have been sent to the National Institute of Public Health Research (INRSP). 

Scientists have developed new wearable medical sensors that can be manufactured directly onto someone’s skin without burning caused by the normal sintering process.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers have developed a technique for increasing primary SARS-CoV-2 virus testing sensitivity to help identify those who are asymptomatic.

Flaviviruses, which include dengue, Zika, West Nile, Japanese encephalitis, and yellow fever, have few effective vaccines. The University of Arizona is researching ways to target specific locations on the viruses that are unique to each type and strain as a way to address the challenges associated with developing Flavivirus vaccines.

This article makes the case that biosecurity should be required as part of the development process for any synthetic biology project.

The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) at North Carolina State University demonstrated that it is possible to develop accurate forecasts of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) spread within a decision-making timeframe. The objective was to forecast PEDV outbreaks by generating high-resolution maps to track disease spread and identify current and potential PEDV high risk geographic areas.

Using the CRISPR gene editing tool, researchers at Tufts University discovered a way to deliver edited genes across the blood brain barrier to certain areas of the brain, immune cells, or tissues through studies with mice. This discovery could lead to new treatment options for neurological conditions, cancer, and other diseases.

Thawing layers of permafrost are thought to be related to an outbreak of anthrax disease in Siberian reindeer herds. Researchers have developed an epidemiological model for anthrax transmission that describes transmission dynamics along with the role of the active layer over permafrost acting as a long-term storage of anthrax spores that could be viable for disease transmission during thawing periods. 

Vaccine research targeting different morphological structures of flu viruses may provide a method to affect multiple flu types.