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'Weak spot' in virus responsible for COVID-19 could mean new treatments, UBC researchers say – The Globe and Mail

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2 years ago

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Researchers at the University of British Columbia have discovered what they are calling a “weak spot” in the virus that causes COVID-19, paving the way for potential new treatments effective against all strains.

A study published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Communications says the “key vulnerability” is found in all major variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

“We’re always looking for, well, is there a chink in the armour? Is there a spot that is not changing so much, that we can direct antibodies to that spot?” the study’s senior author, Dr. Sriram Subramaniam, said in an interview.

“That is the value of the new finding, that it tells us where to focus our attention.”

Exploiting that weakness could lead to new ways of fighting the illness that has killed almost 6.5 million people across the globe since it was identified more than two years ago, the study says.

Subramaniam, a professor in UBC’s faculty of medicine, said the team had studied the virus at an atomic level to find the weak spot and identify an antibody fragment that can attach to it across the virus’s many mutations, including the surging Omicron subvariants.

Antibodies counteract viruses by attaching like a key in a lock. They are naturally produced by the body to fight infection, but can also be made in a laboratory and administered to patients as a treatment, becoming less effective over time as viruses mutate.

But Subramaniam said the weak spot his team has identified is constant in all seven major variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, meaning one antibody could act as a “master key” capable of overcoming extensive mutations.

The weak spot and master key “unlock a whole new realm of treatment possibilities,” which have the potential to be effective against current or future variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, he said in a statement.

The researchers began with the knowledge that the immune system typically responds to what it sees on the surface of the virus, or the spike protein in SARS-CoV-2, he said. All viruses mutate and the concern with each new variant of COVID-19 has been whether the immune system will be able to recognize the mutated form.

“The existence of a large number of mutations made it a much more effective escape artist from our immune system,” he said.

The weak spot is located on the spike protein, he said. The antibody fragment neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 by attaching to the spike protein and blocking the virus from entering human cells, he said.

“We used very advanced imaging tools to literally zero in and cast a spotlight on the interaction of the spike protein with antibodies,” he said.

The special thing about the identified antibody fragment is that it attaches next to the site where the spike protein binds with human cells instead of directly on it, he said.

“It actually puts out a couple of fingers that still block the binding,” he said. “So it achieves this effect by sitting next door.”

In some ways, it’s less like locking the door than stretching an arm out to block entry, he said.

“It’s an interesting physical block that sits close by, but not exactly at that site. And that may well be why [the site] has not mutated so much over time.”

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How many Nova Scotians are on the doctor wait-list? Number hit 160,000 in June

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September 11, 2024

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HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.

The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.

Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.

“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”

The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.

A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.

Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.

“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.

Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.

The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.

“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Newfoundland and Labrador monitoring rise in whooping cough cases: medical officer

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2 days ago

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September 10, 2024

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ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.

Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.

Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.

The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.

“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.

Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.

Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.

Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.

A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Bizarre Sunlight Loophole Melts Belly Fat Fast!

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3 days ago

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September 10, 2024

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