Cracking the code of a lethal virus
Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an unforgiving killer of horses, donkeys and zebras, leading to mortality as excessive as 80 % of contaminated animals. It causes fast, catastrophic swelling of the mind and spinal twine, resulting in extreme neurological signs and -- in lots of instances -- sudden dying. The virus can even infect people, with comparable outcomes. The U.S. and Soviet Union each weaponized VEEV throughout the Chilly Battle, prompting the Facilities for Illness Management and the Nationwide Institutes of Well being to categorise VEEV as a class B pathogen. A analysis group led by the College of Maryland has exploited a weak spot in VEEV's genetic code, leading to a far much less lethal mutant model of the virus when examined in laboratory mice. The brand new discovery may allow the event of a vaccine and different medication to fight VEEV. The findings had been revealed on-line November 16, 2016 within the Journal of Viro...