Science March 10, 2022 According to researchers in Australia zoonotic diseases have been part of the human experience since the origin of our species. The key issue is not that zoonotic diseases appear in humans, but that their emergence seems to be increasing in frequency. Major changes in land use, increasing urbanization, and global connectedness will accelerate the rate of zoonotic events. A core question is whether particular animal groups are common sources of zoonotic viruses. By understanding why and how zoonotic diseases emerge in humans, as well as the barriers to this process, it is possible to be better […]
Tag Archives: Virology
A fast and inexpensive device to capture and identify viruses
EurekAlert December 23, 2019 Currently, virologists estimate that 1.67 million unknown viruses are in animals, a number of which can be transmitted to humans. A team of researchers in the US (Pennsylvania State University, New York University) synthesized a gradient of aligned carbon nanotube forest arrays to capture different viruses and detect them in-situ Raman spectroscopy to identify the viruses based on their individual vibration. They designed and assembled a portable platform that enriches virus particles from several milliliters of clinical samples in a couple of minutes. They added gold nanoparticles to enhance the Raman signal to detect the virus […]