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Two new species of viruses have been identified in blood samples taken from patients in Brazil’s northern region who had similar symptoms to those of dengue or Zika, such as high fever, severe headache, rash and red skin spots. One belongs to the genus Ambidensovirus and was found in a sample collected in the state of Amapá. The other belongs to the genus Chapparvovirus and was found in blood from the state of Tocantins. The study was supported by São Paulo Research [...]

Italy was the main origin of the individuals who first brought the novel coronavirus to Brazil, according to a study by Brazilian researchers in collaboration with colleagues in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Brazil between February and early March. "In contrast with China and other countries, where the outbreak began slowly with a small number of cases, it was started in Brazil by more than 300 people, most of whom came from Italy. The [...]

A population study conducted at a regional center of the state of São Paulo (Brazil) showed that 32.9% of subjects under 40 had no immunity against the disease, compared with only 1% in those over 50 (image: Measles Morbillivirus, the measles virus / CDC, Wikimedia Commons In São José do Rio Preto, state of São Paulo (Brazil), almost a third of the population aged 10-40 are estimated to have no antibodies against measles, according to a new study that tested 981 [...]

Extreme rainfall has become increasingly common in metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil. The capital of the state of São Paulo is the largest city in the southern hemisphere. The metropolitan area suffered from flooding due to heavy rain in February. Early in the month, no less than 114 millimeters (mm) fell in a single 24-hour period. This was the second highest 24-hour amount for the month since 1943, according to Brazil's National Meteorological Institute (INMET). According to a [...]

A novel vaccine against pneumonia that is less expensive and more effective than those currently used in Brazil is being tested in human patients. Developed by researchers at the Butantan Institute (Brazil) and Boston Children's Hospital, part of the Harvard Medical School (USA), the innovation is capable of providing protection against all serotypes of the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. "We chose a different strategy to activate the immune response. Instead of targeting the [...]

In an article published in Scientific Reports, researchers affiliated with the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil describe experiments performed with mice that show how genetic factors can determine whether an individual is susceptible or resistant to leishmaniasis. According to the authors, the results will contribute to a better understanding of leishmaniasis in humans and help to clarify why only some of those individuals infected develop the disease. Leishmaniasis is caused by [...]

The hypothesis that the Solar System was born from a gigantic cloud of gas and dust was first floated in the second half of the eighteenth century. It was proposed by German philosopher Immanuel Kant and developed by French mathematician Pierre-Simon de Laplace. It is now a consensus among astronomers. Thanks to the enormous amount of observational data, theoretical input and computational resources now available, it has been continually refined, but this is not a linear process. Nor is it [...]

Research conducted in recent decades has shown how the destruction of forests brings about a decline in species diversity. A research group in Brazil led by scientists at São Paulo State University (UNESP) has now reported the findings of an investigation into how landscape changes caused by deforestation, habitat loss and fragmentation lead directly to the loss not only of species but also of their ecological interactions. The report is published in Biotropica and features on the [...]

Brazilian researchers have just reported proving the potential of zika virus to combat advanced-stage central nervous system tumors in dogs. The study was published on Tuesday, March 10, in the journal Molecular Therapy. Three elderly dogs with spontaneous brain tumors were treated with injections of zika virus by scientists affiliated with the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center (HUG-CELL) supported by São Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP and hosted by the University of [...]