Tag: Defenses

Research shows how mutations in SARS-CoV-2 allow the virus to dodge immune defenses

The vast majority of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 clear the virus, but those with compromised immunity—such as individuals receiving immune-suppressive drugs for autoimmune diseases—can become chronically infected. As a result, their weakened immune defenses continue to attack the virus without being able to eradicate it fully. This physiological tug-of-war between human host and pathogen offers

Virus that causes COVID-19 puts a plug in cellular defenses

One of the novel coronavirus’ most insidious tricks is that it can block the ability of cells to produce protective proteins without hindering its own ability to replicate. Now, a multidisciplinary team of Yale researchers has discovered how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, accomplishes this trick by blocking production of cellular proteins, including immune