virologist

Breakthroughs in medicine: top virologist on the two most important developments for Africa

Breakthroughs in medicine: top virologist on the two most important developments for Africa: There have been several important breakthroughs in medical science recently. Crispr, mRNA, next-generation cancer treatments and game-changing vaccines are some of them. Oyewale Tomori, a virologist with decades-long involvement in managing diseases in Nigeria, gives his verdict on the most significant discoveries …

Polio: leading virologist offers a beginner’s guide to the different viruses and vaccines

Polio: leading virologist offers a beginner’s guide to the different viruses and vaccines: Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua via Getty Images On 17 March 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that health officials in Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had detected cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus. The WHO said the Burundian government had declared the detection …

COVID, bird flu, mpox – a virologist on why we’re seeing so many viruses emerge

COVID, bird flu, mpox – a virologist on why we’re seeing so many viruses emerge: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock From the widespread outbreak of mpox (formerly called monkeypox) in 2022, to the evolving bird flu situation, to recent cases of Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea, COVID isn’t dominating the headlines as much as it used to. Instead, …

Where is the next COVID variant, pi? A virologist explains why omicron is continuing to dominate

Where is the next COVID variant, pi? A virologist explains why omicron is continuing to dominate: FOTOGRIN/Shutterstock The omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has now been around for more than a year. Before omicron became dominant, there had been a quick succession of named variants of concern – from alpha, to …

Six common COVID myths busted by a virologist and a public health expert

Six common COVID myths busted by a virologist and a public health expert: r.classen/Shutterstock Almost three years into the pandemic, myths and misinformation remain widespread. Here we, a virologist and a public health researcher, debunk some common misconceptions about COVID. Myth 1: The virus is becoming milder There’s a prevailing myth in the omicron era …

COVID nasal sprays could offer advantages over traditional vaccines – a virologist explains how they work

COVID nasal sprays could offer advantages over traditional vaccines – a virologist explains how they work: Josep Suria/Shutterstock As new waves of omicron infections continue to hit around the world, it’s becoming clearer that COVID is here to stay. As such, in the years to come, vaccination – both first courses and booster doses – …

Omicron XE is spreading in the UK – a virologist explains what we know about this hybrid variant

Omicron XE is spreading in the UK – a virologist explains what we know about this hybrid variant: Andrii Vodolazhskyi/Shutterstock As the COVID pandemic has progressed, we’ve repeatedly seen the arrival of new viral variants. Variants of concern, such as delta and omicron, are versions of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) which have acquired …

David Olufemi Olaleye: erudite virologist, excellent mentor and academic giant

David Olufemi Olaleye: erudite virologist, excellent mentor and academic giant: David Olufemi Olaleye Courtesy African Digital Health Library David Olufemi Olaleye, who passed away in July, made an impact on many lives. He was an excellent teacher and mentor – like a father to many. A defender of the oppressed and a forthright person, who …