Cow udders may provide a hotspot for bird flu and human flu viruses to mingle. The prospect of an outbreak of avian influenza among dairy cattle triggering a pandemic in humans is one step closer than ...

Scientists have uncovered a never-before-seen class of virus-like entities hiding in the human gut and mouth, and these "viroids" may influence the gene activity within the human microbiome, Science ...

Distinguishing between self and non-self is a critical ability of the immune system. Some pathogens have evolved proteins that resemble those of their host, a mechanism called molecular mimicry, in an ...

Viral DNA that is usually dismissed when sequencing the human genome could help to uncover useful information about complex ...

Two little-known animal viruses, influenza D and canine coronavirus, show signs of adapting to humans, according to experts.

What sets these viruses apart is their unusual ability to insert their genetic material into human chromosomes. This allows the virus to stay inactive for long periods and, in rare cases, be passed ...

Around 8 percent of human DNA is made up of genetic sequences acquired from ancient viruses. These sequences, known as human endogenous retroviruses (or Hervs), date back hundreds of thousands to ...

You, my friend, are what scientists call a "holobiont"- an organism made up of human cells and the multiplicity of microscopic species living inside you and on your body. Many of these microorganisms ...