Tropical Disease News and Research

RSS

Tropical diseases encompass all diseases that occur solely, or principally, in the tropics. In practice, the term is often taken to refer to infectious diseases that thrive in hot, humid conditions, such as malaria, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, Chagas disease, African trypanosomiasis, and dengue.

Illustrations by Nigerian artist kickstart debate on neglected tropical disease

Illustrations by a local artist in Nigeria are helping health workers and policy makers understand what it's really like to live with a neglected tropical disease (NTD).

5 Nov 2020

PATH wins grant to develop oral treatment option for soil-transmitted helminth infections

PATH announced today they received a grant from Japan's Global Health Innovative Technology Fund to develop a new oral treatment option for soil-transmitted helminth infections.

1 Oct 2020

Two studies shed light on the biology and potential vulnerabilities of schistosomes

Two studies led by UT Southwestern researchers shed light on the biology and potential vulnerabilities of schistosomes - parasitic flatworms that cause the little-known tropical disease schistosomiasis.

24 Sep 2020

Bioarchaeology research shows how infectious diseases may have spread 4000 years ago

New bioarchaeology research from a University of Otago PhD candidate has shown how infectious diseases may have spread 4000 years ago, while highlighting the dangers of letting such diseases run rife.

21 Sep 2020

Sub-seasonal rainfall and temperature forecasts can be used to predict dengue outbreaks

A new study demonstrates for the first time that subseasonal rainfall and temperature forecasts can be used to predict outbreaks of dengue fever by estimating mosquito abundance.

25 Aug 2020

New chemical could potentially lead to a cure for neglected tropical diseases

Scientists say they are a step closer to developing a drug to kill the trypanosome parasite that causes human African trypanosomiasis, otherwise known as sleeping sickness, paving the way for a potential cure.

13 Jul 2020

JGU professor wins Exploration Grant for research into membrane proteins of parasites

So-called neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) cause great suffering in some of the world's poorest countries and can lead also to significant economic losses due to, for example, the infestation of animal herds.

4 Jun 2020

Study identifies potential drug target and way to alleviate cerebral malaria

Scientists have identified a key molecule involved in the development of cerebral malaria, a deadly form of the tropical disease. The study identifies a potential drug target and way forward toward alleviating this condition for which few targeted treatments are available.

9 Feb 2020

Scientists track down a potential target for new sleeping sickness drugs

Using ultra-bright X-ray flashes, a team of researchers has tracked down a potential target for new drugs against sleeping sickness: The scientists have decoded the detailed spatial structure of a vital enzyme of the pathogen, the parasite Trypanosoma brucei.

30 Jan 2020

Intellegens and Optibrium announce success in the Open Source Malaria global initiative

Intellegens, an artificial intelligence start-up, and, Optibrium, leading providers of software and services for drug discovery, today announced joint success in the Open Source Malaria global initiative aimed at identifying the best predictive models for antimalarial compounds.

6 Dec 2019

Scientists develop concept to tackle tropical disease

The tropical disease Leishmaniasis is being tackled by catching female sand flies who carry the parasite that causes the disease.

5 Dec 2019

Using genomics to identify promising novel treatment for lymphatic filariasis

Using innovative RNA sequencing techniques, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Institute for Genome Sciences identified a promising novel treatment for lymphatic filariasis, a disabling parasitic disease that is difficult to treat.

3 Dec 2019

Research could open a promising new path to control schistosomiasis

Scientists have isolated a natural chemical that acts as a potent kryptonite against parasitic worms that burrow through human skin and cause devastating health problems.

From PLOS ONE 18 Oct 2019

Research could lead to new ways to fight against schistosomiasis

Scientists at the Morgridge Institute for Research have isolated a natural chemical that acts as a potent kryptonite against schistosomes, the parasitic worms that burrow through human skin and cause devastating health problems.

17 Oct 2019

New leishmaniasis look-alike parasitic infection reported

A new study published online in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases describes the appearance of a new protozoan infection carried by insects which causes symptoms that mimic the disease called visceral leishmaniasis, caused by a different parasite.

2 Oct 2019

Study: Transmission of protozoan parasite may cause leishmaniasis-like symptoms in people

A new study published this week online in Emerging Infectious Diseases suggests that transmission of a protozoan parasite from insects may also cause leishmaniasis-like symptoms in people

1 Oct 2019

Molecular changes are linked with adverse events following treatment of lymphatic filariasis

The Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis delivers mass drug administration to 500 million people each year, and adverse events are common following treatment. Now, researchers have reported in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases that certain changes in gene expression are associated with these adverse events.

From PLOS ONE 25 Sep 2019

Tropical Disease News and Research

Further Reading