Tropical Disease News and Research

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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.

Scientists discover role of skin in spreading leishmaniasis

Scientists at the University of York have discovered that parasites responsible for leishmaniasis - a globally occurring neglected tropical disease spread by sand flies - are mainly acquired from the skin rather than a person's blood.

5 Jul 2017

Schistosomiasis: the biggest killer you’ve never heard of?

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease, sometimes called bilharzia or snail fever. The disease impacts a huge number of people around the world, over 230 million people are infected with one of the schistosome species, the parasitic worms that causes the disease.

4 Jul 2017

UTEP researchers move one step closer to developing first-ever Chagas disease vaccine

A pair of scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso is one step closer to developing the first ever clinical Chagas disease vaccine.

22 Jun 2017

Study shows insecticide-resistance monitoring as key to controlling mosquitoes that spread Zika

One of the most common insecticides used in the battle against the Aedes aegypti mosquito has no measurable impact when applied in communities where the mosquito has built up resistance to it, a study led by Emory University finds.

20 Jun 2017

First-ever clinical study for effective treatment of mycetoma begins in Sudan

The first-ever double-blind, randomized clinical trial for an effective treatment for the severely neglected disease mycetoma has enrolled its first patient at the Mycetoma Research Centre in Khartoum, Sudan.

19 Jun 2017

Automated rapid blood test provides accurate malaria diagnosis

Diagnosing malaria has been a very time-consuming and error-prone process up to now. Together with his Dutch colleague Jan van den Boogaart, Professor Oliver Hayden from the Technical University of Munich has now developed an automated rapid blood test that provides an accurate diagnosis in almost 100 percent of cases.

16 Jun 2017

Scientists report discovery and validation of drug candidate for treating cryptosporidiosis

Infectious disease scientists from Novartis, the University of Georgia and Washington State University have reported the discovery and early validation of a drug candidate for treating cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheal disease which is a major cause of child mortality in lower-income countries. Currently there are no vaccines or effective treatments.

31 May 2017

WHO announces new flagship programs for African region over next two years

The World Health Organization’s Regional Director for Africa announced today four new flagship programs for the region over the next two years, including a major push on adolescent health and the creation of regional emergency hubs.

26 May 2017

Preclinical results of translational research show favorable outcomes in developing Zika virus vaccine

Preclinical results of research by City College of New York scientists and TechnoVax, Inc. in animal models demonstrate favorable outcomes in developing a vaccine against the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

11 May 2017

Transmission of mosquito-borne diseases may happen at lower temperatures than previously thought

Transmission of mosquito-borne diseases, such as Zika, occur at lower temperatures than previously thought, a recently released study co-authored by two University of South Florida researchers shows.

9 May 2017

Metabolite 'signatures' can accurately distinguish typhoid from other fever-inducing diseases

Researchers have identified a metabolite 'signature' that can accurately distinguish typhoid from other fever-inducing tropical diseases using patient blood samples.

9 May 2017

Study identifies potent molecular mechanism for insecticide resistance in sandfly species

A study led by LSTM identifies a potent molecular mechanism for insecticide resistance in the world's most medically-important sandfly species and develops DNA-diagnostics for monitoring future impact on visceral leishmaniasis control and elimination programs.

5 May 2017

Computational analysis highlights potential economic burden of Zika outbreak in the U.S.

Even a relatively mild Zika outbreak in the United States could cost more than $183 million in medical costs and productivity losses, suggests a computational analysis led by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers, while a more severe one could result in $1.2 billion or more in medical costs and productivity losses.

3 May 2017

Stanford scientists model how rising temperatures may influence mosquito behavior and disease risk

As temperatures rise with climate change, mosquito season extends past the summer months in many parts of the world. The question has been how this lengthened season influences the risk of being infected with mosquito-born diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika.

3 May 2017

UC San Diego Amazonian Center to receive NIH funding for malaria research

The Amazonian Center of Excellence for Malaria Research, headed by Joseph Vinetz, MD, professor of medicine and tropical disease specialist at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, will receive up to approximately $8.3 million over seven years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

21 Apr 2017

WHO marching toward extraordinary progress against neglected tropical diseases, report reveals

Since 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been reporting outstanding success in dealing with neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) with 1 billion people estimated to have received treatments in 2015.

19 Apr 2017

The Global Schistosomiasis Alliance unveils giant worm on Lake Geneva

Experts gather at Neglected Tropical Diseases Summit to demand more global action to tackle one of the world’s biggest killers - schistosomiasis.

18 Apr 2017

Treating animals may be part of global strategy to eradicate tropical diseases, study suggests

As the World Health Organization steps up its efforts to eradicate a once-rampant tropical disease, a University of Washington study suggests that monitoring, and potentially treating, the monkeys that co-exist with humans in affected parts of the world may be part of the global strategy.

12 Apr 2017

GHIT Fund invests in phase 3 clinical trial for pediatric formulation of ‘snail fever’ drug

The Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, a unique Japanese public-private partnership formed to battle infectious diseases around the globe, today announced 11 new investments totaling US$23 million that could help deliver a range of new innovative therapies for a host of debilitating conditions.

31 Mar 2017

Researchers map key Zika virus protein to accelerate search for cure

A study published today shows how Indiana University scientists are speeding the path to new treatments for the Zika virus, an infectious disease linked to birth defects in infants in South and Central America and the United States.

28 Mar 2017