Chikungunya News and Research

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Biosecurity Research Institute takes two-part approach in fighting Zika virus

Kansas State University is helping the fight against Zika virus through mosquito research.

4 Jul 2016

Wolbachia bacterium can prevent mosquitoes from transmitting Zika virus

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have confirmed that a benign bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis can completely block transmission of Zika virus in Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for passing the virus to humans.

1 Jul 2016

Health strategies for families when traveling abroad with kids

Before your family heads to Mexico, Asia or beyond this summer, do a little planning to keep everyone healthy during their journey. Dr. Nava Yeganeh, an assistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases and director of the Pediatric International Travel and Adoption Clinic at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, explains three important strategies.

27 Jun 2016

SLU to conduct human clinical trial of vaccine to protect people from Zika virus

Saint Louis University's vaccine center has been tapped by the National Institutes of Health to conduct a human clinical trial of a vaccine to prevent the Zika virus, which can cause devastating birth defects in babies.

24 Jun 2016

Major review highlights lack of genetic understanding of Zika virus

A major review of the Zika virus has concluded that further research to understand the nature of the virus is critical to developing antiviral treatments and vaccines.The paper, published in the journal Veterinary Quarterly, considers the breadth of current research and highlights a lack of understanding of the nature of the virus.

23 Jun 2016

Inflammatory response to mosquito bites can help spread viral infections

Mosquito bite sites are not just itchy, irritating nuisances - they also make viral infections spread by the insects far worse, new research has found.

22 Jun 2016

ECDC warns risk of gastrointestinal illness and vector-borne infections at Rio de Janeiro Olympics

Visitors to the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will be most at risk of gastrointestinal illness and vector-borne infections concludes ECDC's updated rapid risk assessment on the Games.

15 Jun 2016

New receptor discovery could lead to novel mosquito repellents

Major rainfall across most of Texas triggering hordes of mosquitos coupled with seemingly constant mosquito-related Zika virus media reports from around the globe may have set the stage perfectly for what one researcher deems as a very significant discovery in man's war against earth's leading human disease carrier.

14 Jun 2016

Scientists map Zika and dengue-transmitting mosquitoes in U.S. counties

The mosquitoes known as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus transmit arboviruses that are increasing threats to human health in the Americas, particularly dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses.

10 Jun 2016

Researchers deploy mobile DNA sequencing laboratories to help combat Zika virus spread in Brazil

Researchers from the University of Birmingham are working with health partners in Brazil to combat the spread of Zika virus by deploying a pair of mobile DNA sequencing laboratories on a medical 'road trip' through the worst-hit areas of the country.

From Oxford Nanopore Technologies 8 Jun 2016

WHO/PAHO provides public health advice to mitigate Zika virus risk during 2016 Olympics in Brazil

Based on current assessment, cancelling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika virus.

31 May 2016

Japan-based researchers find new tool to predict risk of Zika virus transmission

A new tool by Japan-based researchers predicts the risk of Zika virus importation and local transmission for 189 countries.

27 May 2016

Tackling Zika: are insect repellents the answer? An interview with Bruno Jactel

The repellents that are used today are mostly based on what we call chemical pesticides. These products are used to repel mosquitoes as well as ticks. They are very broadly used, but there are different issues surrounding their use.

19 May 2016

WHO/PAHO statement on Zika virus and the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recognize that athletes and visitors are seeking more information on the risks of Zika and ways to prevent infection while attending the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games (5 August to 18 September 2016).

16 May 2016

Drug-repositioning strategy could help combat Chikungunya virus

Since 2013, the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus has spread rapidly through South America and the Caribbean, and is now threatening Southern Europe and the southern US.

13 May 2016

MIT researchers develop innovative paper-based test to diagnose Zika virus

A new paper-based test developed at MIT and other institutions can diagnose Zika virus infection within a few hours. The test, which distinguishes Zika from the very similar dengue virus, can be stored at room temperature and read with a simple electronic reader, making it potentially practical for widespread use.

9 May 2016

Unfolding story of Zika virus in the Americas

Health Systems & Reform presents the article "Zika Virus and Health Systems in Brazil: From Unknown to a Menace," a commentary by Professor Marcia C. Castro, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, on the Zika Virus epidemic in Brazil and the Americas.

4 May 2016

New project explores role of mosquitoes in transmission of pathogens in Austria

In the wake of climate change and globalisation, non-indigenous mosquito species establish in Europe together with the pathogens they transmit. A project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF is currently investigating mosquito species found in Austria and their role in the transmission of pathogens.

3 May 2016

Zika virus present in Americas prior to first identification in Brazil

The Zika virus was present in Haiti several months before the first Zika cases were identified in Brazil, according to new research by infectious-disease specialists at the University of Florida.

27 Apr 2016

New blood treatment technology could reduce malaria risk following blood transfusions

Patients, especially children, who undergo blood transfusions in sub-Saharan Africa are at high risk of transfusion-transmitted malaria. A new trial, published in The Lancet today, suggests that treating donated blood with a new technology that combines UV radiation and vitamin B is safe and could minimise the risk of malaria infection following blood transfusions.

26 Apr 2016