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Researchers investigate myocarditis in preschoolers caused by parvovirus B19 outbreak

Researchers document the harmful consequences of myocarditis in preschool students, caused by a regional outbreak of parvovirus B19 in northern Greece.

17 Jan 2025

Study reveals dangerous mutations in H5N1 bird flu

One of the earliest strains of bird flu isolated from a human in Texas shows a unique constellation of mutations that enable it to more easily replicate in human cells and cause more severe disease in mice compared to a strain found in dairy cattle, researchers from Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) report in Emerging Microbes & Infections.

16 Jan 2025

Review highlights the pathogenesis and clinical spectrum of Nipah virus infection

Nipah virus (NiV), a zoonotic paramyxovirus with significant human health implications, has garnered considerable attention due to its high fatality rates and potential for human-to-human transmission, posing a global public health threat.

15 Jan 2025

Study finds certain H5N1 strains in cattle linked to milder human illness; other variants remain a concern

Study reveals that contemporary HPAI H5N1 viruses show reduced replication and immune activation in human lung organoids, potentially explaining milder disease in humans compared to historic strains.

13 Jan 2025

Parvovirus B19 myocarditis cases reported in preschoolers from Northern Greece

Myocarditis is a rare yet serious condition known for the inflammation of the heart muscle, also known as the myocardium. In severe cases of myocarditis, the heart muscle becomes extremely weak and fails to pump blood effectively.

9 Jan 2025

Novel hMPV strains linked to rising respiratory infections in young children

Researchers in India discovered novel hMPV lineages A2.2.1 and A2.2.2, emphasizing their role in pediatric respiratory infections and potential public health implications.

6 Jan 2025

H5N1 bird flu spillover to horses, raises fears of new viral strains

Researchers report the first confirmed cases of H5N1 bird flu in horses, highlighting their role as potential reservoirs for viral reassortment. This groundbreaking study urges increased surveillance to prevent novel influenza epidemics.

5 Jan 2025

Human protein MxA restricts H5N1, but virus mutations raise alarms

Human MxA protein suppresses mammalian H5N1 virus replication, but emerging mutations may enable partial evasion, raising concerns for human transmission.

5 Jan 2025

Predicting H5N1 disease severity based on T cell responses

New research led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) suggests that many people already have immune cells on "stand by" to fight the H5N1 virus, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza.

2 Jan 2025

Mild avian flu cases in US spark safety warnings for poultry and dairy sectors

Researchers identify 46 mild cases of avian influenza A(H5N1) in U.S. poultry and dairy workers, highlighting low PPE adherence and potential outbreak risks.

2 Jan 2025

Blood cells linked to long-lasting vaccine immunity

When children receive their second measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, around the time they start kindergarten, they gain protection against all three viruses for all or most of their lives.

2 Jan 2025

Public health experts outline critical steps in handling HPAI H5N1 spread

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza A virus (HPAI H5N1) remains a low risk to the general public, and public health experts in the United States believe that available treatments and vaccines, as well as those in development, are sufficient to prevent severe disease.

2 Jan 2025

AI-driven surveillance system to combat emerging infectious diseases

Researchers have come up with a new way to identify more infectious variants of viruses or bacteria that start spreading in humans - including those causing flu, COVID, whooping cough and tuberculosis.

2 Jan 2025

RSV vaccine acceptance grows amidst rising flu concerns

A year after becoming available, vaccines to protect against RSV in newborns and older adults are being more widely accepted by the American public, according to a new Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) health survey conducted in November 2024.

23 Dec 2024

Public health strategies essential for reducing airborne virus transmission

Half a decade on from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study by the University of Surrey highlights the significant impact of combined public health measures in reducing airborne viral transmission.

20 Dec 2024

How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic

Keith Poulsen's jaw dropped when farmers showed him images on their cellphones at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin in October.

20 Dec 2024

Pregnant women must be prioritized in pandemic vaccination programs

The vast majority of women who contract bird flu during pregnancy and their unborn baby will die from the virus, according to a new study. And the findings stress the importance of early inclusion of pregnant women in public health vaccination programs during pandemics.

19 Dec 2024

New design could make seasonal influenza vaccinations more broadly effective

Stanford Medicine scientists have designed a way to make our seasonal influenza vaccinations more broadly effective and possibly to protect us from new flu variants with pandemic potential.

19 Dec 2024

Chronic gut infection may play role in Alzheimer’s disease progression

Arizona State University and Banner Alzheimer's Institute researchers, along with their collaborators, have discovered a surprising link between a chronic gut infection caused by a common virus and the development of Alzheimer's disease in a subset of people.

19 Dec 2024

Scientists detect rare H5N1 avian flu strain in Australian child after travel to India

A 2.5-year-old returning to Australia from India was infected with a reassortant H5N1 virus, revealing genetic mixing between avian influenza clades and gaps in South Asian surveillance.

18 Dec 2024