Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Scripps scientist receives NIAID award for immunotherapy research

Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to advance basic understanding of immune processes that could aid the design of next-generation immunotherapies.

19 Aug 2026

Leicester-led research reveals long COVID’s lasting impact on healthcare workers

Major research has found that long COVID continues to affect a substantial proportion of healthcare workers, with serious consequences for their health, work and home lives, and NHS workforce overall.

18 Aug 2026

Engineered immune cells help eliminate severe bacterial infections effectively

Severe bacterial infections remain a major global health challenge because antibiotics alone often fail when the host immune system becomes dysfunctional.

17 Aug 2026

New genetic mutations linked to malaria drug resistance discovered

Researchers searching for genetic clues to the growing problem of malaria drug resistance identified new mutations associated with the parasite's decreased susceptibility to current treatment.

17 Aug 2026

Most Americans still believe outdated antibiotic guidance, study finds

"Always finish your antibiotics" is no longer considered medical best practice for all conditions.

13 Aug 2026

Study reveals hidden myxobacteria diversity for future drug discovery

Most antibiotics used clinically are based on natural compounds produced by bacteria and other microorganisms.

13 Aug 2026

New vaccination approach turns mosquito bites into immunity boosters

Researchers from WEHI (Melbourne, Australia) have discovered a new way to help prevent malaria that could one day transform mosquito bites from a source of deadly infection into immunity boosters against the disease.

13 Aug 2026

New study focuses on starving bacteria to prevent Lyme disease

Triggered by a near painless tick bite, Lyme disease causes severe pain and inflammation for more than 475,000 people in the U.S annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

13 Aug 2026

New antibody-specific AI framework accelerates discovery of therapeutic drugs

Designing an effective antibody drug is like searching for the right key in a warehouse of locks. Scientists may begin with millions-or even billions-of antibody candidates, but only a tiny fraction will recognize and bind tightly to the disease target.

13 Aug 2026

Dexamethasone calms lung inflammation without weakening core immune responses

Researchers from Trinity College Dublin and St. James's Hospital have shown that dexamethasone, a commonly prescribed anti-inflammatory steroid, can reduce harmful inflammation triggered by Mycobacterium avium without weakening the ability of human immune cells to control the infection.

11 Aug 2026

New UH Health initiative targets Texas healthcare workforce shortage

Addressing Texas' growing healthcare workforce shortage and rising demand for care, the University of Houston has launched UH Health, an academic health enterprise designed to integrate education, research and community engagement across the University.

11 Aug 2026

New dashboard tracks flesh-eating screwworm threat across the United States

In the 1950s, the New World screwworm cost U.S. livestock producers tens of millions of dollars a year, as much as $50 to $100 million annually in the hardest-hit Southwest, before it was eradicated from the United States and pushed south to Panama.

11 Aug 2026

Heavy rainfall and flooding raise infectious disease risks across Europe

A rapid review of 14 studies found that heavy rainfall and flooding were associated with outbreaks and increased incidence of several infectious diseases across Europe, particularly campylobacteriosis and leptospirosis. The authors highlighted major evidence gaps and called for stronger One Health surveillance, public health communication, sanitation, and flood-response planning.

10 Aug 2026

Scientists create single-cell atlas of spinal neurons involved in motor coordination

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital created a single-cell atlas of a key class of spinal neurons involved in motor coordination. From that resource, they identified a small subgroup of interneurons associated with the speed of rhythmic movements such as walking.

10 Aug 2026

Rare cruise ship virus outbreak highlights public messaging lessons and disease preparedness

A small outbreak of a rare hantavirus on a cruise ship earlier this year captured worldwide attention and sparked concerns about a possible new pandemic.

10 Aug 2026

New combination therapy could permanently clear HIV in newborns

Every year, more than 120,000 newborns worldwide contract HIV, a global health burden that requires lifelong treatment for millions of people - assuming they have access and can afford it.

10 Aug 2026

Researchers uncover mechanism linking skin inflammation to body-wide allergies

Our bodies experience allergic reactions when the immune system mistakenly overreacts to harmless substances, known as allergens, such as pollen, dust, or certain foods.

6 Aug 2026

Meningococcal B vaccine linked to lower gonorrhoea risk

The meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine could provide protection against more than one disease, with new research linking it to a significant reduction in the risk of gonorrhoea in young Territorians.

6 Aug 2026

Malaria infection causes permanent damage to the spleen immune cells

Macrophages formed in the bone marrow can only assume the function of embryonal phagocytes, or "scavenger cells," to a certain degree according to a study by the University of Bonn and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of Melbourne.

4 Aug 2026

Penn State study identifies genetic regions linked to avian herpesvirus virulence

A highly contagious herpes virus causes Marek's disease, a deadly illness that mainly infects chickens. While it does not make people sick, the virus causes tumors and paralysis in chickens and, if unchecked, can spread rapidly through entire flocks.

3 Aug 2026