Birth Defects News and Research

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Reliable clinical assay detects Zika virus from semen samples

Research presented at ASM Microbe 2017 by experts at the Fertility and Cryogenics Lab shows a reliable clinical assay that can detect the Zika virus from semen samples.

5 Jun 2017

TSRI study reveals first-ever structure of Lassa virus protein

Before Ebola virus ever struck West Africa, locals were already on the lookout for a deadly pathogen: Lassa virus. With thousands dying from Lassa every year - and the potential for the virus to cause even larger outbreaks- researchers are committed to designing a vaccine to stop it.

1 Jun 2017

Zika entry into India – cause for concern

The Zika virus has finally wormed its way into one of the largest and most densely populated countries in the world, India. The World Health Organization reported that surveillance efforts should be strengthened here in order to curb the menace and prevent its spread.

30 May 2017

A new Zika threat hovers as summer’s mosquitoes get bzzzzy

Zika, the mosquito-borne virus that triggered public health alarm bells last summer, has receded from the spotlight. But, experts say, expect the virus to pose a renewed threat this year.

30 May 2017

Scientists identify key gene in 22q11.2 that contributes to genitourinary birth defects

The 22q11.2 region of human chromosome 22 is a hotspot for a variety of birth defects. Scientists learned about this region because it is deleted in about 1 in 4,000 births, causing the loss or duplication of up to 40 genes.

25 May 2017

Summer season offers increased opportunities for parasite infestations, says researcher

Memorial Day weekend – the traditional kick-off to the summer season – offers increased opportunities for parasite infestations, says an Indiana University School of Medicine researcher.

25 May 2017

Near real-time genomic sequencing reveals how Zika virus entered into the U.S.

A new study by a multi-national research team, including scientists from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, explains how Zika virus entered the United States last year and how it might re-enter the country this year.

25 May 2017

Preterm infants have higher risk of heart failure than babies born at full term

Babies born preterm run a higher risk of heart failure during childhood and adolescence than those born at full term, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden report.

22 May 2017

Brisbane researchers synthetically re-create Zika virus to better understand birth defects

Brisbane researchers have synthetically re-created Zika virus in the laboratory - a breakthrough which will help to understand the virus and the fetal brain defects it causes.

17 May 2017

Researchers develop simple urine-based test for rapid and accurate detection of Zika virus

There is no vaccine. No medication. And, no quick, reliable test for Zika virus … until now. Babies born with the virus often have lifelong, devastating birth defects.

15 May 2017

Study provides insights into how HCMV infection causes birth defects

Fresh insights into how a common virus replicates could pave the way for new therapies to stop its spread.

15 May 2017

Improper methylation of cilia protein linked to increased risk of neural tube defects

Research published online in The FASEB Journal shows that the improper methylation of a protein called "Septin2," which regulates the structure of cilia, was associated with an increased risk of having a neural tube defect (NTD) and confirms that cilia are important factors in determining susceptibility of NTDs.

11 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

Researchers pinpoint gene that plays crucial role in formation of neural tube defects

Researchers have identified a gene that plays a key role in the formation of neural tube defects, a problem commonly found in infants of pregnant women with diabetes.

5 May 2017

Pediatric cardiology expert advises pregnant women to ask three questions about fetal ultrasounds

For pregnant women, it is standard practice to get a general fetal ultrasound between 18 to 22 weeks of pregnancy. Ultrasound scans, which use high-frequency sound waves to show images of the fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid, help the doctor see how the baby is developing and detect possible birth defects.

5 May 2017

GW scientist awarded $1.7 million grant to understand mechanisms behind Hedgehog receptor

Among scientists specializing in the area, the mechanisms behind the signaling function of the Hedgehog (Hh) receptor pathway remain a mystery. Xiaoyen Zheng, Ph.D., assistant professor of anatomy and regenerative biology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, who recently received a $1.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and National Institute of General Medical Sciences, is determined to learn more about the Hh pathway.

4 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

Birth Defects News and Research

Reliable clinical assay detects Zika virus from semen samples

TSRI study reveals first-ever structure of Lassa virus protein

Zika entry into India – cause for concern

A new Zika threat hovers as summer’s mosquitoes get bzzzzy

Scientists identify key gene in 22q11.2 that contributes to genitourinary birth defects

Summer season offers increased opportunities for parasite infestations, says researcher

Near real-time genomic sequencing reveals how Zika virus entered into the U.S.

Preterm infants have higher risk of heart failure than babies born at full term

Brisbane researchers synthetically re-create Zika virus to better understand birth defects

Researchers develop simple urine-based test for rapid and accurate detection of Zika virus

Study provides insights into how HCMV infection causes birth defects

Improper methylation of cilia protein linked to increased risk of neural tube defects

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

Researchers pinpoint gene that plays crucial role in formation of neural tube defects

Pediatric cardiology expert advises pregnant women to ask three questions about fetal ultrasounds

GW scientist awarded $1.7 million grant to understand mechanisms behind Hedgehog receptor

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

Study reveals safety data for using antimalarials during first trimester of pregnancy

Researchers correct Duchenne muscular dystrophy using gene-editing alternative

Scientists solve structure of protein crucial to reproduction and spread of Zika virus

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