Pathogen News and Research

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Antigenic mapping sheds light on SARS-CoV-2 immunity differences

A person's immune response to variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, depends on their previous exposure - and differences in the focus of immune responses will help scientists understand how to optimise vaccines in the future to provide broad protection.

7 Oct 2024

Oropouche virus spreads in South America as scientists warn of potential outbreaks in the U.S.

Researchers review the reemergence and range expansion of Oropouche virus in South America, highlighting risks of spread to the U.S. and need for improved diagnostic tests. Over 9,000 cases and two deaths were reported in 2024.

4 Oct 2024

Novel semi-synthetic compound shows promise against drug-resistant tuberculosis

A new study published in the American Society for Microbiology journal Microbiology Spectrum demonstrates that a novel semi-synthetic compound can be derived from natural compounds to produce potent activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including multi-drug resistant strains.

3 Oct 2024

Macrophage memory following COVID infection provides cross-virus protection

More than 200 viruses can infect and cause disease in humans; most of us will be infected by several over the course of a lifetime.

30 Sep 2024

New breath-based test for lower respiratory tract infections shows 100% sensitivity in critical care settings

Researchers have developed a breath-based in vitro assay that accurately detects lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) by measuring neutrophil elastase activity. This non-invasive test offers high diagnostic sensitivity and could revolutionize LRTI detection.

29 Sep 2024

New drug MED6-189 shows promise against drug-resistant malaria

In 2022, nearly 619,000 global deaths due to malaria were caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent, prevalent, and deadly human malaria parasite.

26 Sep 2024

UMC Utrecht study uncovers 29 novel antibodies against Klebsiella pneumoniae

Research at UMC Utrecht has identified 29 novel antibodies against the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae, an important cause of drug-resistant infections.

26 Sep 2024

Understanding the role of TIPS in improving renal function amid cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is one of the leading causes of mortality from non-communicable diseases, with complications arising as liver function deteriorates.

26 Sep 2024

Drug-free nasal spray demonstrates effectiveness in blocking viral and bacterial infections

Researchers from the Brigham detail how the spray they created may offer broad-spectrum protection from respiratory infections by COVID-19, influenza, everyday cold viruses, and pneumonia-causing bacteria

25 Sep 2024

Pigs identified as possible carriers of rat hepatitis E virus infecting humans

New research suggests that pigs may function as a transmission vehicle for a strain of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) common in rats that has recently been found to infect humans.

25 Sep 2024

Novel nasal spray shows promise in preventing respiratory infections

New research published in Advanced Materials reports a novel nasal spray for preventing respiratory infections.

25 Sep 2024

Study reveals gaps in outbreak detection resources in Asia

A landmark study led by Duke-NUS Medical School revealed that despite the recent pandemic, outbreak detection efforts remain under-resourced in South and Southeast Asia, with only about half the countries reviewed having integrated pathogen genomic surveillance initiatives in their national plans.

24 Sep 2024

Review highlights failures in global control strategies for bird flu transmission

A review of sustained mammal-to-mammal bird flu transmission in diverse species, led by The Pirbright Institute, shows global control strategies are not working.

24 Sep 2024

Wastewater surveillance detects influenza and H5 viruses from human and animal sources

Wastewater surveillance reveals influenza A and H5 subtype detections, providing critical insights into public health risks from both human and animal sources during the ongoing HPAI A(H5N1) outbreak.

24 Sep 2024

Liraglutide activates key brain circuits to trigger weight loss in obesity

Researchers uncover how liraglutide targets specific brain regions to suppress appetite and promote significant weight loss through GLP-1 receptor activation.

23 Sep 2024

Dietary antigens reduce small intestine cancer by boosting immune T-cells

Study shows that dietary antigens can suppress small intestine carcinogenesis by activating T-cells through Peyer's patches. Adding bovine serum albumin (BSA) or ovalbumin (OVA) to antigen-free diets restored immune function and reduced tumor growth in mice.

22 Sep 2024

Researchers identify new oscillatory patterns in COVID-19 cases across the U.S.

Researchers discovered previously unrecognized oscillatory trends in COVID-19 cases across the U.S., particularly a north-south oscillation around the 37°-38° north latitude. These patterns highlight the complexity of pandemic dynamics and the importance of understanding regional disease transmission.

22 Sep 2024

Fever enhances immune cell activity and induces mitochondrial stress

Fever temperatures rev up immune cell metabolism, proliferation and activity, but they also - in a particular subset of T cells - cause mitochondrial stress, DNA damage and cell death, Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers have discovered.

20 Sep 2024

Virginia Tech researchers uncover bacterial infection mechanism

Virginia Tech researchers have learned how bacteria manipulate molecules to infect the host organism.

20 Sep 2024

Wastewater monitoring proves effective for tracking foodborne pathogens

First used in the 1940s to monitor for polio, wastewater surveillance proved such a powerful disease monitoring tool that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the National Wastewater Surveillance System to support SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in September of 2020.

20 Sep 2024