Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Immunocompromised people are susceptible to skin cancer caused directly by beta-HPV

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have shown for the first time that a type of human papillomavirus (HPV) commonly found on the skin can directly cause a form of skin cancer called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) when certain immune cells malfunction.

30 Jul 2025

Single injection of gene therapy at birth may offer lasting protection against HIV

A new study in Nature shows that delivering a single injection of gene therapy at birth may offer years-long protection against HIV, tapping into a critical window in early life that could reshape the fight against pediatric infections in high-risk regions.

30 Jul 2025

New genetic mutation linked to highly invasive Streptococcus pyogenes infections

A group of researchers led by The University of Osaka have identified a novel genetic mutation in Streptococcus pyogenes, a common bacterium which causes strep throat, significantly associated with severe invasive infections.

30 Jul 2025

Gut microbial metabolites restore hormone-producing cells in obesity

New research from scientists at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine reveals that certain gut microbial byproducts may hold promise as a novel therapy for obesity-associated metabolic complications by restoring critical hormone-producing cells in the intestine.

29 Jul 2025

New software predicts cancer cell behavior to advance treatment

In the same vein as weather forecast models that predict developing storms, researchers now have developed a method to predict the cell activity in tissues over time.

28 Jul 2025

IRF-5 identified as key to preventing immune cell exhaustion

In fighting chronic infections or certain cancers, CD8+ T cells-the immune system's frontline soldiers-eventually become exhausted. They lose effectiveness and respond less efficiently to threats.

24 Jul 2025

New study reveals high lifetime exposure to hepatitis B and C in Ukraine

A study just published on Eurosurveillance has found evidence of substantial lifetime exposure to hepatitis B and C viruses in Ukraine in a 2021 nationwide, representative sample of the population, with findings also suggesting significant ongoing circulation of these viruses.

24 Jul 2025

Forever chemicals cross placenta and breast milk affecting babies’ immunity

New research reveals that tiny amounts of PFAS-widely known as "forever chemicals"-cross the placenta and breast milk to alter infants' developing immune systems, potentially leaving lasting imprints on their ability to fight disease.

23 Jul 2025

Over 14 million children miss lifesaving vaccines threatening global goals

More than 14 million children missed out on lifesaving vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough last year, putting global goals off track, new UN data shows.

22 Jul 2025

Low-cost diagnostic tool delivers COVID-19 test results in under an hour

An affordable new diagnostic tool that delivers COVID-19 test results in under an hour could help boost pandemic preparedness in resource-poor regions, according to a team of researchers.

22 Jul 2025

Australian study uncovers first potential prophylactic treatment against HTLV-1

Around 10 million people globally live with the life-threatening virus HTLV-1. Yet it remains a poorly understood disease that currently has no preventative treatments and no cure.

21 Jul 2025

APOE ε4 variant reveals hidden risk factors beyond Alzheimer’s

Researchers discovered that people carrying the APOE ε4 gene variant share a unique immune-related protein signature across their blood, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid—regardless of neurodegenerative disease diagnosis. This signature reveals a fundamental, disease-independent vulnerability linked to APOE ε4, reframing our understanding of genetic risk in conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, ALS, and FTD.

21 Jul 2025

New monoclonal antibody enhances immune response by selectively targeting Tregs

A new research paper was published in Volume 16 of Oncotarget on July 9, 2025, titled "A novel anti-human CD25 mAb with preferential reactivity to activated T regulatory cells depletes them from the tumor microenvironment."

17 Jul 2025

endTB-Q trial highlights importance of individualized regimens

Some patients with highly drug-resistant tuberculosis could benefit from a shorter treatment with fewer drugs while others may warrant more aggressive therapy, according to the findings of a new study led by an international group of researchers including scientists from Harvard Medical School and conducted across six countries in Asia, Africa, and South America.

17 Jul 2025

Fred Hutch leads national study on multi-cancer detection blood tests

Fred Hutch Cancer Center is leading the newly launched Vanguard Study, a national study of a new type of blood test that screens for several different cancers called multi-cancer detection (MCD) tests.

16 Jul 2025

Routine vaccines may be the key to fighting antibiotic resistance

A study reveals that rising vaccine coverage in children is linked to reduced antibiotic prescriptions, suggesting a shift in the fight against drug resistance.

16 Jul 2025

Hungry bacteria choose food over danger in the human gut

Bacteria that cause intestinal infections typically avoid a stinky chemical - one that can kill them at high enough concentrations - inside human intestines, but they may actually swim toward it when a hearty meal is the reward.

16 Jul 2025

New approach makes mismatched stem cell transplants safer for blood cancer patients

Advances in blood stem cell transplants now make it possible for people with blood cancers to get safe and effective "mismatched" transplants that will potentially cure their disease, new UVA Cancer Center research reveals. The advances will allow far more people to receive the lifesaving treatment.

15 Jul 2025

NIH awards major grant to advance mucormycosis research

The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA (TLI) announced today that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded a new grant (P01AI186818) to Dr. Ashraf S. Ibrahim, PhD, a TLI Investigator, a Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and a leading authority on mucormycosis pathogenesis.

15 Jul 2025

Infectious disease outbreaks erode trust in political institutions

The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn the attention to the far-reaching social implications of emerging infectious diseases, bringing to mind similarly impactful events like the Black Plague in early modern Europe or the Spanish Flu after World War I.

15 Jul 2025