immunity News and Research

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Anti-vaxxer Italian leader down with chickenpox

In a twist of fate, an Italian politician who was lobbying against mandatory vaccination laws, has come down with chickenpox and is now hospitalized.

21 Mar 2019

Scientists identify generation of key immune response in mice on introducing solid food

Microbes colonize all body surfaces and help to balance the immune system. In newborn infants, gut microbiota is first conditioned by breast milk components.

20 Mar 2019

Study illuminates how hot spots of genetic variation evolved in the human genome

What makes one person different from one another, and how did these differences evolve? A study by University at Buffalo biologists is illuminating one aspect of this complicated question. The research examines hot spots of genetic variation within the human genome, examining the sections of our DNA that are most likely to differ significantly from one person to another.

20 Mar 2019

Cholesterol lowering drug can also help treat cancer-associated cachexia

Brazilian researchers have discovered that a drug regularly prescribed to control cholesterol can also be used to treat cachexia, or wasting syndrome, a condition characterized by rapid weight loss and muscle atrophy associated with extreme physical weakness.

19 Mar 2019

New analysis compares scenarios to find the best time to get a flu shot

When flu season peaks after mid-winter, tens of thousands of influenza cases and hundreds of deaths can likely be avoided if older adults wait until October to get their flu immunization, a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine analysis reveals in the April issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

15 Mar 2019

Preclinical data shows combination immunotherapy could suppress tumor growth in the liver

Even as overall cancer incidence and mortality decrease in the United States, the number of people diagnosed with liver cancer is on the rise.

14 Mar 2019

Association found between gene variant and lung disease in the form of systemic vasculitis

University of Tsukuba-led team reveals the association between a gene variant and a lung disease in the form of systemic vasculitis particularly prevalent in the Japanese, potentially providing a target for future therapies.

13 Mar 2019

Killer flu pandemic is inevitable and world is not prepared, says WHO

The World Health Organisation has said that the world is not prepared for a global flu pandemic and that resources are inadequate.

12 Mar 2019

New data describes way to reliably quantify a person's 'immune age'

New data, published in Nature Medicine, from scientists at the Technion, Stanford and CytoReason describes for the first time ever a way to reliably quantify a person's "immune age".

12 Mar 2019

Virginia Tech professor uses mathematical modeling simulations to assess vaccine efficacy

The recent measles outbreaks across the country emphasize the importance of vaccinations.

11 Mar 2019

Study reveals how the microbiota controls activity of immune cells

A host protein called Serum Amyloid A (Saa) is a major factor mediating the effects of the microbiota on the function of immune cells called neutrophils, according to a study published March 7 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by John Rawls of Duke University School of Medicine, and colleagues.

8 Mar 2019

Common fungus found on skin may cause inflammatory bowel disease

Therapies that target certain commensal fungi could provide a new way of treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to researchers.

6 Mar 2019

British man with HIV becomes second person ever to enter remission

A man in Britain has become the second person in the world to be cleared of HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant from an HIV-resistant donor.

5 Mar 2019

Experimental vaccine strategy shows great promise in treating tuberculosis

For years, scientists have been trying to come up with a better way to protect people against tuberculosis, the disease caused by infection with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria.

5 Mar 2019

Study finds how miR-132 acts as ‘handbrake’ on our immune system

Researchers have discovered how a tiny molecule known as miR-132 acts as a "handbrake" on our immune system - helping us fight infection.

5 Mar 2019

Researchers examine process of gut-based cells involved in long-term immunity

Only a few vaccines - for example, against polio and rotavirus - can be given orally. Most must be delivered by injection.

5 Mar 2019

Association found between rise of European populism and vaccine hesitancy

There is a significant association between the rise of populism across Europe and the level of mistrust around vaccines, according to a study by Queen Mary University of London.

2 Mar 2019

Mother's dengue immunity influences the severity of Zika infection in infants

Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School and their colleagues have identified a surprising interaction between dengue and Zika viruses that sheds lights on the significant fetal brain abnormalities linked to Zika virus.

1 Mar 2019

New approach to tackling chronic inflammatory diseases

An EU-funded project has developed new approaches to tackling chronic inflammatory diseases. These will be used to create precise and individualized treatment options, potentially leading to faster diagnosis, more effective treatments and even cures.

1 Mar 2019