immunity News and Research

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Poor diet may fuel Alzheimer's in people who carry disease-related gene

A diet high in cholesterol, fat and sugar may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease in people who carry the ApoE4 gene, a leading risk factor for the memory-erasing disease, indicates a new USC study.

13 Jun 2017

Zika viral load not necessarily linked to pregnancy problems, fetal abnormalities

UCLA-led researchers have found that Zika viral load and the degree of Zika symptoms during pregnancy were not necessarily associated with problems during pregnancy or fetal abnormalities at birth.

13 Jun 2017

Low levels of vitamin A could be strong risk factor for TB

People with low levels of vitamin A living with individuals sick with tuberculosis may be 10 times more likely to develop the disease than people with high levels of the nutrient, according to research led by investigators at Harvard Medical School.

13 Jun 2017

Children living in slums of Nepal face significant risk of diarrhea

Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of child mortality in developing countries. Two million children die of diarrhea in the world every year. Research published recently in the Journal of Lumbini Medical College has found that children living in the slums of Nepal's small hill towns are at significant risk of diarrhea.

12 Jun 2017

Adult male farmers in Malaysia more likely to contract 'monkey malaria'

Adult male farmers in Malaysia are more than twice as likely to contract Plasmodium knowlesi malaria - an infection usually found only in monkeys - than other people in their communities, according to a new study published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

9 Jun 2017

West Nile virus positive mosquitoes detected in Las Vegas

According to the health officials in Southern Nevada, mosquito samples from multiple Las Vegas neighbourhoods have tested positive for the West Nile virus. The affected zip code areas according to the officials are 89011, 89110 and 89146. These areas were being combed for Zika virus in mosquitoes. One such case of human West Nile virus infection has been confirmed in Clark County a few weeks ago.

7 Jun 2017

Anti-heroin vaccine developed at TSRI proven effective in primate models

A vaccine developed at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) to block the "high" of heroin has proven effective in non-human primates. This is the first vaccine against an opioid to pass this stage of preclinical testing.

6 Jun 2017

Scientists discover mechanism that provides potential new target for allergy treatments

In news that may bring hope to asthma sufferers, scientists discover a mechanism that provides a possible new target for allergy treatments.

6 Jun 2017

Improved communication could help reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics for childhood illnesses

To help reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics for common childhood illnesses, parents would benefit from fuller communication from their health care providers, suggests new research published in the National Communication Association's Journal of Applied Communication Research.

5 Jun 2017

CDC warning on Salmonella infections in humans from backyard poultry

CDC and other U.S health services are investigating eight multistate outbreaks of human Salmonella infections linked to contact with poultry living in the backyards.

5 Jun 2017

Early study of experimental vaccine shows escalating immune response in patients with sarcoma

The critical component of an experimental vaccine led to an escalating immune response in patients with sarcoma, an indicator of its potential anti-cancer effects.

2 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

MGH scientists show how Shigella survives journey from mouth to the colon

Surviving the treacherous journey through the human body from the mouth to the colon takes a special kind of bacterial pathogen.

31 May 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

Scripps scientists make important advance in HIV vaccine design

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have made another important advance in HIV vaccine design. The development was possible thanks to previous studies at TSRI showing the structures of a protein on HIV’s surface, called the envelope glycoprotein. The scientists used these structures to design a mimic of the viral protein from a different HIV subtype, subtype C, which is responsible for the majority of infections worldwide.

29 May 2017

Vitamin D supplements in pregnancy could help protect children against asthma

A new study published today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has found that taking Vitamin D supplements in pregnancy can positively modify the immune system of the newborn baby, which could help to protect against asthma and respiratory infections, a known risk factor for developing asthma in childhood.

26 May 2017