Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Study reveals gaps in hepatitis C treatment among reproductive-aged women

Most pediatric cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are perinatal, meaning the virus is transmitted from birthing parent to child during pregnancy or birth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

7 Oct 2024

One-dose HPV vaccination could eliminate cervical cancer in Canada

Canadian vaccination programs could switch to a 1-dose gender-neutral human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination approach and eliminate cervical cancer, suggests new modeling in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.240787.

7 Oct 2024

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

Pasteurization effectively reduces H5N1 virus in milk but further testing is essential

Research explores the resilience of the H5N1 influenza virus in milk under pasteurization conditions, showing effective viral inactivation at standard temperatures but highlighting the need for further real-world testing.

6 Oct 2024

Women who inject drugs are vulnerable to endocarditis, study shows

People who inject drugs are dying at an alarming rate from endocarditis, a serious but treatable heart-valve infection.

4 Oct 2024

Thousands could have been saved during the pandemic with expanded use of convalescent plasma

A new study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health estimates that thousands of lives could have been saved during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic if convalescent plasma had been used more broadly, particularly in outpatients at high risk for severe disease and in hospitalized patients during their first few days of admission.

4 Oct 2024

Here’s why getting a covid shot during pregnancy is important

Nearly 90% of babies who had to be hospitalized with covid-19 had mothers who didn't get the vaccine while they were pregnant, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

4 Oct 2024

Study highlights benefits and risks of doxy-PEP for STI prevention

Taking a dose of the oral antibiotic doxycycline after a high-risk sexual encounter has dramatically reduced the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in places where the strategy is being tried.

4 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

Accelerating tobacco decline could boost global life expectancy

Accelerating the decline in tobacco smoking globally, by decreasing smoking prevalence from current levels to 5% everywhere, could increase life expectancy and prevent millions of premature deaths by 2050, according to a study from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries and Risk Factors (GBD) Tobacco Forecasting Collaborators published in The Lancet Public Health journal.

3 Oct 2024

Study reveals genetic elements driving Klebsiella pneumoniae hypervirulence

More than a decade ago, physicians around the world began reporting cases due to a new hypervirulent strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, which could infect and severely sicken otherwise healthy people.

1 Oct 2024

New humanized mouse models created to study COVID-19

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have developed six lines of humanized mice that can serve as valuable models for studying human cases of COVID-19.

1 Oct 2024

New mechanism uncovered behind immune decline after tuberculosis treatment

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions have discovered a mechanism that drives the long-term decline in immune response that is observed after tuberculosis (TB) has been successfully treated.

1 Oct 2024

COVID-19 vaccine uptake higher in people with mental illness but drops for those not on medication

Researchers examined the link between mental illness and COVID-19 vaccine uptake, finding high vaccination rates but lower uptake among unmedicated individuals with mental health conditions.

1 Oct 2024

COVID-19 vaccination lowers risk of developing severe cardiovascular conditions

People who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have a significantly lower risk of developing more severe cardiovascular conditions linked to COVID-19 infection, according to a nationwide study at the University of Gothenburg.

30 Sep 2024

Study reveals rising pharmaceutical industry sponsored clinical trials in the U.S.

Researchers at Fred Hutch Cancer Center identified a substantial increase over the past decade in the proportion of patients with cancer in the U.S. who participate in pharmaceutical industry sponsored clinical trials compared to those conducted with federal government support.

27 Sep 2024