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Researchers find how bats remain immune to various infections

An international research team led by Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, has identified molecular and genetic mechanisms that allow bats to stay healthy while hosting viruses that kill other animals, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Microbiology.

27 Feb 2019

Disease X: an unknown disease that could claim millions of lives

Dubbed ‘Disease X’, scientists believe a future epidemic of the influenza virus could cause millions of deaths worldwide.

25 Feb 2019

Ebola virus identified in a West African bat

The government of Liberia, in partnership with the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and EcoHealth Alliance, announced the discovery of Ebola virus in a bat in Liberia.

24 Jan 2019

Duke-NUS researchers highlight possible role of bioaerosol sampling in pandemic surveillance

As a leading global city with a high population density, Singapore is vulnerable to the introduction of biological threats. Initiating an early emergency response to such threats calls for the rapid identification of the causative agent.

6 Dec 2018

Montana State-led research project wins $10 million grant to prevent bat-borne diseases

In an effort to prevent some of the world's most lethal diseases, an international research team spanning five continents and led by Montana State University will study bats in Australia, Bangladesh, Madagascar and Ghana.

5 Dec 2018

MERS virus that causes harmless cold in camels can be fatal for humans

What causes only a harmless cold in camels can be fatal for humans: an infection with the MERS virus. Since its discovery in 2012, the virus was detected in approximately 2,000 patients and 36 percent of them have not survived the severe lung disease known as MERS.

22 Nov 2018

Immunologist to study how Chikungunya causes devastating effects in older adults

Emerging viruses such as Ebola, SARS and swine flu are familiar sounding, yet seemingly distant diseases to many Americans. But that's not the case with Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus that recently struck close to home and has proven deadly for the elderly.

25 Sep 2018

Airport security trays carry more microbes than toilet seats

A team of researchers from Finland and Britain have shown that over half of all the trays or security bins that the airport authorities use at the security clearance areas carry viruses that can cause respiratory infections.

6 Sep 2018

Strategies to make socially assistive robots valuable and trustworthy assistants for medical therapies

In future decades the need for effective strategies for medical rehabilitation will increase significantly, because patients' rate of survival after diseases with severe functional deficits, such as a stroke, will increase.

17 Aug 2018

Making robots as valuable and trustworthy assistants for medical therapies

17 Aug 2018

Mathematical model shows the influence of human behavior on spread of infectious diseases

Mathematics can help public health workers better understand and influence human behaviors that lead to the spread of infectious disease, according to a study from the University of Waterloo.

16 Aug 2018

Genetic sequencing method identifies pathogens behind respiratory illnesses in Uganda

A study led by researchers at Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the Department of Medicine at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center reports on the use of a genetic sequencing method to identify viral pathogens behind unexplained respiratory illnesses in Uganda over a five-year period.

10 Aug 2018

New 3D model of 1918 H1 pandemic influenza virus could benefit VLP vaccine projects

Virus-like particles are protein-based structures that mimic viruses and bind to antibodies. Because VLPs are not infectious, they show considerable promise as vaccine platforms for many viral diseases, including influenza.

12 Jul 2018

Scientists discover how the flu virus resets its trap

For the first time, scientists have directly visualized in real-time structural changes in the surface protein of the influenza virus that may help the virus to fuse with and enter target cells before hijacking their functions.

29 Jun 2018

'Saving appearance responses' particularly common in people with Alzheimer's disease

Dementia, in any form, is a heartbreaking disease that can take away one's thinking and judgement abilities before they pass. To save face, people with dementia often pretend to know answers to questions, even if they really don't.

6 Jun 2018

Nipah virus kills nine in Kerala, India

At least nine individuals have died due to the deadly Nipah virus in Kerala, India. Over 25 have been infected with this virus in the outbreak say official sources.

22 May 2018

Researchers find new pig virus to be possible threat to humans

A recently identified pig virus can readily find its way into laboratory-cultured cells of people and other species, a discovery that raises concerns about the potential for outbreaks that threaten human and animal health.

15 May 2018

Repurposing existing antiviral drugs for multiple infections

Zika virus. Ebola virus. Influenza. SARS and MERS corona viruses. Existing and emerging viral diseases are an increasing problem, particularly in developing countries. The World Health Organization has called for better control of viral diseases, but developing drugs for this purpose can be challenging.

25 Apr 2018

Mystery 'disease X' warnings from WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned about a mysterious disease X that is caused by a virus and can cause a worldwide pandemic in the near future. WHO has come up with a list of diseases that can cause an outbreak or epidemic among the general population, mainly because of the lack of resources for fighting them.

12 Mar 2018

Targeted vaccination can be successful in containing epidemic outbreaks

Amidst growing concerns over the low uptake of flu shots in Europe, scientists from the Italian National Research Council and the Joint Research Centre, the European Commission's sciuence and knowledge service, confirm that vaccinations remain the best way forward when it comes to stopping the spread of infectious diseases.

23 Feb 2018