Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Cellular crosstalk between mother and offspring is more complex than expected

Scientists have known for decades that pregnancy requires a mother's body to adjust so that her immune system does not attack the growing fetus as if it were a hostile foreign invader.

22 Sep 2023

Social relationships buffer the effects of negative childhood experiences on frailty

Frailty is a serious concern in later-life adults due to its association with additional health risks including disability, falls, hospitalization and mortality.

22 Sep 2023

Clinical study launched to test the benefits of immune modulation for hospitalized COVID-19 patients

A clinical trial has launched to test whether early intensive immune modulation for hospitalized COVID-19 patients with relatively mild illness is beneficial.

22 Sep 2023

Can COVID-19 vaccines turn the tide on long-haul symptoms?

The study finds that COVID-19 vaccination can significantly reduce symptoms and improve well-being in patients suffering from post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC). Vaccination also lowered systemic markers of inflammation but did not entirely eliminate persistent SARS-CoV-2 antigens, which may continue to contribute to inflammation.

22 Sep 2023

Unlocking the power of mRNA vaccines: From COVID-19 to cancer and beyond

A comprehensive review in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy delves into the versatility and effectiveness of mRNA vaccines, from their game-changing role in COVID-19 to potential applications in cancer and rare diseases. Despite drawbacks like stability and high immunogenicity, advancements in vaccine technology have poised mRNA platforms as a robust tool for both preventive and therapeutic interventions.

21 Sep 2023

Cornell researchers receive NIH grant to launch new center for developing point-of-care diagnostic devices

An interdisciplinary team led by Cornell has received a five-year grant to launch a new center for engineering, testing and commercializing point-of-care diagnostic devices that will have international reach.

21 Sep 2023

New UK funding will help tackle the world's most pressing health challenges

New UK funding will help achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals by boosting health security and improving health and wellbeing around the world.

21 Sep 2023

Could a genetic biomarker predict your risk for severe food allergies?

Researchers at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago have identified a genetic biomarker, α-tryptase, that may predict the severity of food allergy reactions. This discovery opens the door for new treatment strategies and offers a way to distinguish patients at risk for severe reactions.

21 Sep 2023

New trial of a preventive HIV vaccine candidate begins in the United States and South Africa

A trial of a preventive HIV vaccine candidate has begun enrollment in the United States and South Africa.

20 Sep 2023

Scientists develop Australia’s first-of-its-kind next-gen mpox diagnostic tool

In a collaborative study published in The Lancet Microbe, the team of scientists, led by the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) and WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research), revealed MPXV-CRISPR – a powerful diagnostic tool capable of detecting MPXV in clinical samples with acute precision and at a faster rate than any other method, thanks to the power of CRISPR technology.

20 Sep 2023

Early treatment with convalescent plasma may reduce risk of long COVID

Findings from a nationwide, multicenter study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggest that patients with COVID-19 have less chance of developing post-COVID conditions - commonly known as long COVID - if they receive early treatment with plasma from convalescent (recovered) COVID patients that contain antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

20 Sep 2023

Researchers challenge WHO's sweetener guidelines, call for urgent re-evaluation

Researchers question WHO guidelines on non-sugar sweeteners, citing a reliance on biased prospective cohort studies over randomized controlled trials. The study calls for an urgent re-evaluation of WHO's stance, as recent evidence suggests non-sugar sweeteners may actually reduce cardiometabolic risks.

19 Sep 2023

Age and underlying conditions increase risk of critical outcomes for hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Whether vaccinated or not, having at least four disease risk factors put adults hospitalized due to COVID-19 at higher risk for critical outcomes, according to a 10-state study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) VISION Network.

19 Sep 2023

Tufts Lyme Disease Initiative receives $7M in grants to advance research to next level

Researchers at the Tufts Lyme Disease Initiative recently received grants totaling more than $7 million to build on an already impressive array of discoveries that Tufts' teams have made to combat tick-borne diseases.

19 Sep 2023

New NIH plan outlines HSV research framework with four strategic priorities

In response to the persistent health challenges of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2, today the National Institutes of Health released the Strategic Plan for Herpes Simplex Virus Research.

19 Sep 2023

CDC awards $17.5M to UC San Diego-led coalition to develop innovative outbreak response tools

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $17.5 million to a coalition led by researchers at UC San Diego to develop innovative tools and networks to respond rapidly to emerging disease outbreaks.

19 Sep 2023

Analyzing longitudinal genomic surveillance of carriage intensive care unit

Hospital staff spend a significant amount of time working to protect patients from acquiring infections while they are being cared for in the hospital.

19 Sep 2023

Stem cell therapy shows promise in treating COVID-19 complications

The use of cell therapy to treat COVID-19 patients can reduce the risk of death from the disease by 60%, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil, in partnership with colleagues in Germany and the United States.

19 Sep 2023

How important is inflammation and body weight in the origin of depression?

A new paper in BMC Medicine examines the role of inflammation and body mass index (BMI) in the etiology of treatment-resistant depression.

18 Sep 2023

NIH launches Phase 1 trial of new investigational universal influenza vaccine

Enrollment in a Phase 1 trial of a new investigational universal influenza vaccine candidate has begun at the National Institutes of Health's Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

15 Sep 2023