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Avian flu decimates 5% of Peru's sea lions, sparking conservation alarm

Over 5,000 Peruvian sea lions, approximately 5% of Peru's population, succumbed to a mass mortality event linked to the avian influenza A(H5N1) virus, signaling an urgent need for research and conservation efforts to prevent further declines. The rapid spread of the virus among these colonially breeding mammals highlights potential risks of cross-species transmission and the necessity for heightened monitoring to avert new pandemics.

5 Nov 2023

Study exposes gaps in pediatric antibiotic effectiveness in Southeast Asia, calls for tailored treatments

A study in The Lancet Regional Health exposes significant gaps in the effectiveness of WHO-recommended antibiotic regimens for serious infections in Southeast Asian and Pacific children, underscoring the urgent need for region-specific treatment guidelines to combat rising antimicrobial resistance.

5 Nov 2023

Cruise ship cabin study reveals optimal airflow to curb virus spread

Research shows proper ventilation rates can limit virus spread in cruise cabins, with medium airflow optimizing droplet containment and air renewal.

5 Nov 2023

Zoonotic spillover epidemics increasing at exponential rate, study finds

Four types of animal-to-human (zoonotic) Infections have been increasing at an "exponential rate," amid a general pattern of increasingly larger and more frequent 'spillover' epidemics, finds an analysis of 60 years of historical epidemiological data, published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health.

3 Nov 2023

New virus diagnosis device gives lab-quality results within just three minutes

A virus diagnosis device that gives lab-quality results within just three minutes has been invented by engineers at the University of Bath, who describe it as the 'world's fastest Covid test'.

2 Nov 2023

Masking up matters: High-quality studies confirm face masks significantly curb COVID-19 spread

This 'Special Communication' article in JAMA Network Open compiles high-quality studies to underline the effectiveness of face masks in curbing community-level transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The article emphasizes that surgical masks are more effective than cloth masks, and that mask-wearing is a vital public health tool, both in conjunction with and independent of other measures like vaccination and social distancing.

1 Nov 2023

Next-generation vaccine candidates protect against multiple strains of influenza and last longer

Recent preclinical results indicate novel next-generation vaccine candidates developed at Cleveland Clinic protect against multiple strains of influenza and last longer than vaccines currently in use.

31 Oct 2023

New project combines traditional methods with metaviromics to study viral outbreaks in wild rodents

When, where, and why do diseases jump from animals to people? A new project will monitor how changing seasons, land use, and human behavior influence viral outbreaks in wild rodent populations, to identify hotspots with high potential for spillover into people.

31 Oct 2023

Short-chain fatty acids produced by intestinal bacteria play role in dendritic cell elongation

Dendritic cells play a key role in the mammalian immune system. These cells are present throughout the human body and are known to capture foreign bodies, i.e., antigens, using extendable "arms" called dendrites.

30 Oct 2023

Non-alcoholic beers may be a happy hour for bacteria, study warns

Researchers find that low-alcoholic beers can inhibit bacterial growth, while non-alcoholic beers are more susceptible. Storage temperature and alcohol content are the main factors determining the presence of foodborne pathogens in these beverages.

26 Oct 2023

Somatic mutations in the skin not responsible for the start or spread of psoriasis

Psoriasis -; a chronic skin condition -; is not caused or spread by spontaneous genetic mutations in the skin, new research suggests.

26 Oct 2023

Fighting invisible foes: How cryptic fungal pathogens threaten human health and food security

The research paper in PLOS Pathogens delves into the challenges of diagnosing and treating cryptic fungal pathogens, which are difficult to distinguish from common fungi but equally dangerous. The study calls for more accurate diagnostic methods and a better understanding of how these fungi interact with the human immune system and microbiome for effective treatment and prevention.

25 Oct 2023

How strep bacteria outsmart your immune system and why it matters for treatment

Researchers discover that Group A streptococcal infections alter immunoglobulin G (IgG) homeostasis to evade the immune system, affecting the transition from local to systemic infections. The study also raises concerns about the effectiveness of antibody-based therapies, as the bacteria's virulence factors can degrade therapeutic antibodies.

25 Oct 2023

New research aims to understand the ecology of SARS-CoV-2 at the human-animal interface

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia Tech disease ecologists wondered if the virus was having the same effect on wildlife.

24 Oct 2023

New consortium to build on breakthroughs in malaria research to develop P. vivax vaccines

Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread human malaria-causing pathogen with 2.5 billion people living at risk in Africa, South America, Oceania, and Asia.

24 Oct 2023

Atovaquone "chemical vaccine" for malaria could be more feasible than thought

Johns Hopkins researchers looking to develop a long-acting, injectable malaria preventive using atovaquone have shown in a new study that resistance may not be the challenge scientists thought it was, particularly when using atovaquone as a malaria preventive.

20 Oct 2023

Canine transmission models provide insights into the neurological impacts of COVID-19 on human brains

The histopathologic alteration caused by SARS‑CoV‑2 on mammalian neurological systems.

20 Oct 2023

Experts from the research and innovation community invited to tackle anti-microbial resistance

Researchers, policy-makers and business leaders from across the research and innovation community are invited to help tackle one of humanity’s biggest threats, anti-microbial resistance (AMR).

20 Oct 2023

Oral pathogen linked to increased risk of heart rupture after heart attack

Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University(TMDU) find that a periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, inhibits autophagosome–lysosome fusion, and can therefore worsen cardiac remodeling and cause cardiac rupture after myocardial infarction.

19 Oct 2023

Researchers profile new drug combinations to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Antimicrobial resistance – occurring when pathogens can survive antibiotic treatment – is one of the most rapidly emerging global public health threats today.

19 Oct 2023

Pathogen News and Research

Avian flu decimates 5% of Peru's sea lions, sparking conservation alarm

Study exposes gaps in pediatric antibiotic effectiveness in Southeast Asia, calls for tailored treatments

Cruise ship cabin study reveals optimal airflow to curb virus spread

Zoonotic spillover epidemics increasing at exponential rate, study finds

New virus diagnosis device gives lab-quality results within just three minutes

Masking up matters: High-quality studies confirm face masks significantly curb COVID-19 spread

Next-generation vaccine candidates protect against multiple strains of influenza and last longer

New project combines traditional methods with metaviromics to study viral outbreaks in wild rodents

Short-chain fatty acids produced by intestinal bacteria play role in dendritic cell elongation

Non-alcoholic beers may be a happy hour for bacteria, study warns

Somatic mutations in the skin not responsible for the start or spread of psoriasis

Fighting invisible foes: How cryptic fungal pathogens threaten human health and food security

How strep bacteria outsmart your immune system and why it matters for treatment

New research aims to understand the ecology of SARS-CoV-2 at the human-animal interface

New consortium to build on breakthroughs in malaria research to develop P. vivax vaccines

Atovaquone "chemical vaccine" for malaria could be more feasible than thought

Canine transmission models provide insights into the neurological impacts of COVID-19 on human brains

Experts from the research and innovation community invited to tackle anti-microbial resistance

Oral pathogen linked to increased risk of heart rupture after heart attack

Researchers profile new drug combinations to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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