Tropical Disease News and Research

RSS

Tropical diseases encompass all diseases that occur solely, or principally, in the tropics. In practice, the term is often taken to refer to infectious diseases that thrive in hot, humid conditions, such as malaria, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, Chagas disease, African trypanosomiasis, and dengue.

FDA approves new drug for specific type of highly treatment-resistant tuberculosis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Pretomanid Tablets in combination with bedaquiline and linezolid for the treatment of a specific type of highly treatment-resistant tuberculosis of the lungs.

14 Aug 2019

Mosquito surveillance in Madagascar reveals new insight into malaria transmission

The Ministry of Public Health in Madagascar has reported thousands of malaria cases over the past months. In March, more than 600 cases of malaria were reported weekly and at least 2,000 cases have been reported in less than a month. As a result, efforts to curb the outbreak were initiated.

12 Jul 2019

Consortium receives EU grant to develop new treatment for leishmaniasis

Professor Sanjeev Krishna and colleagues at St George's, University of London are heading a consortium that has been awarded EUR3.75 million to develop a treatment for one of the world's most neglected tropical diseases, leishmaniasis.

18 Jun 2019

Study estimates the number of undetected Ebola outbreaks

An estimated half of Ebola virus disease outbreaks have gone undetected since it was discovered in 1976, according to research published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

From PLOS ONE 14 Jun 2019

Researchers compare American, Pacific and Southeast Asian subtypes of Zika virus

Over recent years, Zika virus has spread eastward from Africa and Asia, leading to an epidemic in the Americas. Now, researchers comparing American, Pacific and Southeast Asian subtypes of the virus in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have concluded that the American-subtype strain has the highest ability to grow both in vitro and in vivo.

From PLOS ONE 10 Jun 2019

FDA approves first vaccine for prevention of dengue disease in endemic regions

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today the approval of Dengvaxia, the first vaccine approved for the prevention of dengue disease caused by all dengue virus serotypes (1, 2, 3 and 4) in people ages 9 through 16 who have laboratory-confirmed previous dengue infection and who live in endemic areas.

6 Jun 2019

Texas Biomed awarded $2 million DOD grant to study promising Zika vaccine

The emerging Zika virus is a particular threat to pregnant women. The disease can be transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito and is associated with devastating birth defects, like microcephaly. No approved vaccine against the virus exists.

3 Jun 2019

Researchers shed light on evolution and diversity of Leptospira bacteria

Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonotic disease that affects more than one million people around the world each year.

28 May 2019

Study explains most effective actions to control dispersal of mosquitofish in water ecosystems

Preventing the introduction of the mosquitofish and removing its population are the most effective actions to control the dispersal of this exotic fish in ponds and lakes, according to a study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.

25 May 2019

Simple prevention methods could reduce tungiasis in children, study suggests

Tungiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by penetrated sand fleas which burrow into the skin of the feet.

21 May 2019

Previous dengue infection could protect against Zika-associated damage

The Zika virus outbreak in Latin America has affected over 60 million people up to now. The infection can have potentially fatal consequences for pregnant women and their unborn children: many children have subsequently been born with malformations of the head, or so-called microcephaly.

18 May 2019

New review identifies trends in dengue research in the Philippines

Communicable diseases including dengue continue to be major causes of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines.

26 Apr 2019

New study provides better understanding on safety of deworming programs

A new study has identified no major differences between the microbiomes of people infected with roundworm or hookworm and uninfected peers.

23 Apr 2019

Comprehensive molecular test introduced for diagnosis of malaria caused by P. vivax parasites

Human Diagnostics Worldwide, EIKEN CHEMICAL CO., LTD. and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics announced today the launch of the first commercially available molecular diagnostic test for the detection of malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax parasites.

23 Apr 2019