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One cognitive ability stood out in a study of Western diets and Alzheimer’s risk genes

A Western dietary pattern was associated with faster attention decline among older adults carrying the APOE ε4 allele, while no significant cognitive associations emerged for a Prudent dietary pattern. However, the Western diet association lost statistical significance after excluding participants with possible baseline cognitive impairment, making the finding exploratory.

11 Aug 2026

Heavy rainfall and flooding raise infectious disease risks across Europe

A rapid review of 14 studies found that heavy rainfall and flooding were associated with outbreaks and increased incidence of several infectious diseases across Europe, particularly campylobacteriosis and leptospirosis. The authors highlighted major evidence gaps and called for stronger One Health surveillance, public health communication, sanitation, and flood-response planning.

10 Aug 2026

H5N1 infections remain rare among workers exposed to infected birds

A two-year cohort study of 428 people exposed to H5N1-infected birds in England found fewer than 1% met criteria for infection, with no severe disease or secondary human transmission. The findings support continued PPE use, biosecurity, and targeted surveillance while highlighting challenges around occupational exposure, mucosal contamination, and pandemic preparedness.

10 Aug 2026

Rare cruise ship virus outbreak highlights public messaging lessons and disease preparedness

A small outbreak of a rare hantavirus on a cruise ship earlier this year captured worldwide attention and sparked concerns about a possible new pandemic.

10 Aug 2026

New combination therapy could permanently clear HIV in newborns

Every year, more than 120,000 newborns worldwide contract HIV, a global health burden that requires lifelong treatment for millions of people - assuming they have access and can afford it.

10 Aug 2026

Higher doses of common fertility drug linked to pregnancy risks

Around one in six people experience infertility, with irregular or absent ovulation among the most common causes.

10 Aug 2026

New vaccine strategy targets overlooked regions of malaria parasite

Malaria kills more than half a million people a year, most of them young children in Africa. Two vaccines are now recommended by the World Health Organization, RTS,S and R21.

7 Aug 2026

New research aims to switch off chronic pain at its source

A major new Adelaide University research program will strive to improve the lives of millions by developing targeted therapies for chronic visceral pain, a debilitating primary symptom associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and endometriosis.

7 Aug 2026

Severe COVID-19 reactivates dormant viruses and may leave a lasting viral signature

A longitudinal study of 1,154 hospitalized COVID-19 patients found widespread reactivation of chronic Herpesviridae and Anelloviridae, with distinct viral patterns linked to disease severity, inflammation, and clinical outcomes. Anelloviridae also persisted during convalescence and were associated with physical deficits in long COVID, although the study did not establish causation.

7 Aug 2026

Firearm injury patients face measurable risk of bacterial infections

A new study from researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) found that bacterial infections develop in approximately 5 percent of adults hospitalized with firearm injuries, with most infections occurring during the initial hospitalization rather than after patients return home.

6 Aug 2026

Meningococcal B vaccine linked to lower gonorrhoea risk

The meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine could provide protection against more than one disease, with new research linking it to a significant reduction in the risk of gonorrhoea in young Territorians.

6 Aug 2026

New research highlights hidden metabolic risks in non-obese HIV patients

A new UC San Francisco study helps explain why people with HIV remain at elevated risk for type 2 diabetes despite effective suppression of the virus with modern medications.

6 Aug 2026

NEWS2 score may improve antibiotic decisions in suspected sepsis

A study of nearly 100,000 adults treated for suspected infection suggests that the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2), a score based on routinely collected vital signs that is widely used to identify patients at risk of clinical deterioration, may help clinicians identify which patients are most likely to benefit from immediate antibiotic treatment and which may safely undergo further evaluation before receiving antibiotics.

6 Aug 2026

Galápagos wastewater is creating new reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Portable field surveillance reveals how untreated sewage is reshaping coastal microbial communities and spreading diverse resistance genes across one of the world’s most protected marine environments.

6 Aug 2026

Long-acting HIV prevention tools could help close the gap before a vaccine arrives

A review of non-vaccine HIV interventions highlights the strong preventive effects of long-acting PrEP, sustained ART, U=U, vertical transmission programs, and voluntary medical male circumcision. Gene editing and multispecific antibodies may expand future options, but safety, cost, access, adherence, and implementation barriers remain.

5 Aug 2026

New website tracks vaccine preventable diseases across the United States

A new website will track the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases across the United States to offer the public, the media, healthcare providers, public health officials, and policymakers reliable and visual information about current disease trends.

5 Aug 2026

Newly discovered immune pathway prevents fatal fungal infections in mice

An immune pathway has been discovered which prevents a normally harmless fungus developing into a fatal infection.

5 Aug 2026

Malaria infection causes permanent damage to the spleen immune cells

Macrophages formed in the bone marrow can only assume the function of embryonal phagocytes, or "scavenger cells," to a certain degree according to a study by the University of Bonn and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of Melbourne.

4 Aug 2026

Cryo-EM study reveals dynamic structure of human norovirus

Human norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide and is estimated to infect 600–700 million people each year.

4 Aug 2026

Genetic study explains global spread of invasive longhorned ticks

The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, spreads serious pathogens, including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus, Rickettsia, and Theileria, and its bite can cause a meat allergy in humans.

4 Aug 2026