Disease/Infection News

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COVID-19 linked to lower subsequent risk of type 1 diabetes

New research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) shows that people who have had COVID-19 have a lower, rather than higher, risk of subsequent development of type 1 diabetes (T1D).

8 Sep 2026

High-dose flu vaccine protects older adults with lung disease

The risk of being hospitalized for flu or pneumonia can be reduced with a high-dose flu vaccine for older people with chronic lung disease, according to the combined results of two large clinical trials presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

8 Sep 2026

Genome sequencing reveals clues about asymptomatic strep throat carriers

Streptococcal sore throat - strep throat for short - is one of the nastier maladies of childhood, causing fever, swollen tonsils, and the namesake sore throat.

8 Sep 2026

Leicester's cardiovascular research hub shines spotlight on life-saving innovations

The latest medical innovations in cardiovascular research have been showcased by the British Heat Foundation Leicester Centre of Research Excellence.

8 Sep 2026

Could scorpion venom inspire new treatments for liver disease?

Scorpion venom peptides show promising anti-inflammatory, antiviral, analgesic, and immunomodulatory effects, with experimental evidence suggesting that some candidates could target pathways involved in chronic liver disease and viral hepatitis. The review highlights Kv1.3-blocking peptides and antiviral compounds as potential therapeutic leads, while emphasizing that limited hepatic efficacy data, poor pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and manufacturing challenges must be overcome before clinical translation.

8 Sep 2026

Scientists traced a hidden immune route that may worsen tau-linked brain damage

In a mouse model of tauopathy, conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) cross-presented brain-derived antigens in deep cervical lymph nodes, priming CD8+ T cells that accumulated in the brain and promoted neurodegeneration. Disrupting cDC1s or their cross-presentation activity reduced CD8+ T-cell infiltration and protected against neuronal loss, while human primary tauopathy samples also showed increased brain CD8+ T cells, although cDC1 involvement in humans remains unconfirmed.

6 Sep 2026

Independent review reinforces value of vaccines across all ages

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) supports the 2026-27 respiratory season vaccine evidence review released on September 2, 2026, by the Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP) in collaboration with the American Medical Association.

4 Sep 2026

Lab-grown micro bladder helps explain why urinary tract infections return

A lab-grown micro bladder may explain why urinary tract infections (UTIs) return so frequently, according to a study led by researchers at UCL, the University of Oxford and the University of Leicester.

4 Sep 2026

Ancient parchment reveals historical evolution of destructive sheeppox virus

Some of Europe's most well-known historic manuscripts, including the York Gospels, have proven to be biological time capsules for uncovering the 3,500-year history of the sheeppox virus (SPPV).

4 Sep 2026

What your gut microbes may have to do with how your brain ages

This review examines how diet-driven changes in the gut microbiota and microbial metabolites may influence cognitive aging through immune, metabolic, neural, endocrine, and barrier-related pathways. It highlights SCFAs, tryptophan-derived metabolites, and bile acids as key signaling mediators while emphasizing that much of the mechanistic evidence remains preclinical and human evidence is largely associative.

3 Sep 2026

Far-UVC light tested to combat avian influenza on farms

When a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, HPAI, tore through U.S. poultry farms in early 2025, farmers culled tens of millions of birds and egg prices soared.

3 Sep 2026

As life expectancy rises, healthy aging is more important than ever

Global disease burden is shifting toward aging-related conditions as people live longer, with these diseases now representing the largest expected lifetime health burden for newborns across all income groups. Modeling suggests that reducing aging-related disease could produce unusually large and progressively greater gains in both longevity and healthy life expectancy because improvements in survival and health reinforce one another.

3 Sep 2026

Cancer drug eliminates HIV-infected cells in animal model study

Emory University researchers have provided the first proof-of-concept in a nonhuman primate model for eliminating HIV-infected cells with venetoclax, a clinically approved medication for cancer.

3 Sep 2026

More major insurance companies covering Kerecis intact fish-skin grafts as new studies show big benefits for burns and diabetic foot ulcers

Kerecis, the company pioneering the use of sustainably sourced fish‑skin grafts in cellular therapy and tissue regeneration, has significantly expanded U.S. insurance coverage, adding more than 40 million covered lives through recent policy updates across multiple large national and regional insurers, as well as state Medicaid programs.

3 Sep 2026

Muscle matters: Simple scan could predict heart surgery risks

Around one in four heart surgery patients develop serious lung complications – but a new Adelaide-led study is testing a simple bedside scan that could predict who is most at risk before symptoms appear.

2 Sep 2026

Europe has a new mosquito problem, but it may not be the one you think

A scoping review of 91 studies, combined with a workshop involving 41 experts from six European countries, mapped the spread, biology, surveillance challenges, and potential disease relevance of the invasive mosquito Aedes koreicus. The researchers identified major gaps in species identification, vector competence, ecology, genetics, and long-term surveillance that must be addressed as the cold-tolerant mosquito expands across Europe.

2 Sep 2026

Nanoparticle flu vaccine design could pave way for broader protection

Influenza viruses constantly shapeshift to evade recognition by the immune system. This shapeshifting occurs in critical proteins like hemagglutinin (HA), which controls how the virus attaches to human cells before entering them.

2 Sep 2026

Coffee’s link to Parkinson’s risk may depend on how your body handles caffeine

In 435,551 UK Biobank participants followed for a median of 15.7 years, overall coffee consumption was not associated with Parkinson’s disease risk, but the relationship differed significantly according to CYP1A2 genotype. Lower risk was observed with low-to-moderate coffee intake among fast-metabolizer AA carriers, while higher intake was associated with increased risk among AC and CC carriers, although the observational findings do not establish causality and sex-specific patterns require cautious interpretation.

2 Sep 2026

Host-targeting drugs offer new way to fight flu resistance

A drug that targets the host rather than the virus could get around the problem of anti-viral resistance. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people die of seasonal influenza, caused by infection with influenza A and B viruses.

1 Sep 2026