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Bacterial strains determine pneumonia and meningitis risk from air pollution

Air pollution leads to different risk of bacterial pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis, depending on the subtype of bacteria a person has, new research suggests.

15 Sep 2026

Nationwide safety program successfully cuts hospital-onset MRSA infections

A large-scale, federally funded quality improvement program developed in collaboration with infection prevention experts at the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality was associated with a 65% reduction in hospital-onset bloodstream infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among participating hospital units.

15 Sep 2026

Study reinforces generalizability of perioperative azithromycin for unplanned cesarean deliveries

Infection can develop in up to 10-20% of patients after a Cesarean delivery, and the risk nearly doubles for those who have an unplanned cesarean delivery, such as those performed during labor.

15 Sep 2026

APOE genotype helps p-tau217 predict who may develop cognitive impairment sooner

A pooled analysis of 8,582 adults from seven prospective cohorts found that higher plasma p-tau217 concentrations were associated with greater cognitive impairment risk and earlier progression, with stronger associations among APOE-ε4 carriers. Each 1-SD increase in p-tau217 was associated with a 24% shorter time to cognitive impairment among carriers compared with 13% among non-carriers, suggesting that genetic background can refine the prognostic meaning of this Alzheimer’s disease blood biomarker.

14 Sep 2026

Study shows mRNA vaccines trigger more diverse flu antibody responses

Influenza remains a major global health challenge as continual antigenic drift can limit the breadth and durability of vaccine-induced antibody responses, requiring frequent vaccine updates.

11 Sep 2026

Coffee after colorectal cancer? Decaf and caffeine show different links with mortality

In a prospective analysis of 1,098 people with colorectal cancer, researchers found no significant association between total or caffeinated coffee intake and all-cause or colorectal cancer-specific mortality in the cohort overall. Decaffeinated coffee was associated with lower all-cause mortality, while the highest quartile of caffeine intake was associated with lower all-cause and colorectal cancer-specific mortality, although the observational study cannot establish causation.

10 Sep 2026

Avoiding antibody-dependent enhancement enables dengue prevention and treatment

Dengue virus is one of the most widespread vector-borne viral pathogens in the world. Nearly 400 million dengue virus infections occur each year, resulting in approximately 20,000 deaths.

10 Sep 2026

Symptomless liver condition linked to heart and kidney disease

A common liver condition thought to be harmless could be dramatically increasing the risk of heart disease, kidney failure and premature death, according to a new review led by University of Manchester and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust researchers.

10 Sep 2026

Compassion and connection at heart of suicide prevention

Compassion, trust and person-centerd care must be at the heart of supporting people experiencing suicidal distress, according to a leading Adelaide University suicide prevention expert.

10 Sep 2026

Gut microbiome may reveal inflammation and future disease risk better than age

Gut microbiota composition explained more variation than chronological age in nearly all inflammatory cytokines and most physiological measures examined, with specific microbial profiles linked to markedly different patterns of inflammation across adulthood. People with the Bacteroides 2 enterotype showed an inflammaging-like profile decades earlier than other groups and had a higher risk of subsequent disease, while a high-diversity microbiota profile was associated with lower inflammation and reduced disease incidence.

9 Sep 2026

C. diff uses dual-threat sensing system to survive gut stress

The pathogen Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) - a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections - must contend with a variety of threats inside the harsh environment of the gut to survive and grow.

9 Sep 2026

New nanobody antivenom offers broad protection against Indian cobras

Snakebite is a neglected tropical disease, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths and disabilities each year. India alone reports nearly 50,000 deaths every year, the most by snakebite in the world.

9 Sep 2026

Kissing bug hitchhikes 5,000 miles from America to Portugal

On an August morning last year, an American couple soon to embark on a European river cruise awoke in a luxury hotel in Lisbon.

9 Sep 2026

Weakened form of Mpox drove the 2022 global outbreak

The strain of Mpox behind the 2022 outbreak was a weakened form of the virus, which may have helped to spread it faster, a new study from the University of Surrey reports.

9 Sep 2026

Is stroke risk higher after a cancer diagnosis?

New research indicates that people with invasive cancer face an elevated risk of experiencing a stroke, especially in the first few months after diagnosis and especially if they have certain types of cancer.

9 Sep 2026

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