Disease/Infection News

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PrEP campaign aims to block HIV infection and save lives in D.C.

A big part of Washington, D.C.’s plan to get its HIV rate down is to get more uninfected people on PrEP, a two-medicine combination pill that’s sold under the brand name Truvada.

13 Apr 2018

HEV infections can be fatal and transmitted through blood products in immunosuppressed patients

Hepatitis E virus infection is once again in the spotlight, with two studies presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France challenging the ideas that HEV infections are benign and self-limiting, and that blood-borne transmission is a rare event.

12 Apr 2018

Simple web-based tool for evidence-based integration of disease control

It's a simple idea: Pair the control of a neglected tropical disease with a more prominent disease that afflict the same populations to reduce morbidity and mortality. The approach could be a win-win, but for public health officials, having evidence to support implementation of an integrated approach is vital.

12 Apr 2018

Overestimation of Ebola virus mutation rates

Scientific evidence at the start of the last major Ebola epidemic in West Africa that suggested the virus would change exceptionally rapidly was probably due to methodological biases.

12 Apr 2018

Researchers show how highly contagious norovirus infection starts in mice

Norovirus – the highly contagious gastrointestinal illness best known for spreading rapidly on cruise chips, in nursing homes, schools and other densely populated spaces – kills an estimated 200,000 people annually, mostly in the developing world.

12 Apr 2018

Nearly one billion people to be vaccinated against yellow fever in African countries by 2026

Nearly one billion people will be vaccinated against yellow fever in 27 high-risk African countries by 2026 with support from WHO, Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and more than 50 health partners.

12 Apr 2018

PBO long-lasting insecticidal nets found to be effective in reducing malaria prevalence

Bed nets coated with a long-lasting chemical – called piperonyl butoxide (PBO) – combined with pyrethroid insecticide reduced the prevalence of malaria in children by 44% over one year, and 33% over two years, compared to the bed nets currently used, according to a randomized controlled trial published in The Lancet.

12 Apr 2018

Surgeons identify rates of C. difficile infection in patients undergoing common colon operations

Clostridium difficile infection is the most common hospital-acquired infection and a significant cause of increased hospital stay and cost for patients and payors alike.

11 Apr 2018

Short international trips can lead to spread of colistin resistance

The emergence of antibiotic resistance among dangerous pathogens is increasingly problematic worldwide. Many strains of infectious bacteria have become multidrug-resistant, and cannot be treated with common antibiotic therapies.

11 Apr 2018

Scientists develop and validate rapid point-of-care HCV assay

One of the major challenges identified by the WHO in efforts to eradicate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the diagnosis of chronic cases that are generally asymptomatic.

10 Apr 2018

Low and high HDL cholesterol linked to higher risk of infectious disease

Most people recognize that there is a relationship between cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease. But new research from Copenhagen University Hospital and University of Copenhagen shows that a certain kind of cholesterol might affect our health differently, that is, through a role in the immune system.

10 Apr 2018

DNA test method can help quickly prevent Legionnaires' outbreak

A DNA test method called polymerase chain reaction allowed New York City health officials to identify the source of a Legionnaires' disease outbreak within hours of specimen collection and should be considered in all Legionnaires' outbreak investigations, researchers say in the April issue of the Journal of Environmental Health.

10 Apr 2018

Former California state contractor sued over breach of HIV patient privacy

A security breach by a private company that contracted with California's public health department inadvertently allowed unauthorized access to the HIV status of 93 people, according to a lawsuit filed this week in San Francisco County Superior Court.

9 Apr 2018

Researchers develop new animal model to study Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a viral disease spread by ticks in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and parts of Europe. Infection with CCHF virus is fatal in nearly one of every three cases.

9 Apr 2018

Using biomimicry for faster detection of disease outbreaks

Our immune systems are made up of billions of white blood cells searching for signs of infections and foreign invaders, ready to raise the alarm.

9 Apr 2018

New campaign film and call for global leaders to end deadly malaria

Eight celebrities, one annoying buzz and a call on global leaders for bold political action to end the world’s oldest and deadliest disease. A new60” campaign film for Malaria Must Die, So Millions Can Live features James Corden, Andy Murray, Helen Mirren, Brenda Blethyn, Afro-beats star Yemi Alade, John Bishop and boxer David Hayeswatting away a persistent mosquito.

9 Apr 2018

Using the Microbiome to Predict the Risk of Cirrhosis-Associated Hospitalization

The microbiome is the collection of microorganisms that colonize the human body. Dr. Jasmohan Bajaj discusses the relationship between the microorganisms in the gut and cirrhosis, and how microbiome analysis can be used to predict the risk of cirrhosis-associated hospitalizations.

7 Apr 2018

New research could pave way for better influenza vaccines

Influenza vaccines that better target the influenza surface protein called neuraminidase (NA) could offer broad protection against various influenza virus strains and lessen the severity of illness, according to new research published in Cell.

6 Apr 2018

Researchers discover Tfh cell dysfunction in HIV-infected patients

A team of chemical and biomedical engineers from the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, have discovered that HIV-infected patients experience a dysfunction in a certain type of immune cell: the follicular helper T (Tfh) cell.

6 Apr 2018

Study identifies factors that lead to increased HIV testing among young adults

A new study has identified factors that lead to increased HIV testing among young adults, specifically how a person's race, sex/gender, and sexual orientation is connected to their likelihood of getting tested for HIV.

6 Apr 2018