Disease/Infection News

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Researchers shed light on link between cholera outbreaks affecting African and American continents

Researchers at the Institut Pasteur and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, in collaboration with several other international institutions, recently published two studies tracing the history of cholera outbreaks in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean from the last 60 years.

13 Nov 2017

Dengue immunity can provide protection from subsequent Zika infection

Manifestations of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection differ drastically. Sometimes they are catastrophic, most notably when they cause microcephaly in some babies born to infected mothers.

13 Nov 2017

Scientists identify new genes needed by Streptococcus pyogenes to grow in human saliva

Scientific and veterinary research charity, the Animal Health Trust, in partnership with world-leading scientists at the Houston Methodist Research Institute, have identified new genes linked to how, Streptococcus pyogenes, an important cause of human disease, survives in people.

13 Nov 2017

Leading organizations call for responsible use of antibiotics to combat rising drug resistance

In the lead-up to World Antibiotic Awareness Week (13-19 November 2017), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health are together calling for responsible use of antibiotics in humans and animals to reduce the emergence of antibiotic resistance.

13 Nov 2017

Inductive reasoning can play big role in how people perceive zoonosis risks, study reveals

If you were bitten by a bird, would you be concerned about getting sick? How likely would you be to seek medical attention? As it turns out, those answers may depend on your knowledge of other animals’ susceptibility to disease.

10 Nov 2017

Researchers develop new method that can curb spread of superbugs

Researchers from ITMO University and Center of Physical and Chemical Medicine developed an algorithm capable of tracking the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in gut microbiota DNA and revealed additional evidence of resistance genes transfer between different bacterial species.

10 Nov 2017

Mosquito control using special bacteria infected mosquitoes approved by the EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency has now approved the use of special mosquitoes that have been infected with bacteria called Wolbachia for eradication of mosquitoes in 20 states and District of Columbia. This approach is known as the use of “biopesticide”. Now mosquitoes that spread viral illnesses like Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika etc. would be controlled effectively.

9 Nov 2017

Scientists harness power of machine learning to predict zoonotic disease outbreaks

Through a new $2 million National Science Foundation grant, scientists at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the University of Georgia, and North Carolina A&T State University are harnessing the power of machine learning to forecast outbreaks of zoonotic disease.

9 Nov 2017

Malaria parasites’ decision making influenced by fatty molecule in human blood

Depletion of a fatty molecule in human blood propels malaria parasites to stop replicating and causing illness in people and instead to jump ship to mosquitoes to continue the transmission cycle, according to a new study by an international research team.

9 Nov 2017

Scientists characterize infection mechanism of Rift Valley fever virus

Rift Valley fever virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, is responsible for outbreaks in livestock in Africa and can also be fatal in humans. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS, working with the University of Göttingen, have characterized the mechanism used by the virus to insert one of its envelope proteins into the host cell membrane, thereby enabling it to infect the cell.

9 Nov 2017

Waterborne disease outbreaks can be traced to plumbing systems in buildings

Traditional water treatment efforts have focused on water leaving the treatment plant, but a large number of recent waterborne disease outbreaks in the U.S. can be traced to plumbing systems in buildings.

9 Nov 2017

LoaScope could be valuable approach in the fight against river blindness

River blindness, or onchocerciasis, is a disease caused by a parasitic worm found primarily in Africa. The worm (Onchocerca volvulus) is transmitted to humans as immature larvae through bites of infected black flies.

9 Nov 2017

Researchers catch killer cells red-handed in the act of microbial murder

Immune cells called "killer cells" target bacteria invading the body's cells, but how do they do this so effectively? Bacteria can quickly evolve resistance against antibiotics, yet it seems they have not so readily been able to evade killer cells. This has caused researchers to become interested in finding out the exact mechanism that killer cells use to destroy bacterial invaders.

9 Nov 2017

Antiviral drug selectively targets the most aggressive viruses, research says

An antiviral drug that inhibits a virus' replication machinery selectively targets the most aggressive viruses, according to new research that looked at the infection of individual cells by a virus and the consequence of antiviral intervention.

9 Nov 2017

Scientists uncover previously unknown mechanism to combat influenza A virus

Just as flu season swings into full gear, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Texas at Austin have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which the human immune system tries to battle the influenza A virus.

8 Nov 2017

German scientists develop new nuclear medicine test to identify kidney transplant infection

German scientists have developed a novel nuclear medicine test that can determine whether a kidney transplant patient has developed infection in the transplanted tissue.

8 Nov 2017

Advances in needle-free flu vaccination methods show promise

Autumn has arrived, leaves are changing colors, and pumpkin spice aromas are sweeping stores. It's also the season for flu shots. The good news is that the annual jab in the arm designed to protect us from the flu might one day be a thing of the past.

8 Nov 2017

New model could provide understanding of how HIV infection damages the brain

HIV infects certain cells in the brain called microglia, and infected microglia release toxic and inflammatory molecules that can impair or kill surrounding neurons.

8 Nov 2017

Study: Many patients change their behaviors after suffering repeated bouts of C. diff infections

After suffering repeated bouts of debilitating Clostridium difficile infections, many patients significantly change their behaviors, but some precautions may do little to prevent future infections, according to a first-of-its-kind study.

8 Nov 2017

New category of immunotherapy appears safe to use in patients with both cancer and HIV

A new category of immunotherapies called checkpoint inhibitors that has been highly effective against many different cancers appears safe to use in patients with both advanced malignancies and HIV, a population excluded from earlier trials of such therapies, according to an early-phase trial.

7 Nov 2017

Disease/Infection News

Researchers shed light on link between cholera outbreaks affecting African and American continents

Dengue immunity can provide protection from subsequent Zika infection

Scientists identify new genes needed by Streptococcus pyogenes to grow in human saliva

Leading organizations call for responsible use of antibiotics to combat rising drug resistance

Inductive reasoning can play big role in how people perceive zoonosis risks, study reveals

Researchers develop new method that can curb spread of superbugs

Mosquito control using special bacteria infected mosquitoes approved by the EPA

Scientists harness power of machine learning to predict zoonotic disease outbreaks

Malaria parasites’ decision making influenced by fatty molecule in human blood

Scientists characterize infection mechanism of Rift Valley fever virus

Waterborne disease outbreaks can be traced to plumbing systems in buildings

LoaScope could be valuable approach in the fight against river blindness

Researchers catch killer cells red-handed in the act of microbial murder

Antiviral drug selectively targets the most aggressive viruses, research says

Scientists uncover previously unknown mechanism to combat influenza A virus

German scientists develop new nuclear medicine test to identify kidney transplant infection

Advances in needle-free flu vaccination methods show promise

New model could provide understanding of how HIV infection damages the brain

Study: Many patients change their behaviors after suffering repeated bouts of C. diff infections

New category of immunotherapy appears safe to use in patients with both cancer and HIV

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

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