Disease/Infection News

RSS

New mouse model to aid in development of antiviral compounds, vaccines against Zika virus

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine have developed one of the first mouse models for the study of Zika virus. The model will allow researchers to better understand how the virus causes disease and aid in the development of antiviral compounds and vaccines.

20 Apr 2016

Two Ebola vaccine candidates show promise in clinical trial

An immunization regimen using two Ebola vaccine candidates was safe and well-tolerated and induced an immune response in healthy adult volunteers in a Phase 1 clinical trial.

20 Apr 2016

Researchers develop new mathematical model to evaluate best treatment protocol to clear infection

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most challenging problems in modern medicine. A new study by Erida Gjini and Patricia H. Brito from the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, provides a new mathematical model to evaluate the best treatment protocol to clear an infection, by taking into account the role of the host immune system.

20 Apr 2016

New study suggests re-evaluation of long-held method to predict effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine

The long-held approach to predicting seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness may need to be revisited, new research suggests. Currently, seasonal flu vaccines are designed to induce high levels of protective antibodies against hemagglutinin (HA), a protein found on the surface of the influenza virus that enables the virus to enter a human cell and initiate infection.

20 Apr 2016

Duke-NUS study highlights Zika virus structure and behaviour

An important breakthrough in understanding the Zika virus structure and its behaviour has been highlighted in a study by Duke-NUS Medical School scientists.

20 Apr 2016

Researchers focus on novel target to treat bacterial infection

Bacterial infection takes hold in the body when a pathogenic microorganism delivers toxins to healthy cells. One way bacteria accomplish this is by releasing vesicles, which act as tiny envelopes transporting toxins and other virulence factors to host cells. These toxins allow the bacteria to "make themselves at home" in cells.

19 Apr 2016

Newly launched TB-PACTS could be a valuable tool to combat world's leading infectious killer

The Critical Path Institute, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, TB Alliance, and St. George's, University of London, are pleased to announce the launch of the TB-Platform for Aggregation of Clinical TB Studies.

19 Apr 2016

Study describes precise mechanisms that enable TB bacteria to persist in the body

Bacteria that cause tuberculosis trick immune cells meant to destroy them into hiding and feeding them instead. This is the result of a study led by researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center and published online April 18 in Nature Immunology.

19 Apr 2016

Researchers reveal how relatively unknown pathogen led to current Zika outbreak

An analysis comparing the individual differences between over 40 strains of Zika virus (30 isolated from humans, 10 from mosquitoes, and 1 from monkeys) has identified significant changes in both amino acid and nucleotide sequences during the past half-century.

18 Apr 2016

ZIKA virus can be transmitted sexually, confirms Inserm study

A study by researchers from Inserm, the Paris Public Hospitals (Bichat Hospital, AP-HP), Aix-Marseille University, and the National Reference Centre for Arboviruses confirms that the ZIKA virus can be transmitted sexually. Their analyses have shown 100% genetic correlation between the form of the virus present in a man who contracted the virus in Brazil and that of a woman who had never travelled in the epidemic area, but who had sexual relations with him. These results are published in The New England Journal of medicine.

18 Apr 2016

New study to explore outcomes of pregnancy in Brazilian women with Zika virus

An observational study of pregnant women in Brazil to further understand Zika virus and its impact on reproductive health and fetus development have been launched. William Britt, M.D., professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, leads the study, which complements his current research in Brazil on cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy.

18 Apr 2016

Georgetown researchers report first case of Alzheimer's disease diagnosed in HIV-positive individual

Georgetown University researchers are reporting the first case of Alzheimer's disease diagnosed in an HIV-positive individual. The finding in a 71-year-old man triggers a realization about HIV survivors now reaching the age when Alzheimer's risk begins to escalate.

18 Apr 2016

African sleeping sickness parasite has defence mechanism against potential pharmaceuticals

Researchers from Umea University in Sweden have discovered that the single-celled parasite causing African sleeping sickness has a defence mechanism against potential pharmaceuticals under development against the disease. The deadly parasite has an enzyme that can cleave and hence disarm adenosine analogue pharmaceuticals. This according to a study recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

18 Apr 2016

Developing countries face health financing crisis due to low domestic investment, stagnating international aid

Two major studies published in The Lancet reveal the health financing crisis facing developing countries as a result of low domestic investment and stagnating international aid, which could leave millions of people without access to even the most basic health services.

18 Apr 2016

Scientists identify human protein that weakens immune response to HIV, other viruses

Scientists at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have identified a human (host) protein that weakens the immune response to HIV and other viruses. The findings, published today in Cell Host & Microbe, have important implications for improving HIV antiviral therapies, creating effective viral vaccines, and advance a new approach to treat cancer.

16 Apr 2016

Funding improves for maternal, child health compared to donor investments in HIV, TB and malaria

Funding earmarked for improving maternal and child health in low- and middle-income countries has grown faster since 2010 than funding for HIV, TB, and malaria.

16 Apr 2016

Willow herb extracts may be beneficial in treating multi-drug resistant bacterial and fungal infections

A common herb could help reduce antibiotic doses and result in less severe side effects in treatments against multi-drug resistant microorganisms.

16 Apr 2016

Johns Hopkins study suggests updated universal screening for hepatitis C virus

A review of blood samples for nearly 5,000 patients seen at The Johns Hopkins Hospital Emergency Department suggests that federal guidelines for hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening may be missing up to a quarter of all cases and argues for updated universal screening.

15 Apr 2016

Scientists find new way to defend against deadly malarial parasite

The most dangerous malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is responsible for nearly half a million deaths annually across Africa and Southeast Asia. Of increasing concern, this parasite is now developing resistance to common antimalarial drugs.

15 Apr 2016

AbbVie's ABT-493 and ABT-530 achieve high SVR rates in GT1 chronic HCV patients who failed previous therapy with DAAs

AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, today announced that 91 percent (n=20/22) of genotype 1 (GT1) chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients who failed previous therapy with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) achieved SVR12 with 12 weeks of ABT-493 and ABT-530 with ribavirin (RBV) in the primary intent-to-treat analysis.

15 Apr 2016

Disease/Infection News

New mouse model to aid in development of antiviral compounds, vaccines against Zika virus

Two Ebola vaccine candidates show promise in clinical trial

Researchers develop new mathematical model to evaluate best treatment protocol to clear infection

New study suggests re-evaluation of long-held method to predict effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine

Duke-NUS study highlights Zika virus structure and behaviour

Researchers focus on novel target to treat bacterial infection

Newly launched TB-PACTS could be a valuable tool to combat world's leading infectious killer

Study describes precise mechanisms that enable TB bacteria to persist in the body

Researchers reveal how relatively unknown pathogen led to current Zika outbreak

ZIKA virus can be transmitted sexually, confirms Inserm study

New study to explore outcomes of pregnancy in Brazilian women with Zika virus

Georgetown researchers report first case of Alzheimer's disease diagnosed in HIV-positive individual

African sleeping sickness parasite has defence mechanism against potential pharmaceuticals

Developing countries face health financing crisis due to low domestic investment, stagnating international aid

Scientists identify human protein that weakens immune response to HIV, other viruses

Funding improves for maternal, child health compared to donor investments in HIV, TB and malaria

Willow herb extracts may be beneficial in treating multi-drug resistant bacterial and fungal infections

Johns Hopkins study suggests updated universal screening for hepatitis C virus

Scientists find new way to defend against deadly malarial parasite

AbbVie's ABT-493 and ABT-530 achieve high SVR rates in GT1 chronic HCV patients who failed previous therapy with DAAs

The Proteoform Puzzle: Unlocking the Next Frontier

Synthetic Biology and the Pursuit of Living Diagnostics

Modular, Scalable, Intelligent: How n6 Is Rethinking NGS Library Prep

Latest News