Disease/Infection News

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Researchers develop fine-scale global map of Zika virus transmission

The southeastern US, including much of Texas through to Florida, have ideal conditions for spread of Zika virus according to a new study published in eLife.

21 Apr 2016

Scientists identify transposable element in certain bird genomes

In rare instances, DNA is known to have jumped from one species to another. If a parasite's DNA jumps to its host's genome, it could leave evidence of that parasitic interaction that could be found millions of years later -- a DNA 'fossil' of sorts.

21 Apr 2016

Important determinants of periodontal disease

Although, bacteria are a critical etiologic factor that are needed to develop periodontal disease, bacteria alone are insuficiente to induce a periodontal disease. A susceptible host is also required, and the host's susceptibility as local and/or general predisposing risk factors, are important determinants of the disease status.

21 Apr 2016

Scientists map core genes involved during DNA uptake in strep bacteria

Bacteria possess the ability to take up DNA from their environment, a skill that enables them to acquire new genes for antibiotic resistance or to escape the immune response. Scientists have now mapped the core set of genes that are consistently controlled during DNA uptake in strep bacteria, and they hope the finding will allow them to cut off the microbes' ability to survive what doctors and nature can throw at them.

21 Apr 2016

Bacteria-derived gut metabolites can affect brain’s myelin content and induce depression-like symptoms

Specific combinations of gut bacteria produce substances that affect myelin content and cause social avoidance behaviors in mice, according to a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published today in the medical journal eLife. This research suggests that targeting intestinal bacteria, or their metabolites, could be one way to treat debilitating psychiatric disorders and demyelinating diseases, like multiple sclerosis.

21 Apr 2016

Scientists develop new strategy to combat wide range of viruses

Scientists and health officials are marshalling forces to fight Zika, the latest in a string of recent outbreaks. Many of these efforts target that virus specifically, but some researchers are looking for a broader approach. Now one team reports in ACS' journal Macromolecules a new strategy to fight a wide range of viruses that appears to be safe in vivo and could evade a virus's ability to develop resistance.

21 Apr 2016

Climate change, global travel may increase dengue epidemic risk

Researchers at Umea University have developed a model for evidence-based predictions of the mosquito-borne dengue virus. Results show that global travel and climate change increase the risk for epidemics of dengue, and potentially other climate-sensitive infectious diseases carried by mosquitos, spreading into temperate areas. This according to a doctoral dissertation at Umeå University.

21 Apr 2016

NPS MedicineWise reminds Australians to prevent overuse and misuse of antibiotics

Following from last night’s Catalyst episode, ‘Antibiotic Resistance’ on ABC TV examining Australia’s profligate use of antibiotics, NPS MedicineWise is reminding Australians to preserve the miracle of antibiotics by avoiding antibiotics when they’re not needed.

21 Apr 2016

WHO: Europe becomes first malaria-free region in the world

The European Region is the first in the world to have achieved interruption of indigenous malaria transmission. The number of indigenous malaria cases dropped from 90 712 in 1995 to zero cases in 2015.

21 Apr 2016

Angola' health officials extend vaccination campaign for yellow fever to Huambo and Benguela provinces

As Angola grapples with its worst yellow fever outbreak in decades, the Ministry of Health, with the support of the World Health Organization and partners have extended the vaccination campaign beyond the capital Luanda into Huambo and Benguela – 2 of the other 5 provinces reporting local transmission.

21 Apr 2016

Scientists evaluate phage-based therapy to battle antibiotic-resistant bacterial superbug infections

Flinders University scientists are looking to bacteriophages – highly specific viruses - as the as the best way to attack antibiotic-resistant bacterial superbug infections.

21 Apr 2016

Specific oral microbiome linked to pancreatic cancer risk

The presence of certain bacteria in the mouth may reveal increased risk for pancreatic cancer and enable earlier, more precise treatment. This is the main finding of a study led by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and its Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center to be presented April 19 in New Orleans at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

20 Apr 2016

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

Disease/Infection News

Researchers develop fine-scale global map of Zika virus transmission

Scientists identify transposable element in certain bird genomes

Important determinants of periodontal disease

Scientists map core genes involved during DNA uptake in strep bacteria

Bacteria-derived gut metabolites can affect brain’s myelin content and induce depression-like symptoms

Scientists develop new strategy to combat wide range of viruses

Climate change, global travel may increase dengue epidemic risk

NPS MedicineWise reminds Australians to prevent overuse and misuse of antibiotics

WHO: Europe becomes first malaria-free region in the world

Angola' health officials extend vaccination campaign for yellow fever to Huambo and Benguela provinces

Scientists evaluate phage-based therapy to battle antibiotic-resistant bacterial superbug infections

Specific oral microbiome linked to pancreatic cancer risk

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

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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