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Common cold may offer temporary protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new study led by researchers at National Jewish Health has found that recent infection with the common cold - often caused by rhinoviruses - may offer temporary protection against infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

25 Aug 2025

Generative AI model scans emergency notes to identify high-risk avian influenza exposures

Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine developed a new and highly effective application of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to quickly scan notes in electronic medical records and identify high-risk patients who may have been infected with H5N1 avian influenza or "bird flu", according to new findings published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

25 Aug 2025

AI tool reveals how TB drugs kill bacteria at the molecular level

Tuberculosis (TB) is the world's deadliest infectious disease—and one of the hardest to cure. Standard treatment requires a cocktail of multiple drugs over at least six months, and one in five patients have a type of TB that resists these first-line medications.

25 Aug 2025

African swine fever vaccine shows variable protection across virus strains

An international team of scientists has found that a promising African swine fever (ASF) vaccine can protect pigs against some strains of the virus but offers little or no protection against others. The findings point to the need for region-specific vaccines to tackle one of the world's most devastating animal diseases.

25 Aug 2025

As measles exploded, officials in Texas looked to CDC scientists. Under Trump, no one answered.

As measles surged in Texas early this year, the Trump administration's actions sowed fear and confusion among CDC scientists that kept them from performing the agency's most critical function — emergency response — when it mattered most, an investigation from KFF Health News shows.

25 Aug 2025

The HBsAg/HBV DNA ratio's potential for predicting disease progression

Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the immune-tolerant phase may still experience hepatic inflammation and disease progression, and could benefit from early antiviral treatment.

22 Aug 2025

COVID-19 vaccine successes boosted hesitancy - can trust and equity restore immunization?

Researchers show that countries with higher initial COVID-19 vaccine acceptance also achieved stronger booster uptake, but trust and access remain decisive. The commentary warns that vaccine successes also fueled hesitancy, demanding structural reforms, clear communication, and proactive strategies to protect immunization.

21 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria in mothers and newborns may shape infants’ risk of early respiratory infections

Finnish researchers found that differences in maternal and infant gut microbiota during the first weeks of life were linked to the risk of respiratory tract infections in the first six months. Specific bacteria, including butyrate producers and opportunistic pathogens, may shape early infection susceptibility.

21 Aug 2025

Study reveals how SARS-CoV-2 hijacks testicular lipid metabolism to replicate

The COVID-19 virus hijacks the machinery of testicular cells that produce the hormone testosterone in order to replicate.

21 Aug 2025

Early infection traits help predict future disease spread

When a disease-causing virus or other organism is transmitted from one species to another, most of the time the infection sputters and dies out.

21 Aug 2025

Virus inside the fungus drives deadly fungal infections

Researchers have discovered that a virus living inside the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus significantly boosts the fungus's ability to survive stress and cause severe infections in mammals.

21 Aug 2025

'Global Guardians' camp fosters young minds in pandemic preparedness

The Global Virus Network (GVN), in partnership with the University of South Florida (USF) Youth Experiences and Hillsborough County Public Schools STEM Department, recently concluded its inaugural "Global Guardians: Youth for Pandemic Preparedness" summer camp, an immersive, hands-on experience that brought together some of Tampa's brightest high school students with internationally renowned virologists, public health experts, and scientists.

21 Aug 2025

Climate change expands mosquito habitat northward

Most people recover from Dengue fever, which is caused by a virus transmitted from the Asian tiger mosquito, but some infected individuals experience serious bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure, and even death.

21 Aug 2025

How shifting landscapes drive new bird flu threats across Asia

Landscape changes across the East Asian–Australasian Flyway have reshaped waterfowl migration, increasing interactions with poultry. This shift amplified cross-species viral transmission and raised the risk of avian influenza virus reassortment and diversification.

20 Aug 2025

Dengue antibody may block the spread of Zika virus in vulnerable areas of the body

A new study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham reveals that an antibody originally designed to fight dengue virus may also block the spread of Zika virus in vulnerable areas of the body - including the reproductive organs.

19 Aug 2025

COVID-19 ages arteries prematurely with women most affected

COVID-19 may leave arteries biologically “older,” with women showing more persistent stiffness and symptom links than men. Findings from the large CARTESIAN cohort suggest this vascular aging effect is partly reversible over time.

19 Aug 2025

International study tests promising vaccine against 21 strains of pneumococcus

A new vaccine for pneumococcal disease will be tested under an international trial aiming to provide greater protection to babies against the common infection that causes pneumonia, sinusitis and meningitis.

19 Aug 2025

Research shows synergistic effects of tunicamycin and β-lactam antibiotics against gram-positive bacteria

Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance is increasing among gram-positive bacteria, particularly the resistance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to β-lactam antibiotics.

19 Aug 2025

Researchers find plasma donors with broad malaria protection

Malaria, caused by Plasmodium falciparum, remains a major global health threat, claiming 600,000 lives annually, mostly young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Immunity to severe malaria develops after repeated infections and is mediated by antibodies blocking the parasite's highly diversified PfEMP1 adhesion proteins from binding to the human endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) on blood vessel walls.

19 Aug 2025

How a Réunion Island outbreak sparked France’s record chikungunya season

Mainland France recorded its earliest-ever local chikungunya outbreaks in May 2025, with 10 clusters (27 cases) across five regions, driven by travelers importing the virus from Réunion Island. The surge highlights growing vulnerability to mosquito-borne diseases in Europe as Aedes albopictus expands northward.

18 Aug 2025