All Emerging Threats & Epidemiology articles – Page 4
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NewsT cells may be key to stopping measles virus—and its deadly relatives
Scientists have discovered how T cells target paramyxoviruses, a viral family that includes measles virus and Nipah virus. Instead of vaccinating against one virus at a time, the researchers found that activating “cross-reactive” T cells may protect against the wider paramyxovirus family.
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NewsPan-European One Health Network established to bolster infectious disease response
iiCON: the Infection Innovation Consortium has successfully secured funding from COST to establish a unique pan-European COST Action network with over 70 collaborators from 21 countries and international organisations to harmonise the European response to infectious disease threats.
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NewsNew analysis confirms benefits of childhood flu vaccines
Pediatric flu vaccines significantly reduce the number of childhood cases of influenza, new research confirms. The findings show that for every 100 children vaccinated, between nine and 14 fewer children catch the flu.
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NewsResearchers discover tick protein that may block disease transmission
Researchers have found that ticks produce an exosomal glycine-rich protein that plays a vital role in helping ticks feed and transmit viruses. When they used genetic tools to silence the gene responsible for this protein, ticks lacking the protein struggled to feed effectively and showed reduced body weight after feeding.
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NewsHealth researchers call for support to develop pandemic prevention
The Vanderbilt Center for Antibody Therapeutics has received large-scale government grants and contracts to fund the discovery of human antiviral antibodies. The problem is the next step — finding corporate partners to develop the antibodies through human testing.
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NewsExperts convened by WHO advise on candidate treatments and vaccines for Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus
In response to the current outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus, WHO convened several of its expert and advisory groups to assess potential vaccines and therapeutics for both prevention and treatment of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD).
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NewsSeven European countries observe drop in chlamydia notifications especially among young people in 2024
After a decade of general increases in chlamydia cases across Europe, the first signs of a decline suggest a possible common driver. Is it a true reduction and will it be a sustainable one?
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NewsNew study finds neighborhood-level sampling could close equity gap in wastewater disease surveillance
Researchers working with New York State’s wastewater surveillance network found that while the system does a reasonably fair job of including vulnerable populations, it struggles in larger populations when an outbreak is starting, which is when it matters most.
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NewsDog daycare leptospirosis outbreak in Los Angeles reveals broader public health risks
A 2021 outbreak of leptospirosis that sickened more than 200 dogs in Los Angeles County reveals critical gaps in vaccination practices and raises broader concerns about the spread of the disease between animals and people.
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NewsScientists identify nearly two dozen antiviral compounds that could treat Ebola virus
Recent advances in artificial intelligence have enabled scientists to identify nearly two dozen antiviral compounds that could potentially treat a rare species of Ebola virus (Bundibugyo virus) currently affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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NewsInsect wing identifying app to tackle tropical disease threat
A mobile app that identifies disease-carrying insects from their wing patterns is being developed as part of a project using AI to help diagnose tropical diseases.
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NewsNorth America and Europe could become hotspots for chikungunya virus due to climate change
Enabled by global heating, mosquito-borne chikungunya virus is likely to spread into temperate regions. Under climate change models, the virus will further expand northward into temperate regions, especially northeastern North America, central Europe, and East Asia, researchers say.
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NewsAutomated EHR alert improved hepatitis B monitoring rates at a primary care clinic
In May 2024, an urban safety-net primary care clinic noted the appearance of a new “care gap” alert in their Epic electronic health record (EHR) system that flagged patients with hepatitis B who were overdue for one blood test, the hepatitis B DNA test.
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NewsStudy finds high prevalence of hantavirus in some areas of the Pacific Northwest
A recent study conducted in the Palouse region of Washington and Idaho found that nearly 30% of rodents showed evidence of past infection with the Sin Nombre virus. About 10% were actively infected, meaning they were carrying and could potentially shed the virus.
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NewsSurvey highlights persistent uncertainty on STI vaccines
A nationally representative survey of empaneled adults finds that while most Americans understand how STIs spread, there are significant gaps in public knowledge about which infections can be prevented through vaccination.
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NewsHospital wastewater reveals drug-resistant fungus strains months before patients show symptoms
A study reveals that sampling raw wastewater closer to the source — sewer lines that directly serve hospitals, retirement homes, and long-term care facilities — allows scientists to detect drug-resistant strains of Candida auris as many as five months before patients begin showing symptoms.
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NewsTicks are ‘spreading like wildfire’ - and more of them are carrying Lyme
Not only are tick numbers growing in the US, but today’s ticks are more likely to carry Lyme disease bacteria and other dangerous pathogens. Researchers have noticed a greater diversity of ticks, suggesting a complex pattern of movement and perhaps the introduction or reintroduction of animals, including birds.
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NewsBacterial STIs reach record highs in Europe, and congenital syphilis cases nearly double
New figures indicate a surge in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe. In 2024, notifications of gonorrhoea and syphilis, alongside congenital syphilis, reached their highest levels in over a decade, reflecting sustained transmission across multiple countries.
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NewsHealthcare utilization disruptions continue in post-COVID China
Although China’s stringent public health policy, Dynamic Zero-Covid, was lifted in late 2022, researchers have discovered substantial, long-term declines in outpatient clinic visits and hospitalizations compared to expected levels from 2020 to 2024 in China.
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News‘Invasional mutualism’ between honey bees and myrtle rust pathogen
Newresearch has found that the Western honey bee - an introduced species to Australia - and the devastating, invasive plant fungus known as myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) may have formed a mutually beneficial relationship known as an ’invasional mutualism’.