All Infectious Disease articles – Page 6
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NewsResearchers uncover the antiviral potential of defensins
Scientists have discovered that certain defensins - tiny proteins with powerful antimicrobial potential - could block the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) from entering human cells.
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NewsSwiss genome of the 1918 influenza virus reconstructed
Researchers have decoded the genome of the virus responsible for the 1918–1920 influenza pandemic in Switzerland, revealing that it had already developed key adaptations to humans at the outset of the deadliest influenza pandemic in history.
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NewsReview suggests ending adult boosters for tetanus, diphtheria
The United States could safely drop tetanus and diphtheria booster shots for adults and save an estimated $1 billion a year, according to a new review. The safety and savings depend on maintaining strong childhood vaccination rates, researchers emphasized.
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NewsH5N1 influenza outbreaks in US cattle likely triggered by ‘milk-stealing’ behavior of lactating cows
As of June 2025, H5N1 outbreaks have been reported on more than 1,070 dairy farms across 17 US states. Researchers have solved the mystery of how H5N1 virus enters the mammary glands of dairy cows, and provide a strategy on how to control the disease.
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NewsTB bacteria play possum to evade vaccines
Scientists studied how the TB bacterium evades an immune system primed to destroy it. Their genetic study in mice reveals that TB bacteria can essentially play dead to outlast the immune response.
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NewsNew study finds evidence of hepatitis C virus in cells lining human brain
Observational studies of psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have long tied viral infections with behavioral symptoms in these disorders. Scientists have now found a connection in the form of hepatitis C virus in the human brain’s choroid plexus.
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NewsEmerging viral threats combatted by a potent new dual lipid kinase inhibitor
Lipid kinases play a critical role in cell signalling and membrane trafficking by phosphorylating lipid molecules in the body. The inhibition of two of these lipid kinases, PIKfyve and PIP4K2C, could be beneficial in the treatment of diseases, particularly emerging viruses.
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NewsBeyond health: The political effects of infectious disease outbreaks
A new study gives empirical evidence that individuals who experienced an infectious disease outbreak show significantly less trust in the political establishment.
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NewsScientists discover compounds that help cells fight a wide range of viruses
Researchers have identified compounds that can fight off viral infection by activating a defense pathway inside host cells. These compounds, they believe, could be used as antiviral drugs that work against not just one but any kind of virus.
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NewsScientists investigate how Rho GTPases Cdc42 and RacA regulate aflatoxin synthesis and pathogenicity in Aspergillus flavus
Scientists investigating the mechanisms by which the Rho GTPases Cdc42 and RacA regulate aflatoxin synthesis and pathogenicity in the fungus Aspergillus flavus found that these processes are controlled through the regulation of morphogenesis, oxidative balance, and energy metabolism.
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NewsTheory for aerosol droplets from contaminated bubbles bursting gives insight into spread of pollution and infectious disease
Researchers have conducted a systematic study to investigate bubble bursting jets – aerosol particles sprayed when bubble surfaces rupture – when surface contaminants are present.
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NewsNew insights into malaria: Proteins in the blood can reveal the severity of the disease
Researchers have identified over 250 proteins that are strongly affected by malaria, which could help predict the severity of the disease and thus enable faster treatment for the most critical patients.
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NewsNovel open-source diagnostic tool offers affordable, reliable pathogen detection for resource-limited settings
Researchers have developed an open-source reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay that is lyophilized for heat stability and uses non-proprietary components, making it an affordable tool for pathogen detection in diverse settings.
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NewsScientist’s cat on the hunt helps to discover a second new virus
Pepper, the pet cat who made headlines last year for his role in the discovery of the first jeilongvirus found in the U.S., is at it again. This time, his hunting prowess contributed to the identification of a new strain of orthoreovirus.
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NewsTiny chip speeds up antibody mapping for faster vaccine design
By analyzing just a drop of blood, this microchip gives researchers quicker-than-ever insight into how a person’s antibodies are interacting with a virus or other pathogen.
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NewsWarning: increased risk of Vibrio infections throughout the summer season
As sea surface temperatures increase with summer, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is highlighting the increased risk posed by Vibrio bacteria, with a higher number of infections reported in Northern countries in recent years
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NewsAnti-cancer drug shows promise against tick-borne virus
Researchers have offered fresh insights into how Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus (SFTSV), an emerging tick-borne pathogen, opposes host apoptosis signaling.
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NewsHepatitis C treatment is not reaching some at-risk populations, studies show
Studies reveal that two vulnerable populations — children and recently pregnant women — face disparities in access to treatment for hepatitis C infection. Without treatment, they are at risk of long-term adverse health outcomes such as cirrhosis, liver cancer and death.
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NewsCohort data from Denmark show real-world evidence of stable protection against HPV-related cervical cancer
Denmark has been offering free vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) to girls since 2008. New data show vaccination has effectively reduced infections with cancerogenic HPV 16/18 types covered by the vaccine, indicating population immunity.
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NewsResearchers develop mRNA-based vaccine against a deadly plague-causing bacterium
Researchers have used the platform developed for COVID-19 vaccines to create the world’s first mRNA-based vaccine against the deadly, antibiotic-resistant bacterium behind pneumonic plague.