All meningitis articles
-
NewsResearch could lead to better prevention for a common cause of newborn meningitis
A new research project will investigate how Strep B bacteria attach to the vaginal tract and the mechanisms they use to stay there. In newborns, Strep B infections can kill and the study will look at how Streptococcus agalactiae comes to colonize the birth canal in the first place, which may lead to improved preventative measures.
-
NewsCan AI find drugs to fight infection?
Researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to identify approved drugs that may be effective against Streptococcus pneumoniae. Using a dataset of molecules shown to be active against S. pneumoniae and a larger dataset of molecules inactive against another drug-resistant bacterium, the scientists trained three different learning algorithms.
-
NewsResearchers identify the immune cells that keep a deadly fungus in check
A new study finds that control of Cryptococcus neoformans depends not on a single immune cell type, but on several working together — a discovery that could reshape how doctors think about preventing life-threatening fungal infections.
-
NewsEngineered macrophages gain enhanced bacteria-targeting ability
A novel membrane interface engineering strategy enables immune cells to specifically recognize, capture and eliminate pathogenic bacteria without genetic modification.
-
NewsU.S. disease tracker launches to strengthen monitoring of vaccine-preventable diseases
A new website will track the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases across the United States to offer the public, the media, healthcare providers, public health officials, and policymakers reliable and visual information about current disease trends.
-
NewsProtection for newborns: New treatment aims to prevent meningitis without antibiotics
One of the leading pathogens responsible for meningitis cases in newborn babies is the K1 form of the E. coli bacterium. Now, researchers have developed a triple-pronged approach that seeks to prevent transmission to newborns.
-
NewsOver 250,000 deaths from meningitis globally in 2023; over one third in children under five
In 2023, globally 259,000 people died from meningitis and 2.5 million people were infected with the disease, suggests a study. Although death and infection rates have declined significantly since 1990, progress is insufficient to meet the WHO targets.
-
NewsStreptococcus suis serotype 2 collagenase-like protease promotes meningitis by increasing blood-brain barrier permeability
Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that causes meningitis in humans and pigs. Researchers have investigated the role and mechanism of the SS2 Clp in promoting the passage of the bacterium across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
-
NewsA non-invasive test enables accurate detection of infant meningitis
A high-resolution ultrasound device has shown great accuracy in detecting suspected meningitis in newborns and infants, potentially offering a non-invasive alternative to lumbar puncture, the traditional diagnostic method.
-
NewsCannabis extracts show remarkable effectiveness against fungal pathogens
Two cannabis-derived compounds have shown remarkable effectiveness against fungal pathogens in laboratory tests, according to new research.
-
NewsThe new season of The Last of Us has a spore-ting chance at realism
The trailer for the hit HBO series appears to show the ’zombie fungus’ cordyceps infecting humans by releasing air-borne spores, instead of through tentacles — closer to scientific reality, according to experts.
-
NewsFour advances that could change tuberculosis treatment
World Tuberculosis Day commemorates Robert Koch’s discovery of the source bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Scientists are still refining TB diagnosis methods and treatment strategies - some of the latest innovations are revealed here.
-
NewsMeningococcal vaccine found to be safe and effective for infants in sub-Saharan Africa
A new global health study found a vaccine that protects against five strains of meningitis prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa is safe and effective for use in young children beginning at 9 months of age.
-
NewsFrom dormant to danger: How VZV reactivation is driving CNS infections
Researchers conducted a comprehensive study spanning 10 years (2013–2022), to identify the VZV-related infections affecting the central nervous system. Their study reveals a marked increase in adult VZV-related CNS infections, particularly since 2019.
-
NewsStudy finds widening inequalities in child vaccination rates across England
Vaccine uptake was found to be consistently lower among children in areas of higher deprivation, while the number of children susceptible to measles at age 5 increased 20-fold in the most deprived areas.
-
NewsMeningitis has a much greater impact on child mortality than previously thought
New study reveals high rates of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital-associated cases of meningitis in children under five years of age.
-
NewsFungal infection acquired during surgery led to death and brainstem, blood supply injuries
A life-threatening mold infection known as health care-associated Fusarium solani meningitis can be associated with a delayed, but devastating, injury to the brainstem and its blood supply among those infected, according to physicians.
-
NewsMapping evolution of E. coli virulence factor offers refined drug target
Researchers have presented evidence that targeting the K1 capsule can be used as the basis of treatment, paving the way to prevent serious E. coli infections.
-
NewsNew vaccine boosts hopes of eliminating meningitis across Africa
A trial of a new vaccine against meningococcal disease, a cause of meningitis and blood poisoning, has found that it is safe and induces a strong immune response across five strains of meningococcal bacteria: A, C, W, Y and X.