All Middle East & Africa articles
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NewsDigital early warning systems essential as old diseases like cholera resurge in global crisis zones
A new critical analysis examines how the convergence of climate change, economic collapse, and conflict is bringing back a preventable disease once thought to be under control.
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NewsMulti-strain probiotic therapy shows promise in preventing bacterial vaginosis recurrence
A global team of experts has identified a promising new approach to prevent recurrence of bacterial vaginosis (BV). In a phase 1 randomized clinical trial, researchers found that a short course of a multi-strain probiotic restored protective bacteria to the vagina, significantly reducing disease recurrence.
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NewsMedicinal plants with anti-entamoeba histolytica activity: phytochemistry, efficacy, and clinical potential
Reported adverse effects associated with the current first-line treatment for amoebiasis, coupled with the evolution of resistance to it, call for the need to search for plant-based alternatives. This study systematically reviews medicinal plants with activity against Entamoeba histolytica.
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NewsNew African species confirms evolutionary origin of magic mushrooms
A long-standing debate about the evolutionary origin of the world’s most widely cultivated ’magic mushroom’ – Psilocybe cubensis – may now have been settled. Scientists describe the discovery of a new species of magic mushroom from the grasslands of South Africa and Zimbabwe.
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NewsMpox immune test validated during Rwandan outbreak
An antibody test for the infectious disease Mpox was successfully developed during the new clade 1b outbreak in Rwanda, the first time that an assay of its kind has been validated within this setting.
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NewsAcoziborole Winthrop receives European Medicines Agency positive opinion as three-tablet, single-dose treatment for most common form of sleeping sickness
The European Medicines Agency has granted a positive opinion to Acoziborole Winthrop (acoziborole) as a single-dose oral treatment for both early- and advanced-stage gambiense sleeping sickness in adults as well as in adolescents 12 years and older weighing at least 40 kilograms.
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NewsNovel structural insights into Phytophthora effectors challenge long-held assumptions in plant pathology
How do evolutionarily conserved pathogen effectors maintain structural stability while engaging diverse host targets? In a new study, researchers define a conserved subset of Phytophthora RxLR effectors in which short linear motifs (SLiMs) are embedded within folded WY domain cores.
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NewsNovel camel antimicrobial peptides show promise against drug-resistant bacteria
Researchers have identified three novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from dromedary camels that effectively target multidrug-resistant bacteria, offering potential alternatives to conventional drugs.
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NewsNew review points to faster, safer vaccine development
A new review examines viral mimic systems that reproduce key features of dangerous pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, without the ability to replicate or cause disease. These systems allow researchers to study infection safely, quickly, and in a wider range of laboratories.
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NewsChildren with sleep apnea face higher risk of flu and COVID-19, new study finds
A five-year study has revealed that children with sleep apnea are twice as likely to contract the flu or COVID-19, regardless of their age or weight. Even after undergoing surgery to remove tonsils or adenoids, this increased vulnerability persists due to long-term changes in the immune system.
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NewsMpox: recombinant virus with genomic elements of clades Ib and IIb
Recombination of monkeypox virus (MPXV) strains has been documented in recent months, with two cases of a recombinant strain comprising clade Ib and IIb MPXV reported, the World Health Organization says.
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NewsFire-footed rope squirrels identified as a natural reservoir for monkeypox virus
A cross-species transmission event documented in Côte d’Ivoire provides new insights into the spread of mpox in the wild.
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NewsPathogen risk: Removing southern African fences may help wildlife, boost economy
Fences intended to protect cattle from catching diseases from wildlife and other livestock in southern Africa are in disrepair, restrict wild animal migrations and likely intensify human-elephant conflict – but a plan to remove key sections could make both livestock and wildlife safer.
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NewsMalaria: Newly identified ‘crown’ stage controls parasite reproduction
Researchers studying Plasmodium falciparum have found that the parasite relies on a brief but essential stage, nicknamed the “Crown” stage, to make sure a crucial internal structure is passed on correctly when it divides.
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NewsHow bacteria learned to target numerous cell types, revealed
A new study shows how bacteria adapted a virus-derived injection system to recognize and attach to many different types of cells. By identifying thousands of rapidly evolving receptor-binding proteins, the researchers explain how these systems can be retargeted in nature by swapping the part that binds to cells.
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NewsSepsis study IDs simple ways to save lives in Africa
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major unrecognized cause of deadly sepsis among people with HIV in Africa, a new study reveals. It found that more than half of the hundreds of patients enrolled in the study had TB and that immediate treatment increased their chances of survival significantly.
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News£2.8 million research project to combat one of the world’s most urgent health threats
An ambitious new £2.8 million international programme will aim to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across East Africa. It will examine how environmental, social and economic factors influence the spread of drug-resistant infections in East African communities.
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NewsEmbedding critical thinking from a young age will help solve world problems, microbiologists say
Scientists from around the world have called for a radical refocus of school curricula from early years to high school to include more critical thinking and learning skills to empower students to ‘think outside the box’.
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NewsResearchers demonstrate SARS-CoV-2 virus inactivation/destruction using focused sound waves
A team of researchers has successfully demonstrated the destruction of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles through exposure to high-frequency sound waves, marking a promising advance in non-pharmacological antiviral strategies.
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NewsScientists advance commercial production of nutrient-rich spirulina
Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has achieved a significant milestone in the commercial production of spirulina, a highly nutritious microalgae increasingly recognized worldwide for its role in food security, health supplements, and sustainable production systems.