All Middle East & Africa articles
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NewsAn oral cholera vaccination campaign aims to reach more than 2.6 million people in Sudan’s Khartoum State
A 10-day reactive oral cholera vaccination campaign, launched on 10 June in 5 localities in Sudan’s Khartoum State, aims to protect more than 2.6 million people aged 1 year and above from cholera infection, interrupt transmission and help contain the cholera outbreak.
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NewsGifts from the sea: Molecules derived from coral may help fight harmful bacteria
Pus, strep throat, and even tuberculosis—most infectious diseases are characterized by a cluster of pathogenic bacteria that can be stubborn and resistant to antibiotics. Researchers have found another method to combat these bacteria using naturally sourced molecules found in corals.
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NewsSARS-CoV-2 protein found to spread between cells, triggering immune attack on healthy cells
A new study reveals that the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein can spread from infected to uninfected cells, triggering an immune response that mistakenly targets healthy cells.
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NewsUrgent need to quantify role of fungal toxins in rising liver cancer rates in Ghana
There’s an urgent need to quantify the role of aflatoxins, found on agricultural crops, such as maize and peanuts, in the escalating rates of liver cancer in Ghana, as well as elsewhere in Africa and Asia, concludes a commentary.
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NewsAntibiotics taken during pregnancy may reduce preterm births
A study of almost 1000 pregnant women in Zimbabwe found that a daily dose of a commonly used, safe and inexpensive antibiotic may have led to fewer babies being born early.
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NewsResearchers develop paper-based diagnostic tool for rapid, affordable infectious disease detection
A team of scientists has developed a breakthrough paper-based diagnostic device that can detect COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in under 10 minutes, without the need for sophisticated lab equipment or trained personnel.
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CareersAMI prizewinner Raquel Peixoto reveals how coral symbionts are key to tolerating rising temperatures
Marking World Coral Reef Day on June 1, AMI’s Rachel Carson Prize winner Professor Raquel Peixoto reveals how the ability of corals to tolerate rising temperatures is determined by the type of microorganisms that live inside them.
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NewsResearchers reveal the cellular network behind oral tolerance
A new study has resolved a long-standing paradox surrounding oral tolerance and revealed the cellular network responsible. These findings may clarify this network’s malfunctions, which underlie food allergies and sensitivities and disorders such as celiac disease.
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NewsGut bacteria may hold key to unlocking better cancer treatment
Scientists have discovered a range of microbial ‘biomarkers’ that could help to improve detection and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs) such as gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
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NewsOral microbiota transmission partially mediates depression and anxiety in newlywed couples
Given that bacterial transmission can occur between spouses, a new study aimed to investigate whether the transmission of oral microbiota between newlywed couples mediates symptoms of depression and anxiety.
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NewsWHO validates Mauritania for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Mauritania as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the seventh country in WHO’s African Region to achieve this significant milestone.
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NewsGenomic data shows widespread mpox transmission in West Africa prior to 2022 global outbreak
Mpox was transmitted among humans in Nigeria for eight years before sparking the international outbreak in 2022. Using genomic tracing, the researchers estimate that the virus’s ancestor first emerged in southern Nigeria in August 2014.
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NewsWastewater treatment to fight the spread of antibiotic resistance
A metagenomics study has demonstrated that one type of bioreactor used in some wastewater plants – anaerobic membrane bioreactors – may be better at reducing the amount of ARGs released into the environment.
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NewsThe Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ‘should step up efforts’
The international community must protect global responses to HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria to serve humanity’s collective interests, according to a new opinion article.
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NewsTwo HIV vaccine trials show proof of concept for pathway to broadly neutralizing antibodies
A new study combining data from two separate phase 1 clinical trials shows that a targeted vaccine strategy can successfully activate early immune responses relevant to HIV, and, in one trial, further advance them.
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FeaturesWhat is eating my rocks? A possible novel biological niche inside limestone
“It seems something biological has once lived inside rocks in Namibia.” Read the story of this unusual discovery…
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NewsScientist awarded $500,000 Gruber Genetics Prize for pioneering discoveries in bacterial immune systems
The 2025 Gruber Genetics Prize is being awarded to geneticist and molecular biologist Rotem Sorek, Ph.D., of the Weizmann Institute of Science, for his discoveries in the immune system of bacteria.
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NewsFirst all-oral treatment for a rare but deadly strain of sleeping sickness now available
A handful of patients in Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as well as foreign travellers, have now been treated with a medicine that is revolutionizing care for patients with rhodesiense sleeping sickness.
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NewsTough microbes found in NASA cleanrooms hold clues to space survival and biotech
A new study involving AMI member Professor Alexandre Rosado has reported 26 novel bacterial species growing inside cleanrooms associated with NASA space missions. They carry genetic traits associated with resilience to extreme environments.
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NewsBreakthrough discovery uses gut bacteria and AI to diagnose a chronic pain syndrome
Scientists have developed AI technology that can detect patterns in gut bacteria to identify complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) with remarkable accuracy, potentially transforming how CRPS is diagnosed and treated.