All Public Health articles
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NewsLong-term nitrogen fertilisation reshapes soil microbes and links to PAH fate
Long-term nitrogen fertilisation does more than change soil nutrients. A 15-year field study found that different application rates reshaped bacterial and fungal communities and altered their genetic potential for carbon, nitrogen and PAH metabolism, suggesting that fertiliser management and legacy pollution should be considered together.
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NewsLittle-known protein is a potential target for treating Chagas disease, study shows
Researchers have identified a protein that appears critical to the life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease. Reducing production of IP6K impaired the parasite’s ability to develop into its infectious form inside human heart cells, highlighting a potential target for future treatments.
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NewsDietary creatine shows little independent effect on the oral microbiome
Dietary creatine does not appear to have a meaningful independent effect on the oral microbiome. In a nationally representative study of more than 3,800 US adults, initial associations largely disappeared after researchers accounted for demographic factors and the wider diet.
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NewsEbola preparedness needs to move beyond a single virus species
Decades of Ebola preparedness have produced vaccines, diagnostics and treatments, but many were built primarily around Zaire ebolavirus. A new perspective argues that future preparedness should span the wider ebolavirus genus, combining broader diagnostics, multivalent vaccines, conserved therapeutic targets and continuous genomic surveillance.
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NewsNIH awards $57.5m to strengthen emerging infectious disease research
Boston University’s high-containment infectious disease laboratory has received $57.5 million in new federal funding to strengthen research on emerging pathogens. The five-year award will support work on vaccines, diagnostics and treatments for threats including Ebola, Marburg, dengue and other high-risk viruses.
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NewsWastewater bacteria could offer a window into community health
Wastewater may reveal much more about a community than which viruses are circulating. Researchers found that gut-associated bacterial patterns in sewage were linked with rates of chronic disease, health behaviours and socioeconomic conditions across several Ohio communities.
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NewsBiomimetic nanoparticles target infection, inflammation and bone loss in periodontitis
A new biomimetic nanoparticle treatment for periodontitis is designed to tackle infection, inflammation and tissue damage at the same time. In laboratory and rat studies, the system killed key periodontal bacteria, shifted immune responses towards repair and reduced bone loss.
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NewsSyrian Arab Republic launches coordinated public health response following poliovirus detection in Deir Ezzor
The Ministry of Health is strengthening vaccination and surveillance activities to protect children following the detection of poliovirus type 1 (VDPV1) in two children aged between 6 and 13 months who developed paralysis in Deir Ezzor Governorate.
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NewsPortable test detects Zika and hepatitis C without a laboratory
Researchers have developed a portable test that can detect RNA viruses such as Zika and hepatitis C directly from whole blood without conventional laboratory purification. Using only a small heater and a handheld fluorescence reader, the method could bring sensitive molecular testing closer to patients in resource-limited settings.
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NewsViral inflammation may disrupt the uterine lining and impair placental development
Viral infections early in pregnancy may disrupt the way the uterine lining prepares for implantation, with effects that can persist throughout pregnancy. In cell, mouse and 3D uterine models, researchers found that inflammation reduced decidualization and was linked to abnormal placental development and smaller fetuses.
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NewsNew AI method spots outbreak signals in sparse and noisy data
A new early-warning method could help detect disease outbreaks even when case data are sparse, delayed or incomplete. By using topological data analysis to capture the underlying shape of epidemic time series, the system remained accurate even when up to half of the surveillance data were missing.
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NewsCRISPR map reveals 6,500 genetic interactions in tuberculosis bacteria
Researchers have created the most detailed map yet of how essential genes interact in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. By uncovering nearly 6,500 genetic relationships, the study reveals hidden gene functions and points to new ways of identifying drug targets and more effective antibiotic combinations.
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NewsLow-level lead exposure linked to higher strep throat risk in children
Even relatively low levels of lead exposure may be linked to a higher risk of strep throat in children. In a study of more than 13,000 children, those with blood lead levels below current public health action thresholds still had substantially higher odds of a strep diagnosis.
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NewsAn eight-year study of epidemiology and disease burden of child enterovirus in China
An eight-year multicenter study from China shows that while most hospitalized enterovirus cases occur in very young children and have favorable outcomes, a small number develop serious complications involving the brain, heart and other organs, leading to substantially greater use of hospital resources.
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News$3.67m NIH grant targets alphaviruses and their neurological damage
A $3.67 million NIH-funded project is developing antiviral compounds that could block alphavirus replication and help protect the brain from severe infection. Researchers will also use blood-brain-barrier-on-a-chip models to test whether early treatment can reduce neurological damage.
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NewsNew report calls for stronger One Health systems as climate risks grow
Climate change and shrinking global health budgets are increasing the pressure on systems designed to prevent diseases that spread between animals and people. A new report calls for stronger One Health surveillance, more investment in frontline veterinary and environmental services, and greater emphasis on preventing spillover before outbreaks begin.
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NewsNew Chinese consensus sets out 16 recommendations for severe dengue
China has issued new clinical guidance for severe dengue as the disease spreads into new regions and increasingly affects older adults and people with underlying conditions. The consensus sets out 16 recommendations covering early warning signs, organ complications, fluid management and blood-product use.
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NewsOne in four Americans have exaggerated or made up symptoms to try to get antibiotics
More than a quarter of Americans have exaggerated or made up symptoms to try to get antibiotics from their doctor, either for themselves or for their children, a new study has found.
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NewsMeasles outbreak shows how immunity gaps can unravel disease elimination
A year-long measles outbreak in Ontario was concentrated in closely connected, historically under-vaccinated communities and contributed to Canada losing its measles elimination status. Researchers warn that immunity gaps, cross-border social networks and declining trust in vaccination can quickly undermine decades of disease control.
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NewsStudy shows how pre-existing immunity shapes second dengue infections
Why can a second dengue infection be more dangerous than the first? A controlled human challenge study shows how pre-existing antibodies can either boost viral replication or help restrain it, offering new clues for designing vaccines that protect against all four dengue virus types.