Disease/Infection News

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Plant compounds show promise against leishmaniasis through mitochondrial targeting

Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania parasites, affects millions globally. Current synthetic treatments face limitations including toxicity, cost, and resistance.

28 Jul 2025

Simple UV technology reduces the number of respiratory infections in aged care facilities

Simple technology that harnesses ultraviolet light to 'zap' airborne viruses has been shown to significantly lower the number of respiratory infections in aged care facilities, paving the way for smarter infection control.

28 Jul 2025

AI-powered blood test improves early Lyme disease detection

Today at ADLM 2025 (formerly the AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo), researchers will unveil a blood test developed with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) that identifies Lyme disease sooner and more accurately than the current standard - and that could translate to vastly improved patient outcomes.

28 Jul 2025

Global vaccination effort saved 2.5 million lives from SARS-CoV-2

Thanks to vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 in the period 2020-2024 2.533 million deaths were prevented at global level, one death was avoided for every 5,400 doses of vaccine administered. The 82% of the lives saved by vaccines involved people vaccinated before encountering the virus, 57% during the Omicron period, and 90% involved people aged 60 years and older. In all, vaccines have saved 14.8 million years of life (one year of life saved for 900 doses of vaccine administered).

28 Jul 2025

Study finds past H1N1 exposure shields animals from deadly H5N1

Preexisting immunity to the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus provided near-complete protection against severe H5N1 disease and transmission in ferrets, even after high-dose exposure. In contrast, H3N2 immunity alone offered only partial, inconsistent protection.

28 Jul 2025

Congenital syphilis remains a threat to healthy births despite screening

Congenital syphilis remains a critical issue in remote Australia, with healthcare barriers undermining effective STI screening and increasing pregnancy risks.

25 Jul 2025

New study uncovers how prior obesity impacts viral consequences

A study comparing the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in lean and obese primates found different long-term consequences of the virus depending on prior obesity and metabolic disease. The results, which also highlighted how widespread long COVID symptoms are in animals, were published July 24th in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Charles Roberts of Oregon Health & Science University, USA, and colleagues.

25 Jul 2025

Gene-edited mosquitoes slash malaria spread 93% using self-propagating shield

Scientists engineered a naturally occurring genetic variant (Q224) in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, making them highly resistant to malaria parasites without affecting fitness. A novel gene-drive system rapidly spread this protective trait through lab mosquito populations, offering a potential breakthrough for malaria control.

24 Jul 2025

Exploring tick microbiota and their impact on disease transmission

Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. Ticks have garnered significant research interest owing to their ability to vector pathogens into humans and animals.

24 Jul 2025

Timor-Leste achieves historic malaria-free status

The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Timor-Leste as malaria-free, a remarkable achievement for a country that prioritized the disease and embarked on a concerted, nation-wide response shortly after gaining independence in 2002.

24 Jul 2025

New study reveals high lifetime exposure to hepatitis B and C in Ukraine

A study just published on Eurosurveillance has found evidence of substantial lifetime exposure to hepatitis B and C viruses in Ukraine in a 2021 nationwide, representative sample of the population, with findings also suggesting significant ongoing circulation of these viruses.

24 Jul 2025

Ivermectin mass treatment shows great promise in reducing malaria transmission

Ivermectin administered to the whole population significantly reduces malaria transmission, offering new hope in the fight against the disease.

24 Jul 2025

Tribal health officials work to fill vaccination gaps as measles outbreak spreads

Cassandra Palmier had been meaning to get her son the second and final dose of the measles vaccine. But car problems made it difficult to get to the doctor.

24 Jul 2025

Low-gluten diets disrupt gut health by depleting key bacteria

Long-term gluten reduction may disrupt gut microbiota balance, reducing beneficial bacteria and increasing ethanol, linked to inflammation and metabolic risks.

24 Jul 2025

CoVerage outperforms rivals in early detection of COVID mutations

The CoVerage system monitors SARS-CoV-2 evolution, predicting variants and scoring amino acid changes to inform vaccine efficacy and public health strategies.

24 Jul 2025

Study reveals pandemic life made brains age faster, even without catching COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated biological brain aging in older adults by an average of 5.5 months over less than three years, regardless of infection status. Social disruption, age, male sex, and socioeconomic disadvantage heightened vulnerability, while only infected individuals showed measurable declines in executive function.

23 Jul 2025

Blocking key host pathways may stop Cryptosporidium infections

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have mapped the human metabolic pathways that Cryptosporidium, an intestinal parasite, requires to survive.

23 Jul 2025

New method genetically blocks mosquitoes from transmitting malaria

Mosquitoes kill more people each year than any other animal. In 2023, the blood-sucking insects infected a reported 263 million people with malaria, leading to nearly 600,000 deaths, 80% of which were children.

23 Jul 2025

Insights into antibiotic resistance and virulence of Bordetella hinzii

Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. This study was aimed at analyzing the pathogenic characteristics of Bordetella hinzii (B. hinzii), and elucidating its antibiotic resistance mechanisms, virulence gene distribution, and vaccine development potential.

23 Jul 2025