Disease/Infection News

RSS

Targeting the Chagas Parasite by Interrupting Its Lifecycle

Chagas disease is often called a silent killer because many people don't realize they have it until complications from the infection kill them.

9 Jun 2025

New Study Details H9N2 Avian Flu’s Variability and Public Health Implications

Research on H9N2 avian influenza shows extensive genetic changes, raising public health concerns and emphasizing the need for enhanced monitoring and vaccines.

4 Jun 2025

How Heterogeneous Antibody Immunity Shapes Strain Evolution

A new study found that person-to-person heterogeneity in antibody immunity influences which influenza (flu) strains dominate in a population.

4 Jun 2025

Blocking Viral Enzyme Boosts Brain Immunity Against HSV-1

Infections caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) can lead to HSV-1 encephalitis-a rare but deadly condition that inflames the brain.

4 Jun 2025

UVA Research Reveals Key to HIV Latency

University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have uncovered a key reason why HIV remains so difficult to cure: Their research shows that small changes in the virus affect how quickly or slowly it replicates, and how easily or stubbornly it can reawaken from hiding.

30 May 2025

Study Identifies SMARCB1 and MEOX2 Genes as Growth Regulators of Lung Cancers

A Cancer Gene Therapy study reveals that MEOX2 promotes lung cancer progression while SMARCB1 acts as a tumor suppressor, influencing EGFR expression and response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

30 May 2025

Zika Virus Hijacks Cellular Cleanup to Suppress Immune Response

A new study reveals the biological secret to the Zika virus's infectious success: Zika uses host cells' own "self-care" system of clearing away useless molecules to suppress the host proteins that the virus has employed to get into those cells in the first place.

28 May 2025

Epigenome Editing: Enhancing Endonuclease Protein Design for In Vivo Applications

Researchers have engineered a compact, high-specificity IscB variant, NovaIscB, for safe, persistent in vivo epigenome editing using AAV delivery, offering a powerful tool for gene regulation without DNA breaks.

28 May 2025

Broad Spectrum Pathogen Detection Achieved Through Metagenomic Sequencing

A recent study on the application of Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) found that mNGS can achieve early detection of pathogens and accelerate the development of targeted anti-infection treatment plans, thereby improving treatment outcomes and patient prognosis.

24 May 2025

Gene Loss and Gain Shaped the Evolution of Relapsing Fever Bacteria

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and UCL have analyzed ancient DNA from Borrelia recurrentis, a type of bacteria that causes relapsing fever, pinpointing when it evolved to spread through lice rather than ticks, and how it gained and lost genes in the process.

24 May 2025

Uncovering How Cholera Evaded Phages For Epidemic Success

Cholera bacteria engage in microscopic battles with phages, influencing pandemic dynamics and highlighting the role of viral defenses in outbreak management.

23 May 2025

Reversible DNA Modification Controls Replication and Gene Activity

Study uncovers ADP-ribosylation's role in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, showing how DNA modification controls replication and gene expression for survival.

23 May 2025

Environmental Nanoplastics Linked to Increased Foodborne Virus Severity

There are nanoplastics everywhere. These particles are found in water, food, and bodies; they are so small that they can build up on bacteria and be absorbed by plant roots.

20 May 2025

Trace the Evolution of Malaria Parasite Proteins

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM) have discovered that the evolution of a family of exported proteins in the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum allowed it to infect people.

20 May 2025

Viral circRNAs Sponge Up Host miRNAs to Weaken Immune Response

In a significant breakthrough, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that allows the human immunodeficiency type 1 virus (HIV-1) to evade the body’s natural defenses, thereby facilitating its survival and replication.

14 May 2025

Unraveling How E. histolytica Kills Cells and Evades the Immune System

Understanding how E. histolytica attacks human cells and evades immunity is crucial for developing effective treatments and vaccines against this parasite.

13 May 2025

Restoring Alpha-Synuclein to Support Synaptic Function and Neurotransmission

A new study reveals how restoring α-synuclein levels can help preserve synaptic vesicle composition and function, offering therapeutic insights for Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

7 May 2025

New Antibiotic Compound Matches Current Treatment for MRSA

The development of new antibiotics to treat superbugs and other bacterial infections is a global priority, with the rate of infections that cannot be treated with current antibiotics rising and presenting one of the biggest threats to human health.

15 Apr 2025

New Atlas of Chicken Genetics May Help Breed Disease Resistant Birds

An international team of researchers led by Professor Huaijun Zhou from the UC Davis Department of Animal Science has created the first-ever detailed map of how genes are regulated in chickens - a breakthrough that could help scientists breed birds that are more resistant to diseases like avian influenza.

10 Apr 2025

Antibiotic Resistance Reaches Equilibrium in Many Bacterial Species

Antibiotic resistance tends to stabilize over time, according to a study published April 3, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Sonja Lehtinen from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and colleagues.

4 Apr 2025