Disease/Infection News

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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

New AI Model Helps Predict Future Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein

It's been five years since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. As SARS-CoV-2 shifts to endemic status, questions about its future evolution remain.

28 Mar 2025

Lariocidin Peptide Shows Promise as Novel Antibiotic for Fighting Infections

A small molecule shaped like a lasso may be a powerful tool in the fight against infectious diseases, according to a new study in Nature co-authored by University of Illinois Chicago researchers.

27 Mar 2025

Zika and Dengue Virus Use Different Strategies to Infect Dendritic Cells

Zika virus and dengue virus are very close relatives. Both are mosquito-borne flaviviruses, and both specialize in infecting a host's dendritic cells.

26 Mar 2025

Unveiling Bacterial Immune Mechanisms Against Temperate Phages

Like humans, bacteria can be attacked by viruses. In the case of bacteria, these viral attackers are referred to as bacteriophages, a term derived from the Greek word for bacteria-eaters, or simply “phages.”

24 Mar 2025

Bispecific antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 variant neutralization

Bispecific antibodies targeting multiple SARS-CoV-2 sites offer enhanced neutralization against emerging variants, advancing COVID-19 treatment strategies.

14 Mar 2025

Study Reveals How Tuberculosis Bacteria Survive Airborne Journey

Tuberculosis bacteria rely on a family of genes that help them survive the challenging journey from one person's lungs to another person's during coughing, sneezing or talking, according to researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

12 Mar 2025

Dual Antibodies Found to Combat All SARS-CoV-2 Variants

A Stanford-led team has found two antibodies that can work together to defeat all SARS-CoV-2 variants. More research is needed, but the approach could help in the development of treatments to keep pace with evolving viruses.

6 Mar 2025

Synthetic Microbiome Treatment Prevents C. difficile Infection in Mice

A synthetic microbiome therapy, tested in mice, protects against severe symptoms of a gut infection that is notoriously difficult-to-treat and potentially life threatening in humans, according to a team of researchers at Penn State.

4 Mar 2025

New CRISPR Method Enhances Surveillance of Antibiotic Resistance in Wastewater

Antibiotic resistance is a global concern that threatens our ability to prevent and treat bacterial infections in humans and animals.

4 Mar 2025

Researchers Develop Mycobacteria Strains with Kill Switches for Safer TB Vaccines

Working toward more effective tuberculosis (TB) vaccines, researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have developed two strains of mycobacteria with "kill switches" that can be triggered to stop the bacteria after they activate an immune response.

26 Feb 2025

New Strategy Targets Bacterial Communication to Combat Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is notorious for its role in food spoilage and infections, posing a significant threat to both food safety and human health.

26 Feb 2025

T Cells May Hold the Secret to Fighting Dengue Virus

Children who experience multiple cases of dengue virus develop an army of dengue-fighting T cells, according to a new study led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI).

25 Feb 2025

Zika Virus Hijacks Placental Tunnels to Evade Immune Defense

Infection with Zika virus in pregnancy can lead to neurological disorders, fetal abnormalities and fetal death. Until now, how the virus manages to cross the placenta, which nurtures the developing fetus and forms a strong barrier against microbes and chemicals that could harm the fetus, has not been clear.

24 Feb 2025

New Insights into How MicroRNA Affects Bird Flu in Wildlife

Previously, researchers thought that microRNA was a kind of useless residue in cells and blood. But these tiny threads are far more important than some imagined. Also for those who study wildlife.

19 Feb 2025

New Study Explains Why Flu Virus Forms Filaments

Influenza A virus particles strategically modify their shape becoming either spheres or larger filaments to enhance their ability to infect cells based on environmental conditions, according to a new study conducted by scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

11 Feb 2025

Uncovering a New Mechanism in Immune Cell Regulation During Parasitic Infections

Researchers at the University of Liège (Belgium) have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that regulates the immune response against parasites.

10 Feb 2025

New Method Helps Detect Mutations Causing Immune Escape in Viruses

Viruses are masters at disguise. When they are pushed too far by our immune system, they send new virus variants into play that are no longer recognized by immune cells.

31 Jan 2025