Disease/Infection News

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Common Epstein-Barr virus may be a trigger for multiple sclerosis

In 1868, French physician Jean-Martin Charcot, known as the founder of modern neurology, defined a disease entity in which multiple plaques formed in the brain and spinal cord, with varying physical symptoms, called Sclérose en plaques, or in English as multiple sclerosis (MS).

24 Mar 2023

Study describes why COVID-19 subvariants accelerated the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has killed nearly 7 million people worldwide (1.1 million in the United States) and severely harmed many millions more, though vaccines and antiviral treatments measurably reduced the potential loss of life and health.

23 Mar 2023

Study examines the implications of vaccine shopping during pandemic

When COVID-19 vaccines became obtainable in the United States, the policy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was that individuals should receive the first available vaccine.

23 Mar 2023

Blunted inflammatory response could make obese patients more susceptible to severe COVID-19

Individuals who are obese may be more susceptible to severe COVID-19 because of a poorer inflammatory immune response, say Cambridge scientists.

21 Mar 2023

Stickiness of influenza virus may determine the frequency of co-infection

Influenza viruses have an enormous impact in the U.S., with an estimated 25 million illnesses and 18,000 deaths in the 2022-23 flu season alone.

21 Mar 2023

New antibody "cocktail" may help counter the Lassa virus

The finding, made with the use of the Advanced Photon Source, shows a new way to exploit monoclonal antibodies to subvert the "shield" of the virus, potentially paving the way for new therapies.

20 Mar 2023

Fomepizole may reduce disease severity in the lungs of mice with bacterial pneumonia

Pneumococcal disease leads to over three million hospitalizations and hundreds of thousands of deaths annually.

17 Mar 2023

Study reveals: Coronaviruses that cause common colds boost immune response to COVID-19

During the pandemic, it became clear that children who contracted COVID-19 became less ill than adults. One hypothesis has been that common colds would give children immunity protecting against a severe form of the disease. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet are now able to show that OC43, one of the coronaviruses that cause common colds, boosts the immune response to COVID-19. The study, which is published in PNAS, could give rise to more tailored vaccine programmes for children and adults.

16 Mar 2023

New class of oral drugs inhibits a diverse range of SARS-CoV-2 strains

The constant evolution of new COVID-19 variants makes it critical for clinicians to have multiple therapies in their arsenal for treating drug-resistant infections. Researchers have now discovered that a new class of oral drugs that acts directly on human cells can inhibit a diverse range of pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 strains.

13 Mar 2023

COVID-19 has taken a limited toll on the mental health, finds study

COVID-19 has taken a relatively limited toll on the mental health of most people around the globe, according to a paper published today in the BMJ by a McGill University-led research team involving collaborators from McMaster University, the University of Toronto, and other institutions.

10 Mar 2023

BGI’s fluorescent RT-PCR kit obtains market access qualification for detecting SARS-CoV-2, IFV A, IFV B in Australia

On March 2, BGI's Multiplex Real-time Fluorescent RT-PCR Kit for Detecting SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A Virus and Influenza B Virus obtained market access qualification to enter the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

8 Mar 2023

Study explores factors associated with parents' acceptance of SGM adolescents using PrEP

Since its approval in 2012, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, has shown promise in reducing HIV infection rates by preventing infection in high-risk HIV-negative people. However, research shows that only around three percent of sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents who are eligible for PrEP have used it.

2 Mar 2023

New method can rapidly detect COVID-19 infections with near-perfect accuracy

By inspecting the body's immune response at a molecular level, a research team has developed a new way to test patients for COVID-19.

28 Feb 2023

Effective and faster methodology detects RNA viruses based on the triplex-forming probe technology

Experts from the University of Barcelona, the Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM-CSIC) and the Aragon Nanoscience and Materials Institute of Aragon (INMA) -;a joint institute of the CSIC and the University of Zaragoza-; have developed a new method to detect RNA viruses based on the triplex-forming probe technology.

28 Feb 2023

Herpesvirus infection boosts host cellular immunity: Study

A new editorial was published in Genes & Cancer on January 19th, 2023, entitled, "Severe herpesvirus infection beats adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma."

27 Feb 2023

Insilico Medicine: IND application for first generative AI-designed drug for COVID-19 approved

Insilico Medicine, a clinical-stage biotech company powered by generative AI, today announces that China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ISM3312, an orally available 3CLpro inhibitor generated and designed with the support of Insilico's proprietary generative chemistry platform Chemistry42 for the treatment of COVID-19.

24 Feb 2023

Earthquakes pose severe long-term impacts on the health of Syrian refugees

Among those in greatest peril after the devasting earthquakes in the Middle East are some 6.6 million internally displaced persons in Syria, as well as 1.9 million Syrian refugees living in Turkey, according to estimations from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

24 Feb 2023

Study uncovers differences in how AstraZeneca and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines affect the immune system

A new Australian study led by SAHMRI and Flinders University has uncovered fundamental differences in how the AstraZeneca and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines impact the immune system.

23 Feb 2023

Limiting antibiotic use in livestock associated with reduction in antibiotic-resistant infection

A California policy restricting antibiotic use in animals raised for food is associated with a reduction in one type of antibiotic-resistant infection in people in the state, according to a new study published today in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.