Infectious Diseases News and Research

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New Method Analyzes Tooth Enamel Proteins to Gain Insights into Human Health History

A new way of looking at tooth enamel could give scientists a path to deeper understanding of the health of human populations, from the ancient to the modern.

20 Sep 2024

Monoclonal Antibody SC27 Shows Broad Effectiveness Against SARS-CoV-2 Variants

A monoclonal antibody appears effective at neutralizing the numerous variants of SARS-CoV-2, as well as related viruses in animals that could pose a threat if they were to begin spreading in people.

10 Sep 2024

Climate Change Exacerbates Valley Fever Threat

A fungal disease called valley fever is on the rise in the western United States. It typically manifests as flu-like symptoms, but it can potentially have fatal or extremely serious side effects.

4 Sep 2024

Marine Bacteria Could Hold Key to Fighting Tuberculosis

The surprising discovery of a bacterium in a marine sponge from the Great Barrier Reef with striking similarity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen responsible for tuberculosis (TB), could unlock and inform future TB research and treatment strategies.

30 Aug 2024

Bifidobacterium in Maternal Gut Found to Alter Fetal Brain Growth

Bifidobacterium breve supplementation in pregnant mice alters fetal brain metabolism, highlighting its role in enhancing gestational health and development.

29 Aug 2024

Cryo-EM Study Sheds Light on HSV Drug Resistance Mechanisms Through Protein Movement

All organisms -; from fungi to mammals -; have the capacity to evolve and adapt to their environments. But viruses are master shapeshifters with an ability to mutate greater than any other organism. As a result, they can evade treatments or acquire resistance to once-effective antiviral medications.

28 Aug 2024

Ancient Viral Remnants Serve as Accurate Aging Clock

DNA markers linked to retroelements - remaining pieces of ancient viral genetic material - in human genes have been found by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and the epigenetics startup TruDiagnostic.

20 Aug 2024

Genetic Mapping of Lyme Disease Bacteria Offers New Diagnostic and Treatment Possibilities

A genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria may pave the way for improved diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the tick-borne ailment.

19 Aug 2024

New ProDOL Technique Revolutionizes Protein Counting in Living Cells

Scientists have developed a new way of counting labeled proteins in living cells that could become a standard and valuable tool in the field of biomedical research.

12 Aug 2024

Study Reveals 70 Million Years of Host-Parasite Genetic Arms Race

Hosts and their parasites are in constant competition. Through genetic diversity, the host can change in such a way that infection is no longer possible.

8 Aug 2024

Swabbing Technique Reveals Diversity of Immune Cells in the Upper Airway

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have published the first-ever, in-depth analysis of immune cell memory in the upper airways of adult volunteers. Among these immune cells, the researcher spotted "tissue resident" memory cells, which stand ready to defend the airway from SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory diseases.

1 Aug 2024

Artificial Warming Chambers Combat Chytrid Fungus in Frogs

Infectious diseases have disproportionately affected amphibians as global diversity continues to decline due to a variety of factors. An unhealthy fungus known as chytridiomycosis, or simply "chytrid," has caused the extinction of 90 amphibian species and the decline of 500 more.

30 Jul 2024

Researchers Discover How Common Bacteria can Accelerate Wound Closure in Diabetics

There are many important reasons for keeping cuts and sores clean, but new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania shows that a certain bug, Alcaligenes faecalis (A. faecalis), can facilitate healing of hard-to-treat wounds among people with diabetes.

26 Jul 2024