ScienceDaily: Infectious Disease News

H1N1 discovered in marine mammals

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:44:44 EDT

Scientists detected the H1N1 (2009) virus in free-ranging northern elephant seals off the central California coast a year after the human pandemic began.

Human disease leptospirosis identified in new species, the banded mongoose, in Africa

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:27:27 EDT

Leptospirosis is the world's most common illness transmitted to humans by animals. It's a two-phase disease that begins with flu-like symptoms. If untreated, it can cause meningitis, liver damage, pulmonary hemorrhage, renal failure and death.

Level of dengue virus needed for transmission defined

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:28:28 EDT

Researchers have identified the dose of dengue virus in human blood that is required to infect mosquitoes when they bite. Mosquitoes are essential for transmitting the virus between people so the findings have important implications for understanding how to slow the spread of the disease.

Global warming trends contribute to spread of West Nile virus to new regions in Europe

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:52:52 EDT

Global warming trends have a significant influence on the spread of West Nile Virus to new regions in Europe and neighboring countries, where the disease wasn’t present before, according to a new study. The study found that rising temperatures have a more considerable contribution than humidity, to the spread of the disease, while the effect of rain was inconclusive.

Bird flu in live poultry markets are the source of viruses causing human infections

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:09:09 EDT

On 31 March 2013, the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission announced human cases of novel H7N9 influenza virus infections. Scientists have now investigated the origins of this novel H7N9 influenza virus.

Potential flu pandemic lurks: Influenza viruses circulating in pigs, birds could pose risk to humans

Fri, 10 May 2013 18:02:02 EDT

In the summer of 1968, a new strain of influenza appeared in Hong Kong. This strain, known as H3N2, spread around the globe and eventually killed an estimated 1 million people. A new study reveals that there are many strains of H3N2 circulating in birds and pigs that are genetically similar to the 1968 strain and have the potential to generate a pandemic if they leap to humans. The researchers also found that current flu vaccines might not offer protection against these strains.

New test for H7N9 bird flu in China may help slow outbreak, prevent pandemic

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:43:43 EDT

Breaking research demonstrates that a recently developed diagnostic test can detect the new strain of influenza (H7N9) currently causing an outbreak in China.

Mosquito survey identifies reservoir of disease

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:55:55 EDT

A large scale, five year study of mosquitoes from different ecological regions in Kenya, including savannah grassland, semi-arid Acacia thorn bushes, and mangrove swamps, found a reservoir of viruses carried by mosquitoes (arboviruses) that are responsible for human and animal diseases. This research highlights the need for continued surveillance in order to monitor the risk of disease outbreaks.

Using bacteria to stop malaria

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:21:21 EDT

Mosquitoes are deadly efficient disease transmitters. New research however, demonstrates that they also can be part of the solution for preventing diseases such as malaria.

New tool for identifying powerful HIV antibodies

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Scientists have developed a new tool to identify broadly neutralizing antibodies capable of preventing infection by the majority of HIV strains found around the globe, an advance that could help speed HIV vaccine research.

Bacterial infection in mosquitoes renders them immune to malaria parasites

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Scientists have established an inheritable bacterial infection in malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes that renders them immune to malaria parasites. Specifically, the scientists infected the mosquitoes with Wolbachia, a bacterium common among insects that previously has been shown to prevent malaria-inducing Plasmodium parasites from developing in Anopheles mosquitoes.

Immune cells that suppress genital herpes infections identified

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:17:17 EDT

Scientists have identified a class of immune cells that reside long-term in the genital skin and mucosa and are believed to be responsible for suppressing recurring outbreaks of genital herpes. These immune cells also play a role in suppressing symptoms of genital herpes, which is why most sufferers of the disease are asymptomatic when viral reactivations occur. The discovery of this subtype of immune cells, called CD8αα+ T cells, opens a new avenue of research to develop a vaccine to prevent and treat herpes simplex virus type 2, or HSV-2. Identifying these T cells’ specific molecular targets, called epitopes, is the next step in developing a vaccine.

Using 'bacteria-eaters' to prevent infections on medical implant materials

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:30:30 EDT

Viruses that infect and kill bacteria -- used to treat infections in the pre-antibiotic era a century ago and in the former Soviet Union today -- may have a new role in preventing formation of the sticky "biofilms" of bacteria responsible for infections on implanted medical devices.

Biosensor that detects antibiotic resistance brings us one step closer to fighting superbugs

Wed, 08 May 2013 10:25:25 EDT

New research demonstrates how a biosensor can detect antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This new technology is a preliminary step in identifying and fighting superbugs, a major public health concern that has led to more deaths than AIDS in the United States in recent years.

Mathematical model measures hidden HIV

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:30:30 EDT

A new mathematical modeling technique reveals HIV virus may be replicating in body even when undetectable in the blood.

Discovery holds potential in destroying drug-resistant bacteria

Tue, 07 May 2013 15:50:50 EDT

Through the serendipity of science, researchers have discovered a potential treatment for deadly, drug-resistant bacterial infections that uses the same approach that HIV uses to infect cells. New research is especially promising in the development of a potential treatment for lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis.

New insights into Ebola infection pave the way for much-needed therapies

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:45:45 EDT

The Ebola virus is among the deadliest viruses on the planet, killing up to 90 percent of those infected. A new study reveals how the most abundant protein making up the Ebola virus -- viral protein 40 -- allows the virus to leave host cells and spread infection to other cells throughout the human body. The findings could lay the foundation for the development of new drugs and strategies for fighting Ebola infection.

Pathogen turns protein into a virulence factor in one easy step

Tue, 07 May 2013 06:11:11 EDT

To infect its host, the respiratory pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa takes an ordinary protein usually involved in making other proteins and adds three small molecules to turn it into a key for gaining access to human cells. Researchers have now uncovered this previously unknown virulence factor in P. aeruginosa, one of the most common causes of hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Anti-depressant link to Clostridium difficile infection

Tue, 07 May 2013 06:10:10 EDT

Certain types of anti-depressants have been linked to an increase in the risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) finds a new study. Awareness of this link should improve identification and early treatment of CDI.

Competing antibodies may have limited the protection achieved in HIV vaccine trial in Thailand

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:13:13 EDT

Continuing analysis of an HIV vaccine trial undertaken in Thailand is yielding additional information about how immune responses were triggered and why the vaccine did not protect more people.

Portable device provides rapid, accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis, other bacterial infections

Sun, 05 May 2013 15:00:00 EDT

A handheld diagnostic device first developed to diagnose cancer has been adapted to rapidly diagnose tuberculosis and other important infectious bacteria. Two versions of the portable device combine microfluidic technology with nuclear magnetic resonance to not only diagnose these important infections but also determine the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.

Genome sequencing provides unprecedented insight into causes of pneumococcal disease

Sun, 05 May 2013 14:59:59 EDT

A new study has, for the first time, used genome sequencing technology to track the changes in a bacterial population following the introduction of a vaccine.

Risks of H7N9 infection mapped

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:41:41 EDT

A map of avian influenza (H7N9) risk has just been completed. The map is composed of bird migration patterns, and adding in estimations of poultry production and consumption, which are used to infer future risk and to advise on ways to prevent infection.

Tick-borne lone star virus identified through new super-fast gene sequencing

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:52:52 EDT

The tick-borne Lone Star virus has been conclusively identified as part of a family of other tick-borne viruses called bunyaviruses, which often cause fever, respiratory problems and bleeding, according to new research.

Protein complex found in human breast milk can help reverse antibiotic resistance in superbugs

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:29:29 EDT

A protein complex found in human breast milk can help reverse the antibiotic resistance of bacterial species that cause dangerous pneumonia and staph infections, according to new research.

Potential novel treatment for influenza discovered: Scientists pursue new therapies as deadly H7N9 flu spreads in China

Wed, 01 May 2013 15:44:44 EDT

An experimental drug has shown promise in treating influenza, preventing lung injury and death from the virus in preclinical studies, according to new research. The scientists found that a drug called Eritoran can protect mice from death after they have been infected with a lethal dose of influenza virus.

Scientists weaken HIV infection in immune cells using synthetic agents

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:20:20 EDT

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is notorious for hiding within certain types of cells, where it reproduces at a slowed rate and eventually gives rise to chronic inflammation, despite drug therapy. But researchers recently discovered that synthetic anti-inflammatory substances distantly related to the active ingredient of marijuana may be able to take the punch out of HIV while inside one of its major hideouts -- immune cells called macrophages.

HIV-infected children: Less-used regimen is more effective for children in low-resource settings

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:40:40 EDT

Researchers find better outcomes for efavirenz over nevirapine in children over age 3.

Mast cells give clues in diagnosis, treatment of dengue

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:15:15 EDT

A protein produced by mast cells in the immune system may predict which people infected with dengue virus will develop life-threatening complications, according to researchers.

Synthetic derivatives of THC may weaken HIV-1 infection to enhance antiviral therapies

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:15:15 EDT

A new research report shows that compounds that stimulate the cannabinoid type 2 receptor in white blood cells, specifically macrophages, appear to weaken HIV-1 infection.

Targeted screening for C. difficile upon hospital admission could potentially identify most colonized patients

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:13:13 EDT

Testing patients with just three risk factors upon hospital admission has potential to identify nearly three out of four asymptomatic carriers of C. difficile, according to a new study.

Modeling disease spread, including flu

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:46:46 EDT

A collaborative research network that formed nearly 10 years ago has pioneered the use of computational and mathematical models to prepare for, detect and respond to influenza, pertussis, West Nile disease, dengue fever, cholera and other infectious disease threats.

Attention baby boomers: Get screened for hepatitis C

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:11:11 EDT

People born during 1945 through 1965 are five times more likely than other adults to be infected with hepatitis C. If you were born during these years, talk to your doctor about getting tested.

New drug stimulates immune system to kill infected cells in animal model of hepatitis B infection

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:25:25 EDT

A novel drug developed and tested in an animal model suppresses hepatitis B virus infection by stimulating the immune system and inducing loss of infected cells.

Flu and bacteria: Better prognosis for this potentially fatal combination

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:54:54 EDT

Scientists have provided insights into how much harm bacteria can cause to the lung of people having the flu. The results could prompt the development of alternative treatments for flu-related bacterial infections, to improve patient outcome and prevent permanent lung damage.

Clues to making vaccine for infant respiratory illness

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:24:24 EDT

An atomic-level snapshot of a respiratory syncytial virus protein bound to a human antibody represents a leap toward developing a vaccine for a common -- and sometimes very serious -- childhood disease.

Insight on Pandemic Flu

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:12:12 EDT

Pandemic flu continues to threaten public health, especially in the wake of the recent emergence of an H7N9 low pathogenic avian influenza strain in humans.

Significant step forward in combating antibiotic resistance

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:25:25 EDT

New research is a significant development in combating antibiotic resistance; it will pave the way for the creation of the inhibitors to counteract the process, allowing a renaissance in the use of antibiotics.

Biogeographic barrier that protects Australia from avian flu does not stop Nipah virus

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:51:51 EDT

An invisible barrier separates land animals in Australia from those in south-east Asia may also restrict the spillover of animal-borne diseases like avian flu, but researchers have found that fruit bats on either side of this line can carry Nipah virus, a pathogen that causes severe human disease.

Fighting bacteria with new genre of antibodies

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:23:23 EDT

In an advance toward coping with bacteria that shrug off existing antibiotics and sterilization methods, scientists are reporting development of a new family of selective antimicrobial agents that do not rely on traditional antibiotics. They report on these synthetic colloid particles, which can be custom-designed to recognize the shape of specific kinds of bacteria and inactivate them.

First vaccine to help control some autism symptoms

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:23:23 EDT

A first-ever vaccine for gut bacteria common in autistic children may also help control some autism symptoms.

Drug therapy offers high cure rate for 2 hepatitis C subtypes

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:31:31 EDT

A new drug is offering dramatic cure rates for hepatitis C patients with two subtypes of the infection -- genotype 2 and 3, say a team of scientists. The drug, called sofosbuvir, offers more effective treatment for most patients studied in a Phase 3 clinical trial who had no other treatment options, report researchers.

Battling with bugs to prevent antibiotic resistance

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:27:27 EDT

Bacteria can evolve resistance more quickly when stronger antibiotics are used, new research confirms.

Virus kills melanoma in animal model, spares normal cells

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:57:57 EDT

Researchers have demonstrated that vesicular stomatitis virus is highly competent at finding, infecting, and killing human melanoma cells, both in vitro and in animal models, while having little propensity to infect non-cancerous cells.

Highly active antiretroviral therapies may be cardioprotective in HIV-infected children, teens

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:55:55 EDT

Long-term use of highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART) does not appear to be associated with impaired heart function in children and adolescents in a study that sought to determine the cardiac effects of prolonged exposure to HAART on children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), according to a new report.

Some visible signs of Lyme disease are easily missed or mistaken

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:25:25 EDT

With Lyme disease season now beginning, doctors are urged to consider Lyme disease as the underlying cause when presented with skin lesions that resemble conditions such as contact dermatitis, lupus, common skin infections, or insect or spider bites, especially where Lyme disease is endemic. New analysis establishes patients with those symptoms, rather than the classic Lyme "bulls-eye" lesion, to have been infected with the Lyme bacterium.

Recreational use of HIV antiretroviral drug linked to its psychoactivity

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:38:38 EDT

More than 1 in 270 people in the US are living with HIV and every 9.5 minutes someone is else is infected. The economic cost estimates associated with HIV/AIDS exceed 36 billion dollars a year. The development of effective drug treatments have allowed people with HIV to live longer with federal health officials now predicting that by 2015 one-half of the population with HIV in the US will be older than 50.

New understanding of asthma development: Transmission of respiratory viruses in utero

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:40:40 EDT

The most common cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children, respiratory syncytial virus, can be transferred during pregnancy to an unborn baby, according to new research.

Outpatients, hospital patients face growing, but different problems with antibiotic resistance

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:41:41 EDT

A new study concludes that problems with antibiotic resistance faced by outpatients may be as bad as those in hospitalized patients, and that more studies of outpatients are needed -- both to protect their health and to avoid inappropriate or unnecessary drug use.

Treatment for novel coronavirus shows promise in early lab tests

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:01:01 EDT

Scientists studying an emerging coronavirus have found that a combination of two licensed antiviral drugs, ribavirin and interferon-alpha 2b, can stop the virus from replicating in laboratory-grown cells. These results suggest that the drug combination could be used to treat patients infected with the new coronavirus, but more research is needed to confirm this preliminary finding.

Despite superbug crisis, progress in antibiotic development 'alarmingly elusive'

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:01:01 EDT

Despite the desperate need for new antibiotics to combat increasingly deadly resistant bacteria, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved only one new systemic antibiotic since the Infectious Diseases Society of America launched its 10 x '20 Initiative in 2010 -- and that drug was approved two and a half years ago.

Positive results for Phase I clinical trial for an H5N1 vaccine

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:49:49 EDT

Medical researchers reported positive interim results from a Phase I clinical trial for an H5N1 Avian Influenza VLP vaccine candidate. The H5N1 vaccine was found to be safe and well-tolerated and induced a solid immune response exceeding the three Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use immunogenicity criteria for licensure of influenza vaccines.

Discovery may help prevent HIV: Insights into eliminating reservoirs of HIV-1

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:46:46 EDT

Researchers have discovered how the protein that blocks HIV-1 from multiplying in white blood cells is regulated. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS, and the discovery could lead to novel approaches for addressing HIV-1 “in hiding” – namely eliminating reservoirs of HIV-1 that persist in patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy.

Improved molecular tools streamline influenza testing and management

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:17:17 EDT

Over 40,000 people die each year in the United States from influenza-related diseases. In patients whose immune systems are compromised, antiviral therapy may be life-saving, but it needs to be initiated quickly. It is therefore crucial to diagnose and type the influenza rapidly. Scientists in the Netherlands have designed and evaluated a set of molecular assays that they say are a sensitive and good alternative for conventional diagnostic methods and can produce results in one day without the need for additional equipment.

Dramatic changes in bacteria following male circumcision

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:23:23 EDT

Male circumcision reduces the abundance of bacteria living on the penis and might help explain why circumcision offers men some protection against HIV, according to a new study.

Women with HIV shown to have elevated resting energy expenditure

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:53:53 EDT

Studies have shown that about 10 percent of men infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an elevated resting energy expenditure (REE). Their bodies use more kilocalories for basic functions including circulation, body temperature, and breathing. Most studies have been conducted in men and those with solely women have had small sample sizes.

Mathematics provides a shortcut to timely, cost-effective interventions for HIV

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:59:59 EDT

Mathematical estimates of treatment outcomes can cut costs and provide faster delivery of preventative measures. South Africa is home to the largest HIV epidemic in the world with a total of 5.6 million people living with HIV. Large-scale clinical trials evaluating combination methods of prevention and treatment are often prohibitively expensive and take years to complete. In the absence of such trials, mathematical models can help assess the effectiveness of different HIV intervention combinations, as demonstrated in a new study.

Bacterial security agents go rogue

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:34:34 EDT

CRISPR, a system of genes that bacteria use to defend themselves against viruses, has been found to be involved in helping some bacteria evade the mammalian immune system. Scientists have shown that Francisella novicida, a close relative of the bacterium that causes tularemia, and another bacterium that causes meningitis, need parts of the CRISPR system to stay infectious.

Could new flu spark global flu pandemic? New bird flu strain seen adapting to mammals, humans

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:24:24 EDT

A genetic analysis of the avian flu virus responsible for at least nine human deaths in China portrays a virus evolving to adapt to human cells, raising concern about its potential to spark a new global flu pandemic.

Simple test to screen for hospital bugs

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:45:45 EDT

Researchers have developed a system for hospitals and health care services that uses DNA technology to diagnose infectious diseases.