Long Covid, Italian scientists discovered the molecular ‘fingerprint’ of the condition in children’s blood

A study by the Università Cattolica, Rome campus – Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS and the Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù IRCCS, published in the Nature Group journal ‘Pediatric Research’, identifies the ‘protein signature’ of the condition in plasma, a group of pro-inflammatory molecules present at high concentrations in young patients with the condition.

Staphylococcus Aureus Thwarts Vaccines by Turning on a Protein That Halts Immune Response

After dozens of clinical trials, there are still no effective vaccines against Staphylococcus aureus. In two new studies, scientists report that the pathogen turns on the protein interleukin 10, shutting down the protective vaccine response. But blocking the protein restores vaccine efficacy in an animal model.

Discovery of Rapid COVID-19 Replication Mechanism and Expanded Treatment Options

Dr. Seong-Jun Kim’s team from the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) recently reported in a research paper that the rapid proliferation of COVID-19 is due to altered roles of mitochondria (responsible for energy production in human cells) and EGFR (responsible for growth signal transmission in cells).

FAU Researchers Confront New U.S. and Global Challenges in Vaccinations of Adults

Over the past decade, decreasing vaccination rates now threaten the huge beneficial impacts of vaccinations in the U.S. and globally. Researchers discuss the multifactorial barriers including increasing vaccine hesitancy and new clinical and public health challenges in vaccinations of U.S. adults.

Cedars-Sinai Experts Available to Comment on Children’s Health Topics

Experts from Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s are available to discuss a range of pediatric topics, including infectious diseases, adolescent weight management and the latest pediatric research coming out of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) annual conference happening Sept. 27-Oct. 1 in Orlando, Florida.

Naked mole-rat has become the first mammalian to have waived infection-resistant proteins

Scientists have found that the naked mole-rat — an underground rodent that lives up to 40 years — has lost a number of CD1 functional genes. The CD1 gene family in mammals is responsible for protein synthesis that protects the body against infectious diseases. The findings indicate that the naked mole-rat’s immune system has significantly realigned and is using other — CD1-independent — molecular mechanisms. The results of the studies, supported by the Grants of Presidential program of the Russian Science Fund (RSF), were published in the Biology Direct magazine.

Dengue Fever Lands in LA: How Global Warming Is Affecting Health

Amid southern california’s recent record-breaking heat wave and fast-moving wildfires, public health officials reported the third locally acquired case of dengue fever in the los angeles area. Although the events seem unrelated, they actually are connected—and for troubling reasons.

Infectious Disease Doctor: Flying This Summer? Here’s What You Should Know Before Boarding.

The TSA just reported an all-time high for the number of airline travelers screened, and major U.S. airlines expect to transport 271 million passengers this summer, a 6.3 percent increase from last year. Now, board-certified infectious disease physician Carl Abraham, M.D., assistant…

Ancient remedies for modern woes: TCM in the fight against african swine fever

Recent research reveals the potential of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in combating African Swine Fever (ASF), a viral disease with near 100% mortality rate in pigs. The study explores TCM’s antiviral properties and its role in enhancing immunity, offering a novel strategy in the face of limited effective treatments.

Infectious Disease Expert Available: Flu Season, COVID-19 Variant and other Respiratory Viruses

In the United States, flu season usually occurs in the fall and winter, and while influenza viruses spread year-round, most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February. The overall impact of the flu varies from season to…

UM School of Medicine Researchers Provide First Statewide Prevalence Data on Two New Emerging Pathogens in Healthcare Settings

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers conducted a statewide survey of all patients on breathing machines in hospitals and long-term care facilities and found that a significant percentage of them harbored two pathogens known to be life-threatening in those with compromised immune systems.

Assessing the Global Impact: Floods and Infectious Diseases Over Three Decades

Natural flood disasters were associated with increased new cases and deaths of enteric infections, neglected tropical diseases, and respiratory infections. Concerted efforts should be made to design better strategies for adaptation to prevent and control the outbreak of floods-related infectious disease and reduce their impact on health and life.

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security Awarded $27.5 Million CDC Grant to Launch New Epidemic Preparedness Project

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security has received a five-year $27.5 million award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics to conduct an epidemic preparedness project as part of the CDC’s multisite Outbreak Analytics and Disease Modeling Network.

Reductions in sexual mixing ended mpox outbreak in England, while vaccination has prevented resurgences in 2023

The rapid outbreak of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) in 2022 likely resulted from high levels of sexual mixing among some gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), with the initial downturn in cases probably due to a reduction in sexual contacts among these men.

Infectious Disease Physician Available to Comment on Leprosy Cases in Florida

Board-certified infectious disease physician Carl Abraham, M.D., assistant professor at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM), is available to comment on leprosy cases in Florida. Abraham, who is both a faculty member at NYITCOM’s Arkansas location (in…

Medical experts available: C. auris, Autism, Black Maternal Health

Ochsner Health has medical experts on standby to discuss Candida Auris, many topics related to autism as we promote Autism Acceptance Month in April, including signs of Autism in adults. Black Maternal Health Week is coming up in April as…

First-of-its-kind instrument officially ushers in new era of X-ray science

Arizona State University has officially begun a new chapter in X-ray science with a newly commissioned, first-of-its-kind instrument that will help scientists see deeper into matter and living things. The device, called the compact X-ray light source (CXLS), marked a major milestone in its operations as ASU scientists generated its first X-rays on the night of Feb. 2.

Data Analytics Could Prevent Testing Bottlenecks During Future Pandemics

Breaking research demonstrates the efficacy of two data analytics-based strategies that clinical labs employed to meet COVID-19 testing demands during the height of the pandemic. These findings, published in the Data Science Issue of AACC’s The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine, give labs a blueprint for using data analytics to ensure patient access to testing during future infectious disease outbreaks.

What You Should Know About Mpox

Find out what special pathogens expert Erika Cheung, MSN, RN, CPN, has to say about the disease, which the WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern. Since May 18, 2022, cases of mpox have been spreading in the United States, including California. On July 23, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the current outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Receives $2.8 Million Award to Use AI to Predict Precision Dosing for Critically Ill Children

Artificial intelligence could help doctors dynamically determine safe and effective medication dosing for unstable ICU patients. Predicting the right dose of medication that a critically ill child in the ICU will require in the future is a huge challenge for clinicians. FDA prescribing guidelines generally assume that patients are stable enough so that dosing for a given group is usually unchanged during treatment, but this ‘one size fits all’ approach to medication dosing does not accurately target the condition of each individual patient over time.