Infectious Diseases
The latest scientific research and clinical treatment advances around infectious diseases.
Top News
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An epidemic that's been sustained for 44 years might finally be quelled, with the milestone approval of the first HIV drug that offers 100% protection with its twice-yearly injections. It's a landmark achievement set to save millions of lives.
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Looking beyond jabs, sprays or tablets, scientists are thinking outside the box for delivering antiviral medication to prevent the spread of highly transmissible bugs. Their secret weapon? Chewing gum – but one made from a rather fascinating bean.
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One of the most dangerous microorganisms on Earth, Naegleria fowleri has a well-earned nickname as the "brain-eating amoeba," and infection almost always leads to death. Now it's infiltrated the treated drinking water supplied to two Australian towns.
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Latest News
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August 31, 2025 | Pranjal MalewarWhat we eat, what drugs we take, and even the timing or combination of treatments could influence how bacteria respond to antibiotics. A food ingredient like caffeine or a second medication might tip the balance, making antibiotics less effective.
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August 27, 2025 | Pranjal MalewarTucked away in the immune systems of a few people across the globe was something extraordinary, a genetic shield against every virus nature could throw at them. Now researchers are trying to turn this discovery into a universal antiviral treatment.
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August 09, 2025 | Chelsea HaneyIn a recent experiment that sounds more sci-fi than science class, researchers have demonstrated a novel vaccine platform that uses ordinary dental floss embedded with tiny, dissolvable microneedles showing how everyday materials can be reimagined.
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August 06, 2025 | Abhimanyu GhoshalA novel way to prevent the spread of malaria by directly targeting the proteins that enable the infectious parasite to reproduce could soon be realized, thanks to scientists at WEHI in Australia.
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August 03, 2025 | Bronwyn ThompsonThe preserved lung of an 18-year-old Swiss man has been used to create the full genome of the 1918 "Spanish flu," the first complete influenza A genome with a precise date from Europe, offering insights into the pandemic that claimed up to 100 million lives.
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July 14, 2025 | Bronwyn ThompsonBlack cats may be a symbol of bad luck in many Western societies, but one such sooty feline has brought good fortune to scientists, playing a key role in identifying a new virus that can infect humans. It's the second novel bug Pepper has hunted down.
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July 09, 2025 | Bronwyn ThompsonHumans have been getting infected by ancient bacteria and viruses for at least 37,000 years. Now, for the first time, pathogen DNA has uncovered a pivotal disease "turning point" that happened 6,500 years ago, which would forever change our lives.
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June 13, 2025 | Ben CoxworthAs unspent antibiotics pass from our bodies, they contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Scientists are addressing this problem with a new technology which causes such drugs to only become active upon exposure to green light.
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April 23, 2025 | Ben CoxworthIt's never a good thing when harmful bacteria are present on surfaces in hospitals, as they can cause life-threatening infections in patients. A new paint could help keep that from happening, by quickly killing any microbes that land on it.
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April 14, 2025 | Bronwyn ThompsonA three-year study has found robust evidence that one vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus offers older adults long-term protection, even if efficacy wanes. Despite this, just one dose cut serious illness by nearly two thirds across three seasons.
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April 08, 2025 | Bronwyn ThompsonA decade-long study of 35 million Americans in 10 states has found that group A streptococcus infections have more than doubled. What's more, "strep" – which can cause a bizarre flesh-eating disease – has become increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
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March 18, 2025 | Rich HaridyCOVID antiviral Paxlovid wasn't perfect. Many patients couldn't take it due to extreme side effects but now the second generation of antivirals are on the way and they promise better efficacy and fewer drug complications.
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February 24, 2025 | Bronwyn ThompsonHuman protection against bird flu may be easier than previously thought, thanks to new findings about the genetic makeup of the virus and one particular immune cell that all of us have. It also paves the way for fast-tracking the first H5N1 vaccine.
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February 05, 2025 | Bronwyn ThompsonWe've almost all been hit with a horror stomach bug. At best, it's a 24-hour nightmare, and at worst it's deadly. But huge strides are being taken towards the first Salmonella and norovirus vaccines, which could make severe illness a distant memory.
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January 31, 2025 | Michael IrvingHIV has become a more manageable condition in recent years, but a full cure remains elusive. Now, scientists have found promise in permanently eliminating the virus, thanks to a drug already approved by the FDA to fight cancer.
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