Infections

Viruses are a major health risk, but what if we could fight them using other viruses? Scientists in Berlin have created virus shells that mimic the target cells that the flu virus latches onto in the lungs, preventing them from causing infection.

A new study reported the novel coronavirus can survive on some surfaces for days, and is even detectable in aerosols for several hours, but what does this research mean for everyday people trying to understand how infectious the new virus is?

A new study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is affirming early estimates suggesting 5.1 days is the average incubation period for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The treatment of infections can be challenging, as it takes time to determine if harmful bacteria are even present, and to then figure out which antibiotic would work best. A simple new test, however, is said to answer both questions on the spot.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a smart bandage that changes color to signal either drug-resistant or drug-sensitive bacteria. It can then be triggered to release antibiotics or other chemicals to kill off the bugs.

Currently, in order to determine if someone has a urinary tract infection, their urine sample has to be sent off to a lab – it takes days to get results. Now, scientists have created a smartphone-enabled system that works in less than 25 minutes.

Parents of children with autism have often reported a strange phenomenon: when their child has a fever, their behavioral symptoms seem to improve. Now a new study from MIT and Harvard may have uncovered why.

Since ancient times, honey has been used to boost the healing of wounds. In a 21st Century twist, it has now also been incorporated into a surgical mesh coating that could help prevent post-operative infections.

Bacteria tend to build colonies behind barriers known as biofilms, which are hard for antibiotics to penetrate. Now, researchers at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have developed a hybrid antibiotic that can punch through some biofilms.

The number of healthcare-associated urinary tract infections could soon drop dramatically, thanks to the use of special antimicrobial glass.

Although antibiotic levels are currently measured via blood samples, the task could soon be better-managed using a microneedle skin patch.

Researchers have developed a device that assesses ear infections using ultrasound.