Chagas disease acts as an infiltrator, spy, and assassin at different stages in its lifecycle. The parasite hides so well that most people don’t know they’re infected until it’s too late.

Kissing bugs carry the parasite and spread it while people sleep. These insects bite the face, which gave them their name. The parasite enters through wounds when the bug’s feces mix with the bite.

The parasite is a single-celled organism that changes four times. These changes help it survive shifts in acidity, temperature, and nutrients.

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are trying to stop the parasite’s life cycle. They use gene editing to block the transformations that help it survive.

If the parasite can’t transform, it can’t complete its mission. Its cover is blown, and the host finally detects the enemy within.

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Wisdom tooth extraction is a rite of passage for millions each year. Threatening, inconvenient, and painful, the third molars are often removed and discarded. But new research published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy shows these teeth contain valuable stem cells. These cells may help treat brain, heart, and joint diseases.

Each wisdom tooth holds dental pulp, a soft core filled with stem cells. In lab settings, researchers can turn these cells into nerve, bone, or heart tissue. Remarkably, lab-grown neuron-like cells from wisdom teeth can fire electrical signals. This means they may one day replace damaged brain cells.

Roughly 10 million wisdom teeth are removed in the U.S. each year. Most are thrown away, but they may be a hidden medical resource. New findings suggest these cells could be key to future therapies.

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ME/CFS and long-COVID are post-viral illnesses with overlapping symptoms. These include fatigue, brain fog, gut problems, and exercise-related crashes. But the exact cause of these conditions is still not known. This gap limits efforts to create effective treatments.

Researchers now propose a new explanation for how these begin. They believe viral infections damage blood vessel cells called endothelium. This damage can happen directly or through other immune responses.

In certain body areas, these damaged cells may become senescent. Senescent cells stop working properly but still send strong chemical signals in a “zombie-like” state. This occurrence is called the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, or SASP.

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If immune system cells appreciated music, they’d probably love “Here Comes the Sun” as much as the rest of us do. A new study suggests daylight boosts the infection-fighting power of neutrophils, the body’s most common white blood cells. Neutrophils have internal clocks that respond to light. When the sun is up, these clocks activate and help neutrophils kill bacteria more effectively.

Researchers at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, conducted the study. They used transparent zebrafish, which have immune systems similar to humans. Zebrafish are ideal for studying how cells behave in real time.

The study’s findings could lead to new treatments that target neutrophil clocks to improve immunity. Neutrophils are key players in defending the body against bacterial infections. By understanding how light affects their activity, scientists may unlock new ways to boost the immune system.

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Sometimes, small changes bring unexpected benefits. A person with sore feet might buy orthopedic shoes. Suddenly, their nighttime back pain improves due to better posture. In medicine, small shifts can create similar ripple effects.

A new study shows this may be true for some vaccines. Shingrix and Arexvy protect against shingles and RSV, respectively. But they may also reduce the risk of dementia. The research, published in npj Vaccines, revealed striking results.

Both vaccines contain the immune-boosting adjuvant known as AS01. Shingrix recipients showed an 18% lower risk of dementia. Those who received Arexvy saw a 29% reduced risk. Together, the vaccines lowered dementia risk by 37%.

The results suggest dementia may not be a standalone disease. Instead, it could reflect an immune disorder within the brain. This shifts how we understand, prevent, and possibly treat dementia.

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The brain may serve as a watchtower for the immune system. It spots possible infection threats and sounds the internal alarm. As a result, the immune system may react before a virus ever enters the body.

A new study explored how the brain senses and prepares for infection. The findings show how this early response may prime immune defenses in advance.

Researchers used virtual reality to show sick avatars approaching participants. These avatars moved into participants’ peripersonal space—the area immediately near the body. The brain responded to this possible threat before any real contact happened.

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When asked about cancer risk, many think of poor lifestyle choices. People may mention alcohol, diet, lack of exercise, or even plastic exposure. But a common stomach infection may pose a far greater threat.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacteria that infects the stomach lining. It spreads through contaminated food or water and often goes unnoticed. Many cases require antibiotics, though some infections resolve on their own.

A new study in Nature Medicine explored this bacterium as a hidden stomach cancer risk factor. Researchers focused on people born between 2008 and 2017 worldwide. They estimate that 15.6 million people in this group will develop gastric cancer. Of these, 11.9 million cases—or 76%—are linked to H. pylori.

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A wave of anti-vaccine sentiment continues to rise across the United States. A 2023 survey showed declining trust in established vaccines. It also found a rise in belief in vaccine misinformation, especially about COVID-19.

Despite this trend, new research highlights vaccines’ life-saving impact. A major study in published in BMJ Global Health reviewed 210 outbreaks in 49 low-income countries. These included measles, cholera, yellow fever, meningitis, and Ebola outbreaks. Researchers compared each real outbreak to a no-vaccine scenario.

The study covered outbreaks from 2000 through 2023. Models were adjusted to account for disease spread and environment. For Ebola, specific adjustments were made due to its unique features.

Across all outbreaks, vaccines prevented 5.81 million infections. This includes 4 million measles cases and 1.5 million yellow fever cases. Vaccines also saved 327,000 lives, mostly from measles and yellow fever.

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When most people imagine fungi living on human skin, they probably don’t think of anything beneficial. However, a new study from the University of Oregon found a skin yeast molecule that kills Staphylococcus aureus. S. aureus causes approximately 500,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. each year.

Caitlin Kowalski, the study’s lead researcher, says skin fungi are an untapped resource for finding new antibiotics.

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Ticks are a common problem for anyone who spends time outdoors. After hiking, gardening, or mowing, many instinctively check for ticks. These tiny parasites can carry dangerous diseases like Lyme and anaplasmosis.

Most people use DEET to repel ticks and other biting insects. But DEET can feel sticky, smell unpleasant, and raise safety concerns. Many want a natural alternative that still works well. Lemongrass has shown promise as a natural repellent. Now, researchers have found another option—this time from donkey skin.

A new study shows how a compound called (E)-2-octenal, secreted by donkey skin, repels deer ticks. The research was published in PLOS One and conducted by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Deer ticks, also known as Ixodes scapularis, are the main tick that bites humans in the U.S. (E)-2-octenal stops ticks from moving toward treated areas. It was even more effective than DEET in some cases.

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