Two recent studies reveal new insight into cerebral malaria, a severe and deadly form of malaria that mainly targets children.

Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, causes over 200 million cases every year. Still lacking an official vaccine, the virus is one of the most dangerous in the world. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), a group of those who are infected with develop cerebral malaria.

Largely happening to young children, the malaria parasite gets into blood vessels within the brain. The virus can then cause the brain to swell, causing pressure and damage to the brain.

[Read more…]

Researchers of the HVTN 702 study in South Africa, which began in 2016 to create a HIV vaccine, announced earlier this year that they have stopped administering vaccinations in clinical trials.

The promising HIV vaccine wasn’t showing negative side effects or safety issues in the clinical trials. The vaccine failed because it wasn’t proving to be effective against HIV.

“An HIV vaccine is essential to end the global pandemic, and we hoped this vaccine candidate would work. Regrettably, it does not,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, infectious disease chief of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

[Read more…]

The flu may be prominent for months an end, but there are many steps to avoid the virus.

The first prevention method is the flu shot, designed with that flu season in mind. Other methods include washing your hands often and avoiding close contact with those infected. Covering coughs and sneezes also helps control spreading and contracting the flu.

Another tool that many people use is wearing face masks that cover their noses and mouths. More importantly, those infected with the flu can use face masks to help prevent the spread of the virus to those who are healthy.

[Read more…]

An Ebola epidemic may still be active in the DRC, but we’re making progress with the virus. A vaccine used in the outbreak has shown some ability to prevent the deadly virus.

But, while some scientists are working to prevent Ebola, others are repurposing the virus.

A recently-published study showed that Yale University scientists have found a new and unlikely ally in the Ebola virus. The study found that Ebola may help us fight brain tumors.

[Read more…]

If you assume that mosquitoes die off in the winter, you’re not alone.

As the temperature drops and reaches the air gets cold, the winged insects lose their ability to fly. So, it makes sense to guess that they can’t make it through the season.

Although, many female mosquitoes and eggs have a technique that allows them to get through the season. Much like you see in bears and similar animals, mosquitoes have their very own unique form of hibernation.

[Read more…]

The world has already seen the results of a vaccination effort. Throughout the 1990s, vaccination rates for measles increased around the world.

Most importantly, coverage increased dramatically in developing countries. After that focus on global vaccine coverage, reported measles cases fell from 850,000 in 2000 to 132,000 in 2016.

Unfortunately, after recent trends, the world may be in need of another measles vaccine drive.

[Read more…]

The CDC said on average a person gets two to three colds per year. Most of these colds are also caught in the winter and spring. With cold and flu season around its peak, it can be hard to avoid catching a virus that’s going around.

Germs are everywhere this time of year, from doorknobs to desks. If a person chooses not to wash their hands after sneezing, coughing or blowing their nose, those germs and bacteria are even more common.

It’s hard to avoid touching things like doorknobs, but how long do viruses survive outside of the body?

[Read more…]

While recently exploring one of the United States most stunning national parks, 170 people caught a virus. More specifically, norovirus.

The National Park Service confirmed the outbreak at Yosemite National Park in Norther California. Only two cases of the virus were confirmed to be norovirus, but all 170 people showed the same symptoms.

Yosemite Park National Park Service stated, “the overwhelming majority of the reported cases are consistent with the norovirus.” Like food poisoning, the infected experienced nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and a fever.

[Read more…]

Some of the world’s most useful vaccines protect against more than one disease. The MMR vaccine is mostly associated with measles, but prevents mumps and rubella too. The Tdap vaccine also covers three diseases: tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.

Now, in trying to find a vaccine for Zika, we may also have a vaccine for dengue.

A new study from January by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) offers the details. While testing an experimental vaccine, the group found that along Zika, it also helps prevent dengue.

[Read more…]

Flu cases reached nearly 19 million last week across the United States, with flu related deaths spiking.

After an early start to the season in places like Louisiana and Puerto Rico, the virus is nationwide. According to the CDC, as of early February the number of infections of flu B and flu A are about equal. The hospitalization rate for flu infections is 35.5 per 100,000, which is normal at this stage of the season. The percentage of influenza and pneumonia deaths is at 7.1%, falling just below the epidemic threshold of 7.2%.

The group suffering the most from this flu season is children. An increase of pediatric deaths in recent weeks brought the total to 78 this season.

[Read more…]