Global Health Press

Global Health Cast Edition 63

Sixty-third Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Sanicas.

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COVID-19 in Pakistan

COVID-19 in Vietnam presented by Prof. Schmitt and Prof. Mahmood

COVID-19 in Vietnam

COVID-19 in Vietnam presented by Prof. Schmitt and Prof. Anh
In collaboration with VPHA:

Breakthrough aerosol human infection model gives hope for future tuberculosis vaccine development

University of Oxford researchers have for the first time established a controlled human infection model for tuberculosis (TB) that infects people via the lungs – the way TB enters the body. The clinical trial...

Vaccine breakthrough means no more chasing strains

Scientists at UC Riverside have demonstrated a new, RNA-based vaccine strategy that is effective against any strain of a virus and can be used safely even by babies or the immunocompromised. Every year...

Stanford Medicine study flags unexpected cells in lung as suspected source of severe COVID

The lung-cell type that’s most susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is not the one previously assumed to be most vulnerable. What’s more, the virus enters this susceptible...

WHO sounds alarm on viral hepatitis infections claiming 3500 lives each day

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, the number of lives lost due to viral hepatitis is increasing. The disease is the second leading infectious cause of death...

Global human challenge consortium to push for next generation of vaccines

An international group of researchers specialising in human challenge studies is embarking on a project to develop advanced virus-blocking vaccines. The global consortium will lay the crucial groundwork needed...

Good as gold – improving infectious disease testing with gold nanoparticles

By harnessing the power of composite polymer particles adorned with gold nanoparticles, a group of researchers have delivered a more accurate means of testing for infectious diseases. Details of their research...

Global Health Cast Edition 62

Sixty-second Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Sanicas.

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New research to investigate next generation ‘trans-amplifying’ mRNA vaccines

Scientists in the US are set to test a new vaccine approach that could overcome some of the challenges associated with the latest mRNA vaccine designs and more rapidly create pandemic-busting vaccines in as...

New insights into how viruses disrupt heart function and lead to sudden cardiac deaths

In a potentially game-changing development, scientists with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have revealed a new understanding of sometimes fatal viral infections that affect the heart...

Insights from patient who cleared hepatitis C could lead to vaccine

By studying individuals who spontaneously clear hepatitis C infections, a team of researchers has identified viable vaccine targets for a disease that infects 70 million worldwide with case numbers increasing...

Powerful new AI can predict people’s attitudes to vaccines

A powerful new tool in artificial intelligence is able to predict whether someone is willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The predictive system uses a small set of data from demographics and personal...

Experts warn climate change will fuel spread of infectious diseases

A team of infectious diseases experts is calling for more awareness and preparedness in the medical field to deal with the impact of climate change on the spread of diseases. Their article, published in JAMA...

Targeting multiple COVID variants through the twist in the spike protein

Particles that gum up the keys that the virus uses to enter cells could one day be an effective COVID treatment whenever vaccines and other treatments fall short Teardrop-shaped particles designed to...

The promise and challenges of dual vaccination

Four years out from the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic, a new study explores the extent to which COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are being distributed and employed simultaneously, particularly among high-risk...

Emory study reveals complexity of COVID-19 vaccine decision-making for pregnant people

The decision whether to vaccinate is one that many people consider routine. For others, such as people who are pregnant or interested in becoming pregnant—including those who have experienced prior pregnancy...

Pioneering research reveals empathetic communication can help overcome vaccine hesitancy

An international study has shown for the first time how empathetic correction of misinformation among vaccine-hesitant patients can significantly improve attitudes towards vaccination – and potentially boost...

Mounting research shows that COVID-19 leaves its mark on the brain, including with significant drops in IQ scores

From the very early days of the pandemic, brain fog emerged as a significant health condition that many experience after COVID-19. Brain fog is a colloquial term that describes a state of mental sluggishness...

Anti-vaccine conspiracies fuel divisive political discourse

Heightened use of social media during the coronavirus pandemic brought with it an unprecedented surge in the spread of misinformation. Of particular significance were conspiracy theories surrounding the virus...

How the SARS-CoV-2 virus acquires its spherical shape

For centuries, coronaviruses have triggered health crises and economic challenges, with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that spreads COVID-19, being a recent example. One small protein in SARS-CoV-2, the Membrane...

Fighting the flu: The surprising power of a century-old vaccine for tuberculosis

As Canada’s flu season collides with record strep A cases and ongoing COVID-19 concerns, a new study is shedding light on our understanding of respiratory immune responses. Scholars from the Research Institute...

Global Health Cast Edition 61

Sixty-first Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Sanicas.

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Ebola vaccine cuts fatality even in people who were infected before the jab, new study shows

A new study has shown that people vaccinated against Ebola who still developed the disease had a substantially lower risk of dying than people who were not vaccinated, even if they received the vaccine when...

Global Health Cast Edition 60

Sixtieth Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Sanicas.

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Scientists discover hidden army of lung flu fighters

Scientists have long thought of the fluid-filled sac around our lungs merely as a cushion from external damage. Turns out, it also houses potent virus-eating cells that rush into the lungs during flu...

Double risk of dementia after mouth ulcer virus

People who have had the herpes virus at some point in their lives are twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those who have never been infected. A new study from Uppsala University confirms previous...

Six things you need to know about Alaskapox virus

The first death from Alaskapox virus marks a significant development since its discovery in 2015, but human-to-human transmission has not yet been observed. An elderly man has died after contracting a type of...

Global Health Cast Edition 59

Fifty-ninth Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Melvin Sanicas.

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Covid vaccine for pregnant women safe for newborn infants

No increased risks for babies, and for some serious neonatal complications lower risks. This is the result of the largest study to date on the safety of newborn babies whose mothers were vaccinated against...

Severe lung damage caused when flu is followed by infection with measles-like virus

Infection with a measles-like virus causes catastrophic lung failure in ferrets previously infected with influenza virus or respiratory syncytial virus, according to a study by researchers in the Center for...

Creating a virus-resistant bacterium using a synthetic engineered genome

Scientists engineered a model bacterium’s genetic code to make it virus-resistant and unable to exchange genetic material or grow without special media The Science Genome engineering allows scientists to...

Viral protein fragments may unlock mystery behind serious COVID-19 outcomes

There are many lingering mysteries from the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, why does SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the disease, cause severe symptoms in some patients, while many other coronaviruses don’t? And...

Global Health Cast Edition 58

Fifty-eighth Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Melvin Sanicas.

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Latvia extends encephalitis vaccine interval

After extensive research, Latvian health authorities have extended the recommended interval for receiving the vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis, Latvian Radio reported on February 2. Until now, it was...

Preterm infants protected by maternal COVID-19 vaccination, NIH-funded study suggests

Preterm infants born to people who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 had roughly the same levels of antibodies to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 as term infants born to vaccinated people, according to a study...

British Medical Journal article proposes behavioural interventions to reduce vaccine hesitancy

A report in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) says campaigns to counter vaccine hesitancy need to get more savvy. Nine authors penned Behavioural interventions to reduce vaccine hesitancy driven by...

Protein from mosquitos could help control dengue virus infection

NUS scientists have revealed the structure and function of a pupal cuticle protein found in the exoskeleton – a hard covering that supports and protects the bodies of some types of invertebrate animals...

Global Health Cast Edition 57

Fifty-seventh Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Melvin Sanicas.

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Single dose typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) provides lasting efficacy in children

A single dose of the typhoid conjugate vaccine, Typbar TCV®, provides lasting efficacy in preventing typhoid fever in children ages 9 months to 12 years old, according to a new study conducted by researchers...

West Nile virus emergence and spread in Europe found to be positively associated with agricultural activities

The spread of West Nile virus in Europe is strongly linked to agricultural activities, urbanization, and bird migration, according to a modelling study published January 25, 2024 in the open-access journal...

Global Health Cast Edition 56

Fifty-sixth Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Melvin Sanicas.

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Needle-free vaccine candidate promises improved, longer-term immunity against COVID-19

Researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) have discovered a new vaccine candidate that can be delivered through the nose (nasal) in the form of a spray that promises better and longer-lasting...

Many more infected by TBE virus than previously known

The number of infections by the tick-borne TBE virus that are not detected by health services is far higher than previously assumed. This has been shown in a new study of Swedish blood donors from Uppsala...

Vaccine boosts innate immunity in people with dormant immune cells

Humans are protected by two branches of the immune system. Innate immunity provides built-in defense against widespread characteristics of bacteria and viruses, while adaptive immunity memorizes individual...

Predicting COVID-19 variant waves with AI

An AI model can predict which SARS-CoV-2 variants are likely to cause new waves of infection. Current models used to predict the dynamics of viral transmission do not predict variant-specific spread. Retsef...

Cracking the secrets of virus ‘uncoating’ may help fight infections

Influenza and other viruses pack their genetic material into a protein shell, which must be disassembled for the viruses to efficiently replicate. But how viruses “uncoat” their genes remains...

Real-world analysis: COVID-19 vaccine is strongly effective for children and adolescents during delta and omicron

Children and adolescents who received one of the main COVID-19 vaccines were significantly protected from the illness and showed no increased signs of cardiac complications compared to young people who were...

2023 marked by achievements and ‘avoidable suffering’: WHO chief

Reflecting on 2023, which also marked the UN agency’s 75th anniversary, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted key achievements and set out objectives for the coming year. New vaccines Dr. Tedros...

7 of the biggest medical breakthroughs in 2023

From new vaccines to the first drugs of their kind for hard-to-treat disorders, 2023 has been a year full of medical breakthroughs. They offer opportunities for people to protect themselves from diseases, slow...

Millions infected with dengue this year in new record as hotter temperatures cause virus to flare

Dengue is sweeping across the Western Hemisphere in numbers not seen since record-keeping began more than four decades ago, with experts warning that rising temperatures and rapid urbanization are accelerating...

Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine recommended for US travelers

According to the 2023 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccine is recommended for individuals in the United States who travel to an area where the disease...

Global Health Cast Edition 55

Fifty-fifth Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Melvin Sanicas.
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New type of antibody shows promise against multiple forms of flu virus

Findings could aid development of vaccines with broader protection against different flu strains Researchers have identified a previously unrecognized class of antibodies—immune system proteins that protect...

NIH research identifies opportunities to improve future HIV vaccine candidates

Study suggests greater CD8+ T-cell activity may increase HIV immunity An effective HIV vaccine may need to prompt strong responses from immune cells called CD8+ T cells to protect people from acquiring HIV...

Fighting viruses with viruses? ‘Gene drive’ offers new strategy to beat infections

If your immune system or drugs can’t stop a viral infection, why not pit a virus against itself? That’s the provocative idea several labs are pursuing. They are studying whether deliberately introducing...

Herpes’ Achilles’ Heel

In a first, scientists use gene editing to disrupt both latent and active herpesvirus in human cells The herpes simplex virus, commonly known as the cold sore virus, is a devious microbe. It enters the body...

Scientists discover new method Ebola virus uses to infect cells

Researchers find that Ebola virus creates the very tunnels it uses to hide and move within the human body Understanding how viruses travel once inside the human body is critical to develop effective drugs and...

Climate change and infectious diseases: a looming public health crisis

Climate change has long been considered a threat to our planet, but recent evidence underscores its significant impact on human health, particularly in relation to infectious diseases. A recent analysis...

‘Long flu’ has emerged as a consequence similar to long COVID

Study shows patients hospitalized for flu or COVID-19 face increased risk of long-term health problems, death Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, extensive research has emerged detailing the virus’s ability to...

Global Health Cast Edition 54

Fifty-fourth Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Melvin Sanicas.
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Study: ‘vaccine apartheid’ caused by gap in access between richer and poorer countries

While the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, research continues on the role of vaccines — their effectiveness as well as factors that contribute to a resistance to being vaccinated, and the worldwide...

Small study finds brain alterations after COVID Omicron infection

Researchers in China report thinning of the gray matter and other changes in certain parts of the brain in 61 men after COVID-19 Omicron infection. For the study, published late last week in JAMA Network Open...

Study reveals Zika’s shape-shifting machinery—and a possible vulnerability

Zika’s crucial enzyme performs multiple tasks, but a wrench in the system could bring it to a screeching halt Viruses have limited genetic material—and few proteins—so all the pieces must work extra hard. Zika...

“Nanoparticle” flu vaccine design shows promise in early tests

Existing flu vaccines provide only limited, “seasonal” protection because they target highly changeable proteins on the virus. Scripps Research scientists have now designed a vaccine that should work broadly...

Catch me if you can: how three infectious disease agents evade the immune system

NTU researchers are understanding how the respiratory syncytial virus, Chikungunya virus and malaria parasite escape being detected by the immune system. COVID-19 cast a glaring spotlight on the devastating...

Ultrasound can push vaccines into the body without needles

Vaccines can be delivered through the skin using ultrasound. This method doesn’t damage the skin and eliminates the need for painful needles. To create a needle-free vaccine, Darcy Dunn-Lawless at the...

Co-administration of RSV, influenza vaccines found safe and effective in new study

The co-administration of bivalent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prefusion F protein−based vaccine (RSVpreF) and seasonal influenza vaccine was found to generate robust immune responses and was safe and...

Global Health Cast Edition 53

 
Fifty-third Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Melvin Sanicas.
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Being overweight hampers body’s immune response to SARS-CoV-2

University of Queensland-led research shows being overweight can impair the body’s antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection but not to the protection offered by vaccination. Research lead, School of Chemistry...

A golden age of vaccines is here. What it means for you

Roll up your sleeves. Effective new vaccines have hit the market for everything from pneumonia to shingles to RSV to, of course, Covid-19. And that’s just the beginning. There were 258 vaccines in development...

Do our own bugs determine our response to vaccines? – Likely yes!

What determines whether a vaccine is going to be effective at protecting us against disease? In a recent paper in the Journal of Immunology, Dr. Jim Kublin and his research team identified an unexpected role...

Nicaragua study contradicts long-held belief about dengue immunity

As one of the tropical world’s most pernicious pathogens, the dengue virus is responsible for millions of infections and thousands of deaths each year. Now, researchers have made new discoveries about...

Global Health Cast Edition 52

Fifty-second Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Sanicas.
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RSV-preventing injection in shortage as respiratory virus season begins

Respiratory virus season is only starting, and demand has already outstripped supply for the newly approved and potentially lifesaving monoclonal antibody injection for preventing respiratory syncytial virus...

Another step toward the HIV-1 vaccine: Dynamics of neutralizing antibodies

An international team has for the first time researched the longevity of neutralizing antibodies in HIV-1-infected people. Currently, it is assumed that an HIV-1 vaccine can only be effective if it produces...

One in five patients experience rebound COVID after taking Paxlovid, new study finds

While Paxlovid remains a ‘life-saving drug,’ Mass General Brigham researchers found that patients experiencing virologic rebound after treatment may remain contagious A new study by investigators from Mass...

Global Health Cast – COVID-19 Review of 5 Blogs From Top Experts

Part 6 of the series on COVID-19 presented by Prof. Catherine Weil-Olivier, and Prof. Joe Schmitt. 
This Global Health Cast was produced with the unconditional support of an educational grant from Novavax ().

‘Vaccine passports’ effective in boosting COVID-19 vaccine uptake: study

A report in the journal Health Affairs has found that proof-of-vaccine mandates may be an effective way to increase vaccination uptake across certain age groups, after studying the policy enforced during the...

Study: Babies of mums who had Covid-19 vaccine while pregnant better protected for six months

Babies born to mothers who received a Covid-19 vaccine during their pregnancy were significantly protected against the disease in their first six months of life, according to a local study by a team led by KK...

WHO South-East Asia Regional Strategy for the prevention and control of Nipah virus infection 2023–2030

Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging zoonotic virus that has caused outbreaks of severe illness and death in the South-East (SE) Asia Region. While human NiV cases have, to date, been reported only in Bangladesh...

RTS,S vaccine pilot: 13% mortality reduction fuels hope for malaria control

Four years since the first children received the world’s first malaria vaccine as part of routine immunisation programmes, important questions about the real-world impact of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine are...

Temperature increase triggers viral infection

Researchers at Lund University, together with colleagues at the NIST Synchrotron Facility in the USA, have mapped on an atomic level what happens in a virus particle when the temperature is raised. “When...

GHP News – On A Different Note: Interview with Collins Ankunda

GHP News – On A Different Note: Interview with Collins Ankunda, presented by Prof. Dr. Joe Schmitt.
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COVID vaccination in female, male partners does not increase risk of miscarriage

Multiple studies have shown that the COVID-19 vaccines do not lead to infertility or pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, but many people are still wary of adverse effects from the vaccine on pregnancy...

Next-generation vaccine candidates protect against multiple strains of influenza and last longer

Recent preclinical results indicate novel next-generation vaccine candidates developed at Cleveland Clinic protect against multiple strains of influenza and last longer than vaccines currently in use. The...

Vaccine confidence falls as belief in health misinformation grows

Americans have less confidence in vaccines to address a variety of illnesses than they did just a year or two ago, and more people accept misinformation about vaccines and Covid-19, according to the latest...

The SARS-CoV-2 virus can migrate within neurons and infect the brain

The emergence of different variants of SARS-CoV-2 has produced a wide range of clinical profiles and symptoms in patients. For the first time, researchers at the Institut Pasteur and Université Paris Cité have...

Combination vaccines are coming for respiratory diseases

Combination vaccines are nothing new for the healthcare industry. Childhood vaccines, as well as a single shot for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis for adults, have long been combined for ease of...

South Korean study shows COVID-19 vaccination safe and effective in early pregnancy

COVID-19 vaccination is safe and effective before and during early pregnancy, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science. Although clinical data has indicated reduced...

ECDC and WHO launch new surveillance tool for respiratory viruses to improve early detection

ECDC and World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe have jointly developed the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS), an interactive surveillance data dashboard for...

Global Health Cast Edition 51

Fifty-first Edition of the Global Health Cast presented by Prof. Schmitt and Dr. Sanicas.
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Global Health Cast – COVID-19 Experience in Children

Part 5 of the series on COVID-19 presented by Prof. Federico Martinón Torres, Prof. Catherine Weil-Olivier, and Prof. Joe Schmitt. This Global Health Cast was produced with the unconditional support of an...

Data-informed decision-making: Driving life-course immunisation in National Immunisations Programs

We are impressed by the terrific work of the Coalition for Life Course Immunization (CLCI) and want to spread their call to action for improving European health. CLCI understands the importance of a...

Engineering a safer future against infectious disease

Quick detection of the COVID-19 virus — in the air and in one’s breath — offers hope in the nearly four-year struggle against the disease and its variants. A collaboration of WashU scientists is leading the...

Clinical trial finds live vaccinations safe for liver, kidney transplant recipients

Experts at Cincinnati Children’s and Children’s Hospital Colorado say findings could enable more at-risk children to be protected from measles, mumps, and chicken pox Live vaccinations provided to children who...

New funding, to protect 370 million children from polio every year, puts world on verge of eradicating polio once and for all

The European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a new financing partnership to address critical global health opportunities: eradicating polio and...

New multi-million research projects announced to tackle future disease threats

Three ambitious research projects will share £25 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), as part of a new effort to improve our understanding of viruses and how the immune system reacts to...