Infectious Diseases – News and Features

New findings from the NIH RECOVER Initiative suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection may be associated with an increased risk of ME/CFS. The findings add to growing evidence that infections, including those caused by SARS-CoV-2, can lead to ME/CFS.

A new study finds that 50% of adult blacklegged ticks and 25% of the younger ticks in the Northeast US carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

Researchers discovered that inflammasomes prevent cancer in blood stem cells by regulating proliferation and suppressing oncogenes like Ras. This protective mechanism involves cleaving tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors in the bone marrow stroma.

A study found that 85% of Long Covid patients had multiple Covid infections, highlighting re-infection as a key risk factor. Vaccination prior to initial infection significantly reduced the likelihood of developing Long Covid.

Researchers mapped HIV-1’s translation strategy, revealing RNA elements like uORFs, iORFs and an intricate frameshift site structure that regulate viral protein synthesis. These findings highlight ribosome pausing as a key mechanism.

Garvan Institute researchers discovered how chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections lead to autoimmune diseases like cryoglobulinemic vasculitis. By identifying rogue B cell clones caused by persistent antibody clustering and mutations.

A study involving Black and Hispanic women identified two BV subtypes, with one significantly raising chlamydia risk. Advanced microbiome analysis linked specific bacterial imbalances to subsequent chlamydia infections.

Dung acts as a biological footprint, and researchers have now used dung records to create high-resolution maps of herbivore distribution around the world.

A study reveals how Salmonella enterica leverages a small RNA, ManS, to regulate Neu5Ac metabolism and adapt to the host intestine. ManS originates from the 3′ UTR of mRNA via noncanonical RNase III cleavage.

Researchers at Texas Biomed identified nine mutations in a bird flu strain from a person in Texas. Bad news: this strain is more capable of causing disease and replicates better in the brain. Good news: approved antivirals are still effective.