Microbiology & Infectious Diseases

New intranasal BPZE1 vaccine is safe and reduces Bordetella pertussis colonisation, offering hope for whooping cough prevention.

A large study of 1,100 adults shows how nasal microbiome structure influences Staphylococcus aureus carriage.

The WHO World Malaria Report 2025 highlights gains in malaria control, ongoing challenges in Africa, and lifesaving interventions.

New test shows high sensitivity for tuberculosis, providing a faster, near-point-of-care option for early detection and prevention.

Novel mRNA peptibody therapy reduces bacterial load and inflammation in preclinical MDR pneumonia models, offering a new approach to antibiotic resistance.

A modelling study shows syphilis rapid-test algorithms differ widely in missed cases, overtreatment and cost, with optimal strategy varying by population.

New multicomponent programme reduces infection-related maternal deaths and severe illness in Malawi and Uganda by supporting early detection and treatment.

Sorfequiline, combined with pretomanid and linezolid, shows superior efficacy and safety in drug-sensitive TB, supporting its potential role in ultra-short treatment regimens.

The latest UKHSA winter surveillance bulletin shows flu activity rising unusually early, while COVID-19 remains low and RSV begins to increase.

Medicare data show RSV infection may trigger Guillain-Barré syndrome in older adults, although rare. Clinicians should remain vigilant in high-risk populations.

Antibiotic-resistant infections surge in the UK, with nearly 400 weekly cases reported in 2024 and rising deaths, UKHSA report reveals.

Early changes in the nasopharyngeal microbiome could signal fatal infections in infants, offering hope for precision diagnosis and care.

Only 18 asymptomatic H5N1 cases have been reported globally; most found via enhanced surveillance of high-risk contacts.

These findings highlight that lenacapavir and bNAbs can maintain high rates of virologic suppression while presenting a low risk of resistance.

Global Chagas disease cases decline, yet prevalence grows in non-endemic countries due to migration, new study shows.

Gut bacteria influence HIV reservoir size and activity differently across GI segments, offering insights for targeted cure strategies.

HCV incidence among people who inject drugs in Scotland has halved since 2015, bringing WHO elimination targets within reach.

A new two-dose Salmonella Paratyphi A vaccine offers 73% protection in adults and shows strong safety and immune responses, addressing a major public health need.

Study of 2,061 infants reveals RSV, HMPV, influenza, and viral co-infections significantly increase severe lower respiratory illness risk.

Children face over twice the risk of paediatric long COVID after SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, highlighting urgent needs for prevention.

A USA cohort study finds persistent olfactory dysfunction up to 2 years after COVID-19, even in people unaware of smell loss.

New study shows oral microbiome imbalance and reduced salivary hypotaurine may contribute to neuroinflammation in relapsing-remitting MS.

EACS 2025 study shows doxycycline prophylaxis reduced chlamydia and syphilis rates in Swiss men with HIV, with no effect against gonorrhoea.

EACS 2025 data show over half of HIV diagnoses among migrants in Switzerland occur post-migration, highlighting need for targeted testing and prevention.

EACS 2025 study shows minimal HBV reactivation after stopping tenofovir in people with HIV, supporting safe use of tenofovir-sparing ART.

New EACS data show once-weekly islatravir and lenacapavir maintain HIV viral suppression for 96 weeks with no resistance or major side effects.

A new near point-of-care malaria diagnostic detects low-density infections in 45 minutes, supporting malaria elimination efforts across Africa.

Trace-positive sputum identifies a high-risk group for tuberculosis in Uganda. Chest x-ray abnormalities further highlight patients needing early treatment or monitoring.

Cefiderocol shows comparable effectiveness to standard care in treating carbapenem-resistant bloodstream infections, offering hope against superbugs.

A new global analysis reveals chikungunya virus is responsible for millions of infections annually across all continents, with chronic disease accounting for most of the health burden.

A broadly protective sarbecovirus vaccine could slow outbreaks, reduce deaths and give health systems critical time in future pandemics, new research suggests.

Researchers identify LRP8 as the essential receptor for tick-borne encephalitis virus in brain cells, offering new targets for antiviral therapy.

A Mali cohort study shows preterm birth elevates malaria infection risk in children, particularly in multigravid mothers without pregnancy malaria, suggesting targeted prevention and vaccination strategies.

A phase 2 trial in Gabon showed that the PfSPZ malaria vaccine is safe in children aged 1–12 years but failed to prevent Plasmodium falciparum infection.

Immune profiles after COVID-19 vaccination predict booster need, with rapid-decliners at higher risk of breakthrough infection.

Rare genetic variants affecting antiviral, inflammatory, and autophagy pathways may explain severe neurological complications from chickenpox in children.

A landmark trial combining novel therapies has produced the first signs of durable post-treatment HIV control, pointing to a new frontier in functional cure research.

Prior dengue infection reshapes innate immunity, boosting vaccine efficacy. Vaccination alone fails to replicate these immune changes.

Global disparities in AMR governance show high-income countries with stronger plans, while low-income nations face weaker strategies and higher infection burdens.

A 3-month clofazimine- and rifapentine-containing regimen for drug-susceptible TB failed to improve cure rates and caused more severe adverse events than standard therapy, according to the Clo-Fast trial.