Encephalitis News and Research

Latest Encephalitis News and Research

England reports highest rates of mumps

Mumps is a contagious condition affecting the parotid glands. In some cases, mumps can lead to complications, especially in men, including sterility. Other serious complications of mumps include meningitis, encephalitis, and pancreatitis. There is a readily available vaccine against mumps, but despite this, there has been a sharp rise in mumps cases in England.

17 Feb 2020

New therapeutic compounds could fight against brain-eating amoebae

Brain-eating amoebae can cause particularly harmful forms of encephalitis, and more than 95% of people who develop these rare but devastating infections die.

12 Feb 2020

New prophylactic and therapeutic avenues to fight against rabies

Rabies is still responsible for approximately 60,000 human deaths per year mostly in Asia and Africa and affects especially underserved people.

11 Feb 2020

Study finds higher suicide rate among people with neurological disorders

Neurological disorders may impact one’s mental health, a new study says as researchers found that there is a higher rate of suicide among individuals living with neurological disorders.

4 Feb 2020

Hendra antibody trial shows promise in a world-first human clinical trial

The Hendra virus is a potent pathogen transmitted to humans from animals that cause a severe and often fatal illness in both infected horses and humans. Originating from fruit bats, the virus caused an outbreak in Australia in 1994.

4 Feb 2020

Experimental vaccine could be effective against both Zika and Dengue

Walter Reed army institute of research has shown that a new vaccine against the Zika virus could be effective against both Zika and dengue virus. The study titled, “Potent Zika and dengue cross-neutralizing antibodies induced by Zika vaccination in a dengue experienced donor,” in the latest issue of the journal Nature Medicine.

3 Feb 2020

Injecting nanoparticles into the bloodstream to reduce brain swelling after traumatic brain injury

After a traumatic brain injury, the most harmful damage is caused by secondary swelling of the brain compressed inside the skull. There is no treatment for this.

22 Jan 2020

Researchers refine history and origins of common pathogens in human populations

An Italian research team has refined the history and origins of two extremely common pathogens in human populations, herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2.

13 Jan 2020

Important biomarker may help in determining prognosis of brain cancer patients

A common virus that is harmless to most individuals may produce an important biomarker in determining the prognosis of brain cancer patients, according to a recent study published by a student researcher at the University of Cincinnati.

9 Dec 2019

Samoa shuts down country for mass measles vaccinations

The Pacific island nation of Samoa will shut down its government services for two days while officials try to stem a deadly measles outbreak that killed 53, 48 of whom were children between 0 and 4 years old and sickened 3,728 people.

3 Dec 2019

Samoa measles epidemic escalates as death toll reaches 32

The deadly measles epidemic sweeping the Pacific islands has now claimed 32 lives in Samoa, according to the health authorities.

27 Nov 2019

LACV-infected cerebral organoids reveal how to protect neurons from virus-induced death

Scientists have determined that La Crosse virus, which can cause inflammation of the brain, or encephalitis, in children, affects brain cells differently depending on their developmental stage.

26 Nov 2019

Eastern equine encephalitis virus poses emergent threat in the U.S.

Although eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a mosquito-borne illness, has existed for centuries, 2019 has been a particularly deadly year for the disease in the United States.

21 Nov 2019

Public health officials announce that eastern equine encephalitis virus is an “emergent threat”

Public health officials have declared that the mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus is an "emergent threat".

21 Nov 2019

Integral Molecular receives NIH contract for $5.5 million to advance vaccine discovery

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has awarded Integral Molecular a contract (75N93019C00073) which will provide up to $5.5M over the next five years to define antibody responses to pathogenic viruses including Zika, Marburg and equine encephalitis viruses, aiding the discovery of vaccines and therapeutics against these currently untreatable and often lethal viruses.

14 Nov 2019

The first locally transmitted cases of Zika have been confirmed in Europe

The first native cases of Zika virus have been confirmed in Europe. Experts are calling it a wake-up call as warming global temperatures could lead to more cases across the continent.

8 Nov 2019

Scientists discover cell protein crucial in preventing viral replication

A research team has discovered a protein without which cells infected by viruses cannot trigger an immune response, leading to 100% mortality with even non-disease-producing strains. The discovery of the new Z-DNA binding protein, or ZBP1, was reported in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. It could help develop new treatment methods for viruses that target the nervous system such as the Zika or West Nile Encephalitis virus.

6 Nov 2019

Tick-borne brain infection reported in UK

Tick bites are known to spread infections. An infectious condition that can affect the brain has been identified for the first time in the United Kingdom and the disease has been found to spread via tick bites say sources.

30 Oct 2019

Some plant foods causing paralysis, death, in malnourished populations

There are a lot of plants eaten for food that may also contain toxins that harm the brain and the nervous system, when present in amounts that cross the limit of individual tolerance. This happens when such toxin-containing foods are the chief or only source of nutrition.

26 Oct 2019

Emory researchers awarded NIAID contract to develop better drug against influenza

With the flu killing an average of 20,000 people annually in the United States and posing the larger threat of global pandemics, Emory University's strides in influenza research carry the hope of saving lives here and abroad.

23 Oct 2019