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Immunology
Covid linked to cancer regression in US study
In what could be a significant development, American researchers have found what they believe is an extraordinary link between infection with Covid and cancer regression,...
Rethinking adult ADHD
A leading British psychiatrist and specialist in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – who was diagnosed with the condition when he was 34 –...
Needle-free medication benefits outweigh risks, says allergy expert
The FDA recently approved the first needle-free epinephrine product (neffy), an alternative to injectable epinephrine (EpiPen) for anaphylaxis and other allergic reactions, but caution will...
European experts identify genes which increase severe Covid risk
Whether or not a person becomes seriously ill with Covid-19 depends, among other things, on genetic factors, and European researchers recently not only confirmed...
Potential cause of lupus raises hope for cure – US study
Researchers have identified a possible cause of lupus that they say could lead to a cure for the life-threatening condition, potentially stopping the immune...
Nasal immune cells tied to Covid evasion – first human SARS study
Scientists have discovered differences in the immune response that could explain why some people seem to escape Covid infection, and which might, they say,...
Landmark finding on cause of inflammatory bowel disease and immune disorders
Researchers have discovered a major driver of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and several other immune disorders that affect the spine, liver and arteries, raising...
Feeding peanuts to babies reduces later allergies – long-term UK-US study
Children who are given peanut products from infancy are significantly less likely to develop peanut allergies by early adolescence, according to a recent study.
The...
Chronic fatigue condition biological, not psychological – US study
American researchers have found notable differences between the immune systems and other physiological functions of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and those...
‘Killer T-cell’ discovery could help combat flu – Australian study
A world-first discovery from Australian researchers unlocks the potential for the development of better vaccines and therapies against influenza viruses tailored to different age...
Large US study confirms 'allergic march' in children
Eczema in babies could be an indicator that they will go on to develop more allergies, say researchers, after a large study confirmed that the...
Simple procedure could help millions with penicillin allergy label – US trial
A number of low-risk patients with a penicillin allergy were able to have their allergy label removed through a simple procedure known as “direct...
Boiled peanuts conquer children’s allergy – Australian study
A recent trial found that boiling peanuts for up to 12 hours could help overcome allergic reactions, with up to 80% of children with...
Junk food in pregnancy linked to higher allergy risk for babies – French review
Researchers have warned that billions of nanoparticles found in additives in junk food reach infants in the womb, probably changing their gut microbiome and...
BCG vaccine protects elderly against respiratory infections
The BCG vaccine, originally developed for tuberculosis, has been shown in a European double-blind randomised clinical study to cut respiratory infections among the elderly...
Sucking baby's dummy clean lowers child's allergic response
Research presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting suggests a link between parental sucking clean their baby's...
Why men may recover from flu more quickly than females
Men may recover more quickly from influenza infections because they produce more of a key lung-healing protein, a study from scientists at Johns Hopkins...
Only half of patients use life-saving epinephrine injectors
The most effective, life-saving treatment for a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) is epinephrine. Yet a study shows in an emergency, 52% of adults with...
Cell differences in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Using a mathematical classification model, Spanish researchers were able to correctly diagnose 70% of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients and healthy controls using the...
World's chief anti-vaxxer 'still spreading his baleful messages'
Andrew Wakefield’s discredited 20-year campaign to link the MMR vaccine to autism has been sustained by a simple scientific fact: it is impossible to...
The vaccine dilemma: Weighing benefits for many against risks for a few
Vaccines protect huge numbers of people, generally children, from serious diseases, but in rare cases, certain vaccines can tragically cause harm. How do scientists...
SA takes first step towards producing its own vaccines again
The Biovac Institute (Biovac) has been awarded a manufacturing licence by a South African regulator, taking it one step closer to realising the government’s...
Pertussis resurgence: Incomplete coverage and vaccination 'hesitancy'
The resurgence of whooping cough in the US is a predictable consequence of incomplete coverage, especially among schoolchildren with a highly effective vaccine, research...
Exposure to pets during infancy lowers asthma risk
Children exposed to high indoor levels of pet or pest allergens during infancy have a lower risk of developing asthma by 7 years of...
Lifesaving epinephrine mostly not administered timeously
An American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology study showed that even kids who were prescribed an epinephrine auto injector mostly didn't receive the life-saving...
Pet exposure may reduce allergies and obesity in children
Babies from families with pets – 70% of which were dogs – showed higher levels of two types of microbes associated with lower risks...
New US guidelines support infant exposure to peanuts
In a significant reversal, US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases guidelines call for parents to give their children foods containing peanuts early...
Mtb diagnosis faster with new technology
The time needed to genetically sequence the bacteria causing mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) from patient samples has been reduced from weeks to days using a new technique.
Three-way link found in infant antibiotic use
A study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota has found a three-way link among antibiotic use in infants, changes in the gut bacteria, and disease later in life.
Seasonal gene changes affect immunity
Immune systems vary with the seasons, according to a University of Cambridge study, which may be why certain conditions such as heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis are aggravated in winter whilst people tend to be healthier in the summer.
Measles suppression of immune system
A Princeton University study found children may live in the immunological shadow of measles for as long three years, leaving them highly susceptible to other diseases.
Tx shows 'significant recovery' in psoriasis
Many patients suffering from psoriasis showed significant recovery after just a single dose of an experimental treatment with a human antibody, a small trial found.
‘Feel the burn’ mechanism a culprit in CFS
The mechanism that causes high-performance athletes to 'feel the burn' is what makes people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) feel exhausted by the most common daily activities, University of Florida Health research found.
Binge drinking compromises immune system
Aside from increasing the risk of traumatic injuries, binge drinking in young, healthy adults significantly disrupts the immune system, according to a US study.
Trial halted to allow patients to switch to successful cancer drug
A late stage trial testing Bristol-Myers Squibb cancer immunotherapy nivolumab in advanced melanoma patients was halted early, after it was determined that the drug...
UK scientists make breakthrough in fighting ‘super bugs’
A weakness in the defences of ‘superbug’ bacteria has been uncovered by British scientists, raising the prospect of new treatments to tackle infections that...
Anti-cancer vaccine fight taken to another level
Scientists have found a way to target elusive cells that suppress immune response, depleting them with peptides that spare other important cells and shrink...
Discovery will boost fight against antibiotic resistance
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified a small molecule that prevents bacteria from forming into biofilms, a frequent cause of infections....
Immune cells used to shrink cancer
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute have sequenced the genome from a 43-year-old woman with an advanced and deadly type of cancer that had...
Eczema found potentially to prevent skin cancer formation
Eczema is one of the most common skin conditions, affecting up to 30% of people in the US. But, Medical News Today reports, having...