Researchers found that oral antibiotics can alter human immune responses to seasonal influenza vaccination, potentially hindering protection against infection. Antibiotics also promoted pro-inflammatory states in the body, similar to conditions seen in older adults who have received influenza vaccines.
The NIH has awarded $11 million to 23 institutions to develop locally relevant plans for diagnosing, treating, and preventing HIV in high-new HIV cases areas. Researchers will focus on implementing proven treatment and prevention tools, including daily antiretroviral therapy and pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Researchers found that memory T cells in bone marrow enriched with fat tissue protected mice from bacterial infections and tumors when fed restricted diets. The study suggests how the immune system may have evolved to survive limited food availability.
A new study finds that enterovirus antibodies were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of most patients with acute flaccid myelitis, suggesting a possible link between the two conditions. The research provides further evidence that enterovirus infection may be a factor in AFM.
A Phase 1 clinical trial enrolls healthy adults to evaluate the safety and immune response of two licensed influenza vaccines administered with novel adjuvants. The trial aims to improve seasonal flu vaccine effectiveness, which varies from year to year.
Researchers identified a specific type of T-cell that drives the production of high-affinity IgE antibodies associated with severe allergic reactions. This discovery suggests a potential target for new therapies to prevent or treat allergic diseases, including anaphylaxis.
Scientists have developed an experimental treatment using antisense oligonucleotides that slows the progression of scrapie, a degenerative central nervous disease caused by prions, in laboratory mice. Mice treated with the treatment lived 81% longer than untreated mice, with median survival times of up to 250 days.
The OUtMATCH study will test the ability of omalizumab to increase tolerance to peanut and other food allergens in children and adults. The trial aims to enroll 225 participants with a history of multiple food allergies, assessing whether biweekly or monthly injections of omalizumab can prevent allergic reactions.
A novel RSV vaccine candidate, DS-Cav1, has shown early promise in a Phase 1 clinical trial, prompting large increases in RSV-neutralizing antibodies. The vaccine induced a sevenfold increase in neutralizing antibody levels after a single dose of 50 μg and a 12-fold surge with a dose of 150 μg.
A vaginal ring that releases an antiviral drug has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV by 39% in a study of over 1,400 women in southern and eastern Africa. The study found that participants used the ring more consistently than in previous trials, with higher adherence rates.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham will organize and implement an international, multi-site study to learn more about AFM incidence and progression. The study aims to better understand how the disease develops in children and identify potential risk factors.
A study of 427 young African women found that 95% initiated PrEP but use fell after three months, with only 9% maintaining high adherence. Tailored support strategies are needed to maintain PrEP use and optimize protection against HIV acquisition.
A clinical trial found that men who have sex with men and transgender women with unsuppressed HIV can be engaged in care when connected with HIV treatment services. Nearly half of study participants achieved viral suppression within a year, highlighting the effectiveness of connecting hard-to-reach populations with care.
A study of 69 individuals on long-term antiretroviral therapy found nearly half had persistent HIV in cells of their cerebrospinal fluid, associated with neurocognitive difficulties. HIV can persist in the nervous system even when suppressed in blood medication, suggesting a significant obstacle to efforts to eradicate HIV.
The NIH is launching a Phase 3 HIV vaccine efficacy trial called Mosaico, which will assess the safety and effectiveness of an investigational vaccine regimen designed to prevent HIV acquisition among men who have sex with men and transgender people. The trial will enroll 3,800 participants in North America, South America, and Europe.
The PHOENIx MDR-TB study compares the safety and efficacy of delamanid and isoniazid in preventing active MDR-TB disease in at-risk contacts. The trial will enroll approximately 5,610 participants across 12 countries.
Researchers have developed a human cerebral organoid system, or 'mini-brain,' to study sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and its subtypes. The model enables evaluation of potential therapeutics and provides insights into human prion disease progression.
Researchers aim to achieve sustained HIV remission without life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART), motivated by side effects and stigma. Persistent viral reservoirs pose a major obstacle to this goal.
A class of immune cells called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) plays an unexpected role in the early defense against tuberculosis. ILCs may provide a new approach to developing treatments and vaccines against TB.
Researchers found that people with higher levels of HA stem antibodies are less likely to become infected with influenza virus. The study suggests that the level of HA stem antibodies can be used as an indicator of protection against influenza virus infection.
Researchers found that remdesivir completely protected four African green monkeys from a lethal dose of Nipah virus. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, provides promising results for the treatment of Nipah virus infection.
Researchers will study how young children's immune systems respond to initial influenza infection and vaccination, aiming to understand immune memory and develop more effective vaccines. The studies may uncover insights into 'immunologic imprinting' and its impact on future infections.
Researchers have discovered a human antibody that recognizes and disrupts a vulnerable region on the hemagglutinin protein of the influenza virus. This breakthrough could lead to the development of effective vaccines against multiple strains of the virus, potentially eliminating the need for annual seasonal flu vaccination.
The NIH has awarded four Cooperative Research Centers to develop vaccines against syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. The centers will focus on identifying vaccine candidates that could lead to safe and effective treatments for these diseases.
The LATITUDE study evaluates the effectiveness of a combination of two experimental injectable formulations of antiretroviral drugs in managing HIV infection. Volunteers will receive either conventional oral ART or long-acting injectable therapies, with the goal of achieving durable viral suppression and improved treatment adherence.
Researchers found that scratching the skin triggers a series of immune responses culminating in increased activated mast cells in the small intestine. This skin-gut communication helps illuminate the relationship between food allergy and atopic dermatitis.
A recent commentary warns of a preventable global resurgence of measles due to declining vaccination rates. Measles is an extremely contagious illness that can cause severe complications and death in vulnerable populations. Without renewed focus on measles vaccination efforts, the disease may rebound in full force.
Despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), five individuals experienced extreme immune decline, a rare phenomenon known as EXID, where CD4+ T cell levels declined by an average of 157 cells per microliter. Gene mutations and HIV strain variations may contribute to this paradoxical response.
A small clinical trial shows that gene therapy can safely correct the immune systems of infants with X-SCID, a rare life-threatening disorder. The treatment involves inserting a normal copy of the IL2RG gene into the patient's blood-forming stem cells.
Researchers have developed a new antibody that can suppress HIV levels in people who undergo short-term pauses in their antiretroviral therapy regimens. The Phase 2 study, conducted in Taiwan, found the antibody, UB-421, to be safe and effective in maintaining HIV suppression without inducing antibiotic-resistant strains.
Researchers at the NIH have made progress toward developing an EBV vaccine by identifying key antibodies that block infection. The new vaccine candidates elicited potent anti-EBV antibody responses in animals, offering potential protection against EBV-associated cancers and infectious mononucleosis.
Experts discuss ongoing research on improving seasonal influenza vaccines and developing a universal vaccine for long-term protection against multiple seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses. Recent scientific advances have provided unprecedented momentum toward this goal.
A small NIH clinical trial found benralizumab, a FDA-approved asthma medication, improves HES symptoms with low side effects. The study showed significant reduction in eosinophils and HES-related symptoms, allowing some participants to taper off other therapies.
The opioid epidemic is driving a surge in infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, heart infections, and skin and soft tissue infections. Comprehensive treatment that addresses both substance use disorder and underlying infections can improve outcomes for patients.
The NIH has launched a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immune response of an experimental universal influenza vaccine candidate. The vaccine, known as H1ssF_3928, is designed to induce immunity against diverse influenza subtypes by focusing on a portion of the virus that varies relatively little from strain to strain.
Acute flaccid myelitis, caused by recent infections including polioviruses or non-polio enteroviruses, presents significant challenges to patients and researchers. Early intensive physical therapy has shown promise in improving outcomes for polio patients, suggesting potential benefits for AFM patients.
Scientists discovered that microglia, a type of nervous system cell suspected to cause retinal damage, surprisingly had no damaging role during prion disease in mice. Microglia might delay disease progression, providing new insights into inherited photoreceptor degeneration diseases.
A clinical trial assessing the safety of experimental compound ANS-6637 has begun in healthy adults at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. The trial will evaluate how the compound affects opioid use disorder and provide groundwork for future studies to develop effective treatments for cravings, a major barrier to sobriety.
Researchers found that 86% of individuals who entered HIV care soon after diagnosis maintained viral suppression after 48 weeks. The high rate of viral suppression is attributed to recent advances in HIV care, including changes in treatment guidelines and the inclusion of integrase inhibitors in first-line ART regimens.
A large Latin American cohort study found that TB diagnosis in people with HIV increases the risk of death within 10 years. The study, supported by NIH, analyzed clinical records of 15,999 people with HIV and found that those diagnosed with TB were twice as likely to die compared to those without a TB diagnosis.
Researchers found Ebola survivors in Liberia had higher rates of uveitis, muscle pain, fatigue, and joint pain compared to a control group. Physical exams also revealed abnormal findings in abdominal, chest, and neurologic areas.
A randomized clinical trial found that daily bathing with chlorhexidine (CHG) and nasal antibiotic mupirocin significantly reduced bloodstream infections and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in patients with medical devices. However, no significant benefit was seen for the overall population.
A study found that a universal 'test and treat' approach can reduce new HIV infections. Communities with home-based testing and referral to care saw a 30% decline in new infections, while those without immediate treatment saw no significant change.
Researchers found structural and molecular differences in skin near eczema lesions of children with both conditions, suggesting an elevated risk for developing food allergies. These differences may help identify children at elevated risk and inform early intervention strategies.
The HOPE in Action Multicenter Liver Study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of transplanting livers from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients. Researchers will monitor participants for signs of organ rejection, failure, and HIV-related complications, as well as track their psychological and social responses.
A clinical trial, REACH, is examining the safety and use of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and a vaginal ring in adolescent girls and young women in southern Africa. The study aims to expand HIV prevention choices for this disproportionately affected population.
A new assay developed by NIH-supported scientists can accurately count the cells comprising the HIV reservoir, enabling researchers to understand whether their strategies are working. This advance aims to speed HIV research by allowing scientists to easily quantify the number of proviruses that must be eliminated to achieve a cure.
Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have discovered that flaviviruses reproduce in specific locations within tick salivary gland cultures. This finding could explain why virus transmission occurs so quickly, and may help identify transmission pathways that can be blocked with a countermeasure.
An investigational monoclonal antibody, mAb114, has been found to be safe and well-tolerated in an early-stage clinical trial involving adults. The treatment, which targets the Ebola virus's surface protein, demonstrated promising results, with all participants experiencing mild side effects.
A Phase 1 human clinical trial has begun testing a freeze-dried, temperature-stable formulation of the experimental tuberculosis (TB) vaccine candidate ID93. The trial aims to determine if the single-vial formulation of ID93 and adjuvant GLA-SE is as effective as previously tested two-vial combination in inducing an immune response.