The human body is a bustling city of tiny organisms. Some of these tiny organisms are bacteria that live in the upper respiratory tract. These bacteria can influence how the body reacts to infections like COVID-19. A recent study shed light on this complex relationship. Researchers looked at 123 people confirmed to have COVID-19. They found that many of these indivi...
Duck plague virus (DPV) is a nasty piece of work. It belongs to the herpesvirus family and can cause serious sickness and even death in ducks. It's known for causing a severe blood infection that affects many organs. One part of the virus, called gG, is a protein that doesn't help the virus reproduce but plays a big role in making the virus so dangerous. The gG prot...
The world of cancer treatment is a complex battlefield. One key player in this fight is the tumor microenvironment (TME). This is the area around a tumor, where various cells and substances interact. These interactions can greatly influence how cancer develops and responds to treatment. The TME is a dynamic place, constantly changing and adapting. It includes blood v...
In the world of scientific research, tiny details can make a big difference. One such detail is the temperature at which mice are kept. This is especially true when studying how mice respond to infections, like peritonitis. This condition is a serious infection of the abdomen. A recent study explored how different temperatures affect mice's immune responses and surv...
The fight against COVID-19 has led scientists to explore various vaccine strategies. One promising approach involves using virus-like particles (VLPs). These are tiny, non-infectious structures that mimic viruses. They are safe and trigger a strong immune response. Researchers have now developed a new type of VLP using a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) backbone. ...
In the world of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, B cells usually steal the spotlight. However, T cells, which are a different type of white blood cell, also play a role in this disease. They are often overlooked, but their actions can significantly impact how the disease progresses. This is because T cells can either fight the cancer or sometimes, surprisingly, help it ...
Dengue fever is a serious issue in many parts of the world. It is caused by a virus that can lead to severe symptoms. But did you know that some people get infected without showing any signs of illness? This is called an inapparent infection. Scientists have been looking into why this happens. They found that the strength of a person's immune response plays a bi...
Hepatitis E is a liver infection that can be quite serious. It is caused by a virus. The body's immune system plays a big role in fighting it off. The immune system has a memory. It remembers how to fight off infections it has seen before. This memory is crucial for preventing future infections. A recent study looked at how the immune system remembers hepatitis ...
Imagine a tiny fish, swimming in a crowded tank. It's vulnerable to diseases, one of which is piscine francisellosis. This nasty infection, caused by a bacterium called Francisella orientalis, can wipe out entire populations of tilapia, a popular fish for farming. Currently, there are no approved treatments or vaccines to protect these fish. But what if there was a w...
Imagine fighting cancer with a supercharged immune system. Scientists have been working on ways to make immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) more effective. ICB is a treatment that helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. The problem is, it doesn't always work as well as we'd like. One big reason is that cancer cells can hide from the immune system, mak...