Researchers from the University of Oxford, along with partners from five institutions around the world, have identified the human antibodies that prevent the malaria parasite from entering blood cells, which may be key to creating a highly effective malaria vaccination. The results of the study were published today in the journal Cell. “Following an infectious […]
Study shows more effective method for detecting prostate cancer
Each year, 1 million men in the U.S. undergo biopsies to determine whether they have prostate cancer. The biopsy procedure traditionally has been guided by ultrasound imaging, but this method cannot clearly display the location of tumors in the prostate gland. A multidisciplinary team of UCLA physicians has found that a new method, which includes […]
Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir is effective and well tolerated in individuals with hepatitis C
Two large ‘real-world’ studies conducted in Germany and the USA have confirmed the high rates of sustained virological response (SVR) observed in controlled clinical studies of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) involving individuals with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Across the two studies, which were presented today at The International Liver Congress 2019 in Vienna, Austria, a range […]
Mailing colorectal cancer screening kit found effective, regardless of financial incentive
Colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer in the United States, and just six out of 10 adults in the age range recommended for routine screening—50 to 75—reported having it done in 2015. When patients do not keep up with screening, the risk of death is substantially higher, so Penn Medicine researchers, investigating a new […]
This At-Home Stool Test Is Supposedly Just as Effective as a Colonoscopy
The colonoscopy might be the most dreaded of all health screenings. Uncomfortable and intrusive, it can be a literal lifesaver—but currently, only 60% to 65% of adults who should be up to date on this important test actually are. The procedure, in which a long, flexible tube is inserted into the rectum, detects signs of (or precursors […]
Flu shot much more effective this year, CDC says
This year’s flu shot is already outperforming the vaccine issued during the tough 2017-2018 influenza season, federal health officials reported Thursday. The 2017-2018 flu shot offered just 25 percent effectiveness against the predominant strain of flu that season, H3N2. But this year’s shot offers 47 percent protection against all circulating strains, according to researchers at […]
Researchers find silicone wristbands to be an effective way to measure children’s nicotine exposure
Young children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of tobacco smoke and other environmental toxins, but their exposure is often difficult and expensive to measure. The results of those measurements, however, can be crucial for research on the success of preventative measures. Jenny Quintana and her research team at San Diego State University’s School of […]
Poo transplant effective treatment for chronic bowel condition
Poo transplant or “Faecal microbiota transplantation” (FMT) can successfully treat patients with ulcerative colitis, new research from the University of Adelaide shows. The randomised, double-blind study—published in the journal JAMA – was a collaboration between the University of Adelaide, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), CSIRO and CALHN (SA Health). It involved 73 […]
Reusable respirators are an effective and viable option for protecting health care personnel
Half-facepiece reusable elastomeric respirators are an effective and viable option for protecting health care workers from exposure to airborne transmissible contaminants or infectious agents—for example, influenza virus—during day-to-day work or with a sudden or rapid influx of patients, such as during a public health emergency, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, […]
‘Trojan horse’ antibiotic can kill drug-resistant bacteria
‘Trojan horse’ antibiotic can kill drug-resistant superbugs from WITHIN ‘by hijacking their defences’ The drug, called cefiderocol, works by attaching itself on to iron molecules Once allowed inside the bacterial cell, it can destroy it from within, experts say Experts now hope it will top up the world’s dwindling arsenal of antibiotics Antibiotic resistance is […]