EurekAlert! In the Spotlight

Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

This month, we’re focusing on infectious diseases, a topic that affects lives and communities around the world. Here, you’ll find the latest research news, insights, and discoveries shaping how infectious diseases are being studied, prevented, and treated globally.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 16-Dec-2025 00:11 ET (16-Dec-2025 05:11 GMT/UTC)

15-Dec-2025

Tropical disease oroya fever: Elucidation of disease mechanism opens possibility for novel therapy

Goethe University Frankfurt
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The bacterial pathogen Bartonella bacilliformis causes in South America one of the most dangerous infectious diseases known: the so-called “Oroya fever.” Without antibiotic treatment, 90 percent of the infected patients will die, as the pathogen destroys red blood cells. Researchers at University Medicine Frankfurt have now clarified how the pathogen triggers this hemolytic disease. In laboratory experiments, they were even able to inhibit the destruction of red blood cells. The results open up a possible avenue for developing a novel therapy against this often fatal infectious disease.

Journal: Nature Communications

15-Dec-2025

The Lundquist Institute and its start-up company Vitalex Biosciences Announces Strategic Advancement of Second-Generation fungal Vaccine VXV-01 through Phase 1 Trials under $40 Million Competitive Contract from NIH/NIAID

The Lundquist Institute
Grant and Award Announcement

The Lundquist Institute (TLI) and its start-up company Vitalex Biosciences (Vitalex) are pleased to announce that the second-generation fungal vaccine candidate known as VXV‑01, which was developed using a proprietary TLI vaccine technology platform, is poised to move forward in development up to and including Phase 1 clinical evaluation — enabled by a major contract awarded to a collaboration consortium of Vitalex and Appili Therapeutics (TSX: APLI; OTCPink: APLIF). The contract from the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is valued at up to US $40 million. It will support the development of VXV-01 from manufacturing and non-clinical studies through two Phase 1 clinical trials. This contract represents a significant milestone for The Lundquist Institute’s vaccine research program.

15-Dec-2025

A testing paradox for sexually transmitted infections

Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Prevention of HIV with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is associated with increased rates of other sexually transmitted infections

A new epidemiological model reveals a paradoxical result: increased rates of sexually transmitted infections may reflect intensified testing while actual prevalence decreases

These insights can be useful to develop and assess policies for disease prevention, surveillance, and containment

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

15-Dec-2025

Immune system keeps mucosal fungi in check

University of Zurich
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The yeast Candida albicans colonizes mucosal surfaces and is usually harmless. However, under certain conditions it can cause dangerous infections. A research team at the University of Zurich has now discovered how the immune system prevents the transformation from a harmless colonizer to a pathogenic mode. This happens, among other things, by sequestering zinc.

Journal: Nature Microbiology

15-Dec-2025

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 collagenase-like protease promotes meningitis by increasing blood-brain barrier permeability

KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Collagenase-like protease (Clp) enhances the toxic effect of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2). Clp increases the permeability of the blood–brain barrier by disrupting tight junctions and inducing apoptosis of brain endothelial cells. Clp triggers brain endothelial cell apoptosis through cell receptor ligand apoptosis and mitochondrial apoptosis pathways, partially dependent on its enzyme activity.

Journal: Journal of Integrative Agriculture
Funder: National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China

15-Dec-2025

Canada’s reduced pledge to Global Fund will impact domestic health

Canadian Medical Association Journal
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Canada should rethink its reduced pledge to the Global Fund to protect the health of people in Canada as well as around the globe, argue authors in an editorial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.252036.

Journal: Canadian Medical Association Journal

14-Dec-2025

Duke and Duke-NUS’ joint cross-population research to uncover "East-West" differences in disease and care

Duke-NUS Medical School
Grant and Award Announcement

By comparing clinical cohorts and populations from Singapore and the US, researchers will study infectious diseases, corneal disorders, liver transplant outcomes, diabetes and lung cancer to uncover insights that drive disease and treatment differences across Asian and non-Asian populations.