Physicians at the Santa Casa de Misericordia and researchers from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at University of São Paulo describe the case of a baby born with Zika infection in January 2016, who remained infected by the virus even two months and one week after birth. This is the first reported case of prolonged Zika infection in newborns.

A Brazilian study conducted at the University of São Paulo's Ribeirão Preto Medical School (FMRP-USP) shows that stimulating the production of interleukin-17A (IL-17A), one of the cytokines released by cells of the immune system, can be an effective strategy for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis, considered one of the six most important parasitic diseases affecting humans.

A recent study published by Brazilian researchers indicates brain malformations induced by Zika virus congenital infection. More than microcephaly, the research indicates other neurological changes such as reduction in brain volume, cortical development abnormalities and ventriculomegaly.

Researchers at the University of São Paulo's Public Health School have discovered that the seeds of the tropical shrub guarana, used in fizzy drinks popular in Brazil, contain more than 10 times the amount of catechins found in green tea. Catechins, when properly absorbed, reduce the oxidative stress associated with the development of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disorders, as well as diabetes, cancer, inflammation and premature aging due to cell death.

A study performed by researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo shows swimming is as effective as walking to relieve pain and improve quality of life for patients with fibromyalgia, that experience chronic diffuse non-inflammatory pain in the musculoskeletal system deriving from malfunctioning of the system that transmits and modulates the transmission of nervous stimuli between the periphery of the body and the brain. The study involved 75 sedentary women who had fibromyalgia.

Researchers from University of São Paulo (USP) and University of Texas at Austin studied the genetic diversity and differentiation patterns of the native pioneer understory tree Miconia affinis. They collected leaf tissue from approximately 30 reproductive trees bearing inflorescences or infructescences in 11 different populations and estimated the influence of geographic distance, elevation and deforestation on the genetic structure. The genetic differentiation of this tree species significantly increased with elevation and geographic distance between populations.