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: 10-Dec-2025 22:14 ET (11-Dec-2025 03:14 GMT/UTC)

10-Dec-2025

AI tips off scientists to new drug target to fight, treat mpox

University of Texas at Austin
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers have identified a protein on the surface of the monkeypox virus that shows promise as a vaccine antigen or antibody target to prevent or treat mpox. They used the AI model AlphaFold 3 to identify a protein that had not been previously considered a good target for vaccines or antibodies.

Journal: Science Translational Medicine
Funder: Welch Foundation

10-Dec-2025

Nonadherence to cervical cancer screening guidelines in commercially insured US adults

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: Consistent with prior work, this study found low adherence (7.3%) to cervical cancer screening guidelines among the commercially insured U.S. population despite stable coverage, likely reflecting guideline confusion among patients, clinicians, and health systems. More evidence-based strategies are needed to expand capacity for guideline-adherent screening, reduce over-screening, and align payer and health system incentives, particularly as new modalities, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling, emerge.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

10-Dec-2025

Persistent antibiotic resistance of cholera-causing bacteria in Africa revealed from a multinational workshop for strengthening disease surveillance

Microbiology Society
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Whole-genome sequencing analyses of 104 Vibrio cholerae samples from across four African countries finds isolates of the current pandemic strain exhibit concerningly high resistance to frontline antibiotics, including 96% harbouring resistance to trimethoprim and 83% to quinolones.

Journal: Microbial Genomics

10-Dec-2025

Could hidden infections be fueling long COVID?

Rutgers University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Leading microbiologists from Rutgers Health and other institutes say the condition may be driven by company the coronavirus keeps.

Journal: eLife

9-Dec-2025

New method to accelerate vaccine and drug development for norovirus

The University of Osaka
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from The University of Osaka have developed a novel reverse genetics system to study norovirus, the leading cause of gastroenteritis. This efficient system can generate infectious viral particles by simply injecting viral genetic material into zebrafish embryos. They were able to alter the genetic material to create modified viruses, enabling the evaluation of antiviral drugs and novel vaccine development. The advances provided by this new system will have a significant effect on public health.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Funder: Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Secom Science and Technology Foundation

9-Dec-2025

Receptors in mammary glands make livestock and humans inviting hosts for avian flu

Iowa State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study led by Iowa State University researchers shows the mammary glands of pigs, sheep, goats, beef cattle, alpacas and humans are biologically suitable to be infected by H5N1 avian influenza, which has so far affected mostly poultry and dairy cattle.

Journal: Journal of Dairy Science

9-Dec-2025

JMIR Publications’ News & Perspectives section: AI & genomics vs. Superbugs: New tools in the AMR fight

JMIR Publications

JMIR Publications continues its commitment to high-impact analysis in its "News & Perspectives" section with a new article detailing how digital innovations are transforming the fight against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)—one of the gravest threats to global health.

Journal: Journal of Medical Internet Research