While current HIV treatment reduces viral load, or the amount of HIV in the blood , there is no cure for the disease. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) involves either taking a…

HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, destroys CD4 cells, also known as helper T cells, in the immune system. Without these cells, bodies have a hard time fighting off various diseases. While…

Covid-19 is a highly contagious and quickly spread disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Since its discovery in 2019, researchers have remained dedicated to creating a vaccination for people of all ages….

The immune system has long been touted as the body’s primary defense against invading viruses, with the understanding that a strong immune response swiftly knocks out an infection while a…

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While the disease is relatively new, researchers are now studying its long-term effects. Some people with COVID-19 experience…

Approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to CDC every year. Lyme disease transmits the Lyme disease-causing bacteria to humans through the bite of infected ticks with symptoms including…

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the body’s immune system and, if not treated, can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Because of medical advancements, including antiretroviral therapy (ART), many people…

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the body’s immune system, resulting in rashes, fevers, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and other symptoms. It affects over 37 million people globally. When left untreated,…

Zika is spread mainly through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. And while many people infected with the Zika virus will only have mild symptoms, contracting Zika during…

One of the few therapies currently available to treat patients with COVID-19 is REGEN-COV, a monoclonal antibody cocktail that combines two antibodies that can bind to and neutralize the SARS-CoV-2…

Dengue spreads to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito generally living in tropical climates. Symptoms (lasting 2-7 days) commonly seen with dengue include fever, nausea, rash, aches, and…

Fear struck many when HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) began in the mid-to the late 1970s. No one knew the causes of this mysterious new virus,…

Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium, which is spread by ticks. The most common sign of infection is a red…

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the body’s immune system, and if left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). HIV/AIDS currently impacts 38 million people worldwide. While there…

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease that typically affects the lungs. Spread of TB typically occurs in the air via coughs or sneezes. T reatment often poses a challenge…

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious disease that mostly affects the lungs, but can also cause damage to the kidneys, spine or brain. TB spreads from person to person through small…

Researchers at Yerkes National Primate Research Center (YNPRC) have discovered a way to use cancer immunotherapy treatments to reliably shrink the size of the viral “reservoir” in simian immunodeficiency virus…

Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are two of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, and they’re far worse when they occur together. Now, Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) researchers at Texas…

Could a promising discovery about viral latency help scientists effectively combat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)? The primary obstacle to a cure for HIV infection is the reservoir, or immune cells…

Could a recent discovery about the body’s natural defenses be a stepping stone toward combating kidney-related health issues? Scientists say yes. Macrophages are a type of white blood cell central…

One primary objective of tuberculosis (TB) research is to discover how to treat people with the latent (or inactive) form of the disease so they don’t develop symptomatic TB. Now,…

According to the World Health Organization, malaria infection affects an estimated 200 million people and kills more than 400,000 people worldwide every year—most of them children. Plasmodium parasites cause the…

When fighting cancer, patients need every advantage possible, and new research results have shown a potential breakthrough that could help protect the health of those undergoing chemotherapy. Scientists at the…

Protecting against three diseases at once may seem improbable, but a recent study has produced a vaccine which may do just that. In a joint collaborative effort involving Tulane National…

As scientists continue to make progress in the fight against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a recent discovery suggests that certain other microbes may play a role in how the body…

Tuberculosis (TB) kills 1.6 million people every year and is one of the top 10 causes of death globally. And while it’s been kept under control in most places, more…

Could HIV vaccines be reducing their own effectiveness by stimulating too much help? According to scientists at Yerkes National Primate Research Center (YNPRC), this could be the case. In a…

While much progress has been made during the last few years in combating and preventing the deadly Zika virus, researchers are still working toward a greater understanding of how the…

Zika virus may be out of the headlines, but scientists are continuing to work on treatments and vaccines to address this serious threat to public health. Now, an experimental vaccine…

Children born to HIV-positive mothers are susceptible to contracting the disease themselves, but scientists at Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have new…

While antiviral medications limit the impact of the disease on daily life, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to infect 1.7 million people annually and cause some 770,000 deaths each year,…

Cells that harbor HIV, even while a person is on antiretroviral drugs, are referred to as the “reservoir”. Some of these cells might be able to self-renew/proliferate, thus continually replenishing…

The way that HIV—the virus that causes AIDS—spreads and progresses over time varies among people. A recent study by scientists at Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Texas Biomedical…

While no true cure for HIV/AIDS exists, patients can suppress the virus through a continuous regimen of medication. But now, scientists have discovered a new approach to dealing with HIV…

Rhesus macaques have long been considered the prime model for AIDS vaccine research because these monkeys’ immune systems are analogous to humans. In fact, most medications approved to treat HIV…

Is it possible to reverse the effects of a life-threatening poison? In the case of one such toxic substance, it very well may be. A recent study at the Tulane…

As recent news stories attest, measles is one of the most infectious diseases on Earth — and it affects more than just humans. Nonhuman primates are also at risk. Although…

Ebola virus is a continuing threat in Central and West Africa, with an outbreak currently taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But the factors that determine who is…

You may want to think twice before sharing a bite of spare food with animals you encounter in public places. That is, unless you’re willing to risk a staph infection….

Sometimes it really does take two. Scientists at Yerkes National Primate Research Center (YNPRC) at Emory University in Atlanta have discovered that a form of antibiotic resistance called “heteroresistance” is…

Tuberculosis is a major concern for HIV/AIDS patients, as a full one-third of all patients with the autoimmune disease die of complications from TB. But Professor Deepak Kaushal, PhD, of…

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1.1 million people in the United States are living with an HIV infection. In the United States, Louisiana has…

Working together is always better—especially when it comes to curing infectious diseases. That’s why the National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) across the country are collaborating to tackle the deadly Zika…

During an epidemic in 2014, the Ebola virus claimed more than 11,000 lives in West Africa. Now, a new outbreak of the deadly disease threatens residents in eastern Democratic Republic…

Young macaques form an important part of our work at the NPRCs, helping us discover new ways of treating deadly diseases like tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, Zika and more. Two researchers at…

HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS, remains a potent global threat, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and other low-income areas. And while new treatments over the past 40 years have greatly…

The 2015-16 Zika outbreak in Brazil caused many babies to be born with severe brain abnormalities. It also prompted researchers at the Southwest National Primate Research Center into action. With…

Since the Zika virus epidemic of 2015, there has been a surge in the number of infants in the Americas born with small heads due to brain damage that occurred…

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death in AIDS patients. Unfortunately, no one knows exactly why the disease is such a significant threat in people with immune systems compromised…

The theme for the 2018 World AIDS Day (December 1) is “Saving Lives through Leadership and Partnerships,” which closely aligns with National Primate Research Center (NPRC) efforts to improve therapies…

For most of us, getting a flu shot ranks among the least exciting annual events. But researchers at the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC) at the University of Washington…

Can a promising cancer drug also treat tuberculosis (TB), the world’s single deadliest infectious disease? Researchers at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, host institution for the Southwest National Primate Research…

Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is a common virus found in almost every person on the planet. For most of them, it causes no harm and leads to no symptoms. But for…

Global fears about Zika virus may have waned since the disease first made headlines in 2015 – but scientists at the National Primate Research Centers continue to make important discoveries…

The effects of Zika on an adult are upsetting enough, but the impact it can have on unborn children and newborns is heart wrenching, which is why researchers at the…

Concerns about antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been growing in recent years, and researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center (YNPRC) have added another to the list. Klebsiella pneumoniae, a bacterium…

What doesn’t kill you might just save your life. At least, that’s the new thinking on how to combat SIV, a variant of HIV. This comes after researchers at the…

While the public’s nervous obsession with Zika may be over, medical researchers still have questions. Can the virus survive in a nonhuman host? Can the blood of that nonhuman host…

An estimated 130-150 million people around the globe are living with chronic hepatitis C infection. Thanks to chimpanzees, there is now a one pill per day, 12-week cure that has…

On February 1, 2016, the World Health Organization declared the Zika virus to be a global health emergency. Spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, the Zika virus has…

The rapid spread of the Zika virus has led to widespread media and government attention; however, little is known about the disease itself. How long does the disease stay in…

The West African outbreak of Ebola virus in 2014 made Ebola a household word. The outbreak made clear that infectious diseases know no borders and have global impact. Ebola first…