📄 Category

infectious diseases

168 papers

Infectious diseases represent one of the most dynamic frontiers in global health, covering everything from seasonal flu outbreaks to emerging viral threats that cross borders. This field focuses on how pathogens spread, how our immune systems respond, and the strategies scientists use to stop infections before they become epidemics. Because the science moves fast, waiting for traditional publication often means missing critical insights that could save lives.

At Gist.Science, we process every new preprint in this category directly from medRxiv to ensure you see the latest findings the moment they appear. Our team transforms these raw studies into both accessible plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries, bridging the gap between complex research and public understanding. Below are the latest papers in infectious diseases, updated daily with fresh insights from the global research community.

📄 infectious diseases

Benchmarking AWaRe: estimating optimal levels of AWaRe antibiotic use in 186 countries, territories and areas based on clinical infection and resistance burden

This study establishes the first standardized, benchmarking-based methodology to estimate optimal national levels of total and AWaRe-classified antibiotic use for 186 countries based on local infection and resistance burdens, revealing that while the global 70% Access target is appropriate, most countries currently overuse Watch antibiotics compared to these evidence-based targets.

Cook, A., Cooper, B., Thorn, M., Nguyen, N., Lim, C., Swe, M. M. M., Allel, K., Robles Aguilar, G., Moore, C. E., Lewnar (…)2026-02-02
📄 infectious diseases

Inequalities in childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccine uptake in England before and after the change from a 2+1 to 1+1 schedule: a longitudinal study

This longitudinal study reveals that England's 2020 transition from a 2+1 to a 1+1 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine schedule led to deteriorated booster retention and widened socioeconomic inequalities in vaccine uptake, resulting in a disproportionate increase in susceptibility to invasive pneumococcal disease among children in deprived communities.

Ilechukwu, P., Hungerford, D., French, N., Hill, E. M.2026-01-30
📄 infectious diseases

Imported malaria predominates in near-elimination settings in Southwestern Uganda

By integrating epidemiological surveillance with parasite genomics, this study reveals that malaria in low-transmission southwestern Uganda is predominantly driven by imported infections in Maziba and Muko, whereas Kamwezi experiences sustained local transmission, highlighting the need for tailored interventions based on travel history and genetic data.

Mbabazi, M., Kiyaga, S., Katairo, T., Kabbale, K. D., Asua, V., Kagurusi, B. A., Wiringilimaana, I., Nsengimaana, B., Se (…)2026-01-27
📄 infectious diseases

Diagnostic accuracy, operational feasibility, and cost considerations of Truenat MTB Plus and Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra for pulmonary tuberculosis

This study comparing Truenat MTB Plus and Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra in India found that while Xpert Ultra offers superior diagnostic accuracy and lower indeterminate rates, Truenat provides a cost-effective and operationally feasible alternative for decentralized testing, supporting a tiered approach to expand tuberculosis diagnosis.

Sidiq, Z., Anand, A., Dwivedi, K. K., Tyagi, P. K., Rajpal, S. K., Chopra, K. K., Dhawan, S., Khanna, V.2026-01-23
📄 infectious diseases

A high centrifugal force-enhanced Ziehl-Neelsen method for improved detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

This study demonstrates that increasing centrifugal force to 6,000 x g during pre-analytical processing significantly enhances the sensitivity of Ziehl-Neelsen smear microscopy for detecting *Mycobacterium tuberculosis* in clinical sputum samples, thereby reducing false-negative results in routine tuberculosis diagnosis.

Chaula, G. T., Namkinga, L., Sabiiti, W., Ntiningya, N. E., Mtafya, B., Mahadhy, A.2026-01-23
📄 infectious diseases

Towards Culture-Free Sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Evaluating New Targeted and Whole-Genome Approaches for Genotyping and Drug Resistance Profiling

This study demonstrates that novel culture-free targeted (tNGS) and direct whole-genome sequencing (dWGS) assays offer sensitive, specific, and high-resolution drug resistance profiling and genotyping for *Mycobacterium tuberculosis* directly from clinical sputum samples, with tNGS showing superior performance at low bacillary loads and dWGS enabling comprehensive transmission analysis.

Iannucci, I., Di Marco, F., Moghaddasi, K., Miotto, P., POR TB study group,, Cabibbe, A. M., Cirillo, D. M.2026-01-20