📄 Category

infectious diseases

242 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

High diversity amongst African Treponema pallidum genomes provides a window into global transmission dynamics of syphilis: A genomic epidemiology study

This genomic epidemiology study reveals that African *Treponema pallidum* strains exhibit remarkable local diversity and limited global sharing compared to high-income countries, with significantly lower macrolide resistance, underscoring the need for intensive local sampling to inform targeted surveillance, treatment guidelines, and vaccine design.

Beale, M. A., Marks, M., Burl, S., Ambridge, K. E., Dauya, E., Mussa, A., Bame, B., Moyo, S., Owusu, M., Kateete, D. P. (…)2026-03-20
📄 infectious diseases

Behavioural determinants of testing behaviour during a hypothetical avian influenza outbreak: an interview study

This interview study identifies key behavioural determinants of testing during a hypothetical avian influenza outbreak, highlighting that individual autonomy, personal and familial health benefits, external constraints, and trust in authorities significantly influence testing decisions, while past pandemic experiences shape current attitudes.

van Hoorn, R. C., van Gestel, L. C., Griffioen, D. S., Petrignani, M. W., Kersten, C., Muskens, M., Vols, L., Borgdorff (…)2026-03-19
📄 infectious diseases

A systematic review of Nipah virus disease epidemiological parameters, outbreaks and mathematical models

This systematic review synthesizes epidemiological data, risk factors, and mathematical modeling of Nipah virus from 119 studies to characterize its severe disease outcomes, variable fatality rates, and transmission dynamics, while providing an accessible R package to support future outbreak responses.

Naidoo, T. M., Morgenstern, C., Doohan, P., Earl, R., Rawson, T., Sheppard, R. J., Hicks, J. T., Radhakrishnan, S., John (…)2026-03-19
📄 infectious diseases

Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum mixed infections in human and mosquito hosts: the impact of multi-species infection on parasite densities and transmission to mosquitoes

This study of Ethiopian malaria patients reveals that while mixed *Plasmodium vivax* and *Plasmodium falciparum* infections exhibit altered parasite and gametocyte densities compared to mono-infections, they do not show evidence of interspecies competition in mosquitoes and remain a significant, often undetected, risk for sustaining malaria transmission.

Chali, W., Ejigu, L. A., Atele, T., Sisay, S., Jebessa, G., Habtamu, G., Abdo, M., Shimelash, A., Demisse, M., Bezabih (…)2026-03-18
📄 infectious diseases

Protocol for DNA Extraction from QuantiFERON-TB Gold Tubes for PCR and Sequencing Applications

This study establishes a novel, optimized protocol for extracting high-quality genomic DNA directly from QuantiFERON-TB Gold tubes, demonstrating that the resulting DNA is suitable for both PCR and whole-exome sequencing, thereby enabling the integration of latent tuberculosis diagnosis with downstream molecular research without requiring additional blood sampling.

Subhan, U., Akram, Z., Shafqat, S., Younis, S.2026-03-18
📄 infectious diseases

PvGAP: Development of a globally-applicable, highly-multiplexed microhaplotype amplicon panel for Plasmodium vivax

The study introduces PvGAP, a cost-effective, globally applicable, and highly multiplexed microhaplotype amplicon panel designed to enhance *Plasmodium vivax* genomic surveillance by enabling robust genotyping of polyclonal infections for drug resistance monitoring, case classification, and distinguishing between reinfection, recrudescence, and relapse.

Hubbard, A., Solares, E., Bradley, L., Jeang, B., Yewhalaw, D., Janies, D., Lo, E., Yan, G., Hemming-Schroeder, E.2026-03-15
📄 infectious diseases

Government health care worker training needs for schistosomiasis morbidity management

This qualitative study conducted in Uganda reveals that government health workers face critical gaps in training, resources, and standardized protocols for managing schistosomiasis-related chronic morbidity, highlighting the urgent need to integrate structured case management and practical training into routine health services to complement existing preventive chemotherapy efforts.

Isaiah, P., Nabatte, B., Wilburn, L., Oryema, J. B., Ukumu, N., Okumu, M., Nabhonge, J., Kyarisiima, H., Beinamaryo, P. (…)2026-03-15
📄 infectious diseases

Genomic surveillance reveals age-structured SARS-CoV-2 transmission across demographics and settings

By analyzing over 85,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes linked to epidemiological data from Massachusetts, this study reveals that viral transmission is highly structured by age and setting—particularly concentrated in schools, colleges, and nursing facilities with young adults acting as key drivers of spread—while also demonstrating the impact of vaccination and providing guidelines for effective genomic surveillance.

Moreno, G. K., Brock-Fisher, T., Krasilnikova, L. A., Schaffner, S., Burns, M., Casiello, C. E., Messer, K. S., Petros (…)2026-03-13
📄 infectious diseases

High Brucellosis Prevalence and Risk Among School-Age Children in Kenyan Pastoral Health Facilities: A Facility-Based Surveillance Study

A prospective surveillance study in Kenyan pastoral health facilities revealed a high brucellosis prevalence of 15.2% among febrile patients, identifying school-age children (5–14 years) as a distinct high-risk group with a 31.0% prevalence rate, alongside significant geographic variation and associations with prolonged fever and muscle pain.

Oketch, D. C. O., Njoroge, R., Ngere, I., Gachohi, J., Jaoko, W., Muriuki, S. W., Mwatondo, A. J., Limbaso, K. S., Mutur (…)2026-03-13