📄 Category

infectious diseases

166 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

Identifying and Prioritizing Barriers to TB Prevention and Care in High-Burden Countries: A Community-Engaged Approach Using Best-Worst Scaling

Through a community-engaged Best-Worst Scaling study involving 81 stakeholders across 28 countries, researchers identified and prioritized key multi-level barriers to tuberculosis care in high-burden settings, revealing that systems-level supply challenges, financial factors, and inadequate holistic care are the most impactful issues while highlighting specific high-priority targets for intervention in both Asian and African regions.

Kerkhoff, A. D., Singh, K., Kubai, N., Namasivayam, M., Angami, K., Cox, S. R., Hanrahan, C. F., Sigerman, T., Brandner (…)2026-07-01
📄 infectious diseases

Climate and topography shape malaria transmission in lowland Busia and highland Meru counties, Kenya

A comparative study of Busia and Meru counties in Kenya reveals that cooler highland climates and distinct topographic features significantly limit vector presence and malaria transmission, whereas warmer lowland environments sustain higher mosquito densities and infection rates.

Ndenga, B. A., Agola, G. A., Owuor, K. O., Mbakaya, J. O., Ronga, C. O., Chepkorir, E., Kibe, L. W., Akala, H. M.2026-07-01
📄 infectious diseases

Operating characteristics of analysis methods for clinical trials in viral respiratory disease: A simulation study protocol

This paper outlines a simulation study protocol designed to systematically compare the type I error rates and statistical power of various endpoints and analysis methods for randomized clinical trials in hospitalized patients with acute viral respiratory infections, aiming to guide the selection of efficient and clinically meaningful primary strategies for future studies.

Schwenke, J. M., Herkner, F., Kayembe, M. T., Olsen, I. C., Briel, M., König, F.2026-06-29
📄 infectious diseases

Proliferative Arachnoiditis and Vasculitis in Central Nervous System Tuberculosis: A Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Features and Outcomes from a Tertiary Centre in India

This retrospective study of 69 patients with central nervous system tuberculosis-associated proliferative arachnoiditis and vasculitis at an Indian tertiary center reveals high mortality and morbidity rates, identifies older age as the sole predictor of death, and highlights the limited efficacy of adjunctive therapies like aspirin, thalidomide, and intrathecal hyaluronidase, underscoring the urgent need for alternative treatment strategies.

Sengupta, A., Sarmah, R., Mandal, A., Rao Kordcal, S., Agarwal, A. K., Vyas, S., Kumar, A., Ray, A., Nischal, N., Soneja (…)2026-06-29
📄 infectious diseases

Serotype skewing and immune imprinting shape response to the tetravalent dengue virus Qdenga vaccine

This study reveals that the Qdenga dengue vaccine elicits serotype-skewed and immune imprinting-dependent responses, resulting in poor tetravalent immunity—particularly against DENV-4—and limited gains from a second dose, thereby highlighting critical challenges for its deployment in DENV-naive populations.

Conde, L., Monteiro, V., Freitas, J. C., Crandell, J., Lawres, L., Tana, F., Breban, M. I., Polster, J., Akther, F., Por (…)2026-06-26
📄 infectious diseases

Optimal vaccination in aging populations under age-dependent infection fatality risks

This study uses transmission models to demonstrate that in aging populations, the optimal timing and frequency of vaccination depend critically on pathogen transmissibility and immunity duration, as strategies that suppress infections early without providing long-term protection can paradoxically shift infections to older ages with higher fatality risks, thereby increasing overall mortality and years of life lost.

van Boven, M., van Dorp, C., Bosschaert, M., van der Schans, J., van Baarle, D., Kretzschmar, M. E.2026-06-26
📄 infectious diseases

Topical fresh Taraxacum mongolicum wet dressing as an adjunct to ceftriaxone for localized skin and soft tissue infections: A single-center assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial

In a single-center, assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial involving 180 adults with localized skin and soft tissue infections, the addition of topical fresh *Taraxacum mongolicum* wet dressing to intravenous ceftriaxone significantly improved day-7 clinical response rates compared to ceftriaxone alone, though the findings require cautious interpretation due to the study's single-center design and lack of a placebo dressing control.

Wang, Y., Xian, X., Nie, S., Ma, S., Yang, H.2026-06-24
📄 infectious diseases

Biopsychosocial determinants of HPV vaccine perception in university students of both sexes in Cucuta, Colombia, 2024: a cross-sectional study

This 2024 cross-sectional study of 750 university students in Cucuta, Colombia, reveals that while HPV vaccine perception is predominantly positive, it is significantly shaped by gender, university type, and general HPV knowledge, highlighting the need for gender-inclusive educational strategies that address non-cervical HPV-related diseases.

ARIAS-SANCHEZ, A., Florez, M., Pereira, N., Caceres-Penaloza, D. Y., Dallos Rivera, L. S., Nunez-Villamizar, K. G., Belt (…)2026-06-22
📄 infectious diseases

Modeling epidemiological patterns of smallpox in Copenhagen in the 19th century after the introduction of the vaccine

This paper utilizes a mechanistic SEIR model and historical hospital data to demonstrate that the return of smallpox in Copenhagen after a 16-year hiatus was primarily driven by the waning of vaccine-induced immunity after approximately 20 years, which shifted the disease's burden from children to young adults.

Eilersen, A., Poder, S. K., Grenfell, B. T., Sneppen, K., Simonsen, L.2026-06-21
📄 infectious diseases

Within-host pathogen population diversity predicts treatment response in tuberculosis

This prospective cohort study demonstrates that baseline within-host genetic diversity of *Mycobacterium tuberculosis*, quantified by the number of unfixed variants at diagnosis, serves as an independent predictor of unfavorable treatment outcomes in patients with rifampicin-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis.

Kulkarni, S., Marin, M., Mann, B., Rawoot, N., Goodwin, S., Cesare, N., Warren, R., Jacobson, K., Farhat, M.2026-06-19