The brain may serve as a watchtower for the immune system. It spots possible infection threats and sounds the internal alarm. As a result, the immune system may react before a virus ever enters the body.

A new study explored how the brain senses and prepares for infection. The findings show how this early response may prime immune defenses in advance.

Researchers used virtual reality to show sick avatars approaching participants. These avatars moved into participants’ peripersonal space—the area immediately near the body. The brain responded to this possible threat before any real contact happened.

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When asked about cancer risk, many think of poor lifestyle choices. People may mention alcohol, diet, lack of exercise, or even plastic exposure. But a common stomach infection may pose a far greater threat.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacteria that infects the stomach lining. It spreads through contaminated food or water and often goes unnoticed. Many cases require antibiotics, though some infections resolve on their own.

A new study in Nature Medicine explored this bacterium as a hidden stomach cancer risk factor. Researchers focused on people born between 2008 and 2017 worldwide. They estimate that 15.6 million people in this group will develop gastric cancer. Of these, 11.9 million cases—or 76%—are linked to H. pylori.

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A wave of anti-vaccine sentiment continues to rise across the United States. A 2023 survey showed declining trust in established vaccines. It also found a rise in belief in vaccine misinformation, especially about COVID-19.

Despite this trend, new research highlights vaccines’ life-saving impact. A major study in published in BMJ Global Health reviewed 210 outbreaks in 49 low-income countries. These included measles, cholera, yellow fever, meningitis, and Ebola outbreaks. Researchers compared each real outbreak to a no-vaccine scenario.

The study covered outbreaks from 2000 through 2023. Models were adjusted to account for disease spread and environment. For Ebola, specific adjustments were made due to its unique features.

Across all outbreaks, vaccines prevented 5.81 million infections. This includes 4 million measles cases and 1.5 million yellow fever cases. Vaccines also saved 327,000 lives, mostly from measles and yellow fever.

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When most people imagine fungi living on human skin, they probably don’t think of anything beneficial. However, a new study from the University of Oregon found a skin yeast molecule that kills Staphylococcus aureus. S. aureus causes approximately 500,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. each year.

Caitlin Kowalski, the study’s lead researcher, says skin fungi are an untapped resource for finding new antibiotics.

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Ticks are a common problem for anyone who spends time outdoors. After hiking, gardening, or mowing, many instinctively check for ticks. These tiny parasites can carry dangerous diseases like Lyme and anaplasmosis.

Most people use DEET to repel ticks and other biting insects. But DEET can feel sticky, smell unpleasant, and raise safety concerns. Many want a natural alternative that still works well. Lemongrass has shown promise as a natural repellent. Now, researchers have found another option—this time from donkey skin.

A new study shows how a compound called (E)-2-octenal, secreted by donkey skin, repels deer ticks. The research was published in PLOS One and conducted by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Deer ticks, also known as Ixodes scapularis, are the main tick that bites humans in the U.S. (E)-2-octenal stops ticks from moving toward treated areas. It was even more effective than DEET in some cases.

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