tropical diseases news stories on Newser

Dengue Fever Reaches Florida

Jane Yager — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 04:25:00 CDT

Dengue fever, the most prevalent virus spread by mosquitoes globally, poses a growing threat across the world's tropical zones, from Southeast Asia to Central America—and now, Florida. Dengue virus is showing up in the Florida Keys, the CDC reported yesterday, with 5 percent of Key West residents exposed to...

Glaxo Offers Free Access to Malaria Research

Rob Quinn — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:48:00 CST

GlaxoSmithKline has opened up its database of compounds with the potential to cure malaria to any scientists who wants to take up the challenge. The move—unheard of in the pharmaceutical industry—comes after company scientists spent a year screening all 2 million compounds in the company's library for those...

Modified Mosquitoes Could Fight the Spread of Malaria

Colleen Barry — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 08:06:38 CDT

Genetically modified mosquitoes that cannot pass on malaria may help reduce the spread of the disease that now causes a million deaths a year, mostly children. A new study shows that the lab-designed bugs could out-breed their natural competition, eventually driving them out altogether and eliminating the route through which...