Latest News
A DNA microarray to detect emerging viruses
20/01/2010 - Scientists have succeeded in developing a tool that uses DNA microarray technology which can detect the presence of a virus or a known bacterium, or one of their emerging variants, within 24 hours.
When the influenza A (H1N1) virus emerged in April 2009, the research teams showed that this microarray could detect and identify the new variant using clinical samples. This tool could be used in the future in the event of an epidemic outbreak, so that the pathogenic agent(s) responsible could be identified as a matter of urgency. This would then help the health authorities in their management of the epidemic.
The life and death of neurons: how a virus can control everything
19/01/2010 - Des cherchResearchers at the Institut Pasteur and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) have just discovered that the rabies virus expresses in one of its proteins a key region which enables the human neurons that it infects to survive
By identifying the mechanisms which regulate whether the neuron survives or is destroyed, this research could pave the way for therapeutic possibilities, which could be used for treating neurodegenerative diseases or other pathologies.
Accor and the Institut Pasteur commit to preventing emerging diseases
18/01/2010 - The Institut Pasteur and Accor announce the implementation of an innovative partnership for health information and prevention aimed at travellers.
Since 2006, the social commitment of the 4000 hotels and 150,000 Accor employees has revolved around the "Earth Guest" programme, based on eight action centres, one of which being the fight against epidemics with efficient international prevention campaigns against the spread of the AIDS virus and malaria.
Malaria: a beneficial genetic mutation in South-East Asia
11/12/2009 - A large-scale evolutionary and epidemiological genetic study carried out over an eight-year period in Thailand has enabled Institut Pasteur and CNRS researchers to demonstrate that a mutation offers a higher level of resistance to malaria.
This mutation is particularly widespread in some South-East Asian populations. This research, published in the December 11 issue of the journal Science, also reveals that this beneficial mutation emerged 1500 years ago and significantly boosted the survival rate of these populations.
Hopes for prophylaxis and therapy for Chikungunya
28/09/2009 - Researchers at the Institut Pasteur and Inserm, working together with Laboratoire Français du Fractionnement et des Biotechnologies (LFB), have managed to treat and prevent the Chikungunya virus infection in animals by purifying antibodies directed agains
The research demonstrating the efficacy of this process, which was published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, paves the way to the development of the first specific treatment for the infection in the near future.
