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Document de presse | 2021.03.23
SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest can infect mice: host range extended
SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is capable of infecting some species, while others are naturally resistant to it. This determines the "host range" of the virus. The SARS-CoV-2 host range includes humans, non-human primates, hamsters, mink and cats. Since the start of the pandemic, mice and rats had proven to be resistant to SARS-CoV-2, because their ACE2 receptor, which allows the...
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Document de presse | 2021.06.29
Neonatal meningitis: the immaturity of microbiota and epithelial barriers implicated
Meningitis is associated with high mortality and frequently causes severe sequelae. Newborn infants are particularly susceptible to this type of infection; they develop meningitis 30 times more often than the general population. Group B streptococcus (GBS) bacteria are the most common cause of neonatal meningitis, but they are rarely responsible for disease in adults. Scientists from the Institut...
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Document de presse | 2022.02.25
Discovery of an innate immunological memory in the intestine
The innate immune system plays a crucial role in regulating host-microbe interactions, and especially in providing protection against pathogens that invade the mucosa. Using an intestinal infection model, scientists from the Institut Pasteur and Inserm discovered that innate effector cells – group 3 innate lymphoid cells – act not only during the early stages of infection but can also be trained...
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Document de presse | 2022.03.14
Discovery of an immune escape mechanism promoting Listeria infection of the central nervous system
Some "hypervirulent" strains of Listeria monocytogenes have a greater capacity to infect the central nervous system. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm and the Paris Public Hospital Network (AP-HP) have discovered a mechanism that enables cells infected with Listeria monocytogenes to escape immune responses. This mechanism provides infected cells circulating in...
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Document de presse | 2022.05.23
Stromal cells, maestros of the intestine
The intestine is responsible for absorbing nutrients while protecting the body from external aggression, a task performed by a complex intestinal barrier. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur demonstrated in a mouse model that a population of tissue-resident cells known as stromal cells is crucial for the development of a functional intestinal barrier in the first few weeks after birth. Absence...
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News | 2022.08.24
ILC3s: "gatekeeper" cells for intestinal immunity
The intestinal mucosa is a key site for interaction and exchange with the external environment. It is therefore under constant surveillance from the immune system. Using an animal model, scientists from the Institut Pasteur and Inserm discovered how a set of cells involved in innate immunity – group 3 innate lymphoid cells – help monitor and maintain this barrier.Our digestive tract contains...
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News | 2023.06.21
Malaria: parasite migration strategy revealed
Malaria is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that are vectors of parasites in the genus Plasmodium. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, in collaboration with specialized physicists in Brazil and Germany, have elucidated the search strategy used by parasites to reach the bloodstream.
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News | 2023.11.23
The 40-year fight against HIV: we speak to Marc Dixneuf, CEO of AIDES
In 1983 the AIDS virus, HIV, was isolated by virologists at the Institut Pasteur. Forty years later, HIV-positive patients can live with the virus if they are diagnosed in time and receive the right treatment. Treatments are constantly being improved – great strides are being made as a result of close cooperation between patients, caregivers and scientists. They are the bedrock of the 40-year...
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News | 2023.12.20
Hepatitis B: using mathematics to reveal the best treatment model in The Gambia
To accelerate momentum in the global fight against hepatitis B, expanding testing and treatment services in resource-limited countries is crucial, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. But determining which patients are eligible for treatment is a complex process and requires tests that are not widely accessible in these regions. Should all people infected with the virus be treated without assessing...
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News | 2024.06.11
Strengthening Multisectoral and Regional Cooperation to Mitigate Vector-Borne Diseases in the Mediterranean
The interconnectedness of our world has brought about significant challenges in public health, particularly with the rise of infectious epidemics. Globalization, climate change, and rapid urbanization have created fertile ground for the emergence and spread of diseases, as starkly illustrated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these threats, vector-borne diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks...