science wire

A new study by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) about residential radon exposure in Switzerland shows that the radioactive gas radon increases the risk for developing malignant skin cancer. It is undisputed that radon is a risk factor for developing lung cancer. New research by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) in the context of the Swiss National Cohort study now shows that the naturally occurring radioactive gas radon within one's home also increases the risk to develop malignant skin cancer (malignant melanoma).

Giovanna Raso and Jean Coulibaly are the awardees of the R. Geigy-Award 2016 and will share a CHF 20,000 prize in honour of their efforts to fight neglected helminth infections in West Africa.

Over the past 35 years the global impact of HIV has changed the course of history. In spite of progress in access to testing and treatment in the last decade, inadequate investment in prevention means that some of the most vulnerable people remain at risk.

A combination of better indoor air, clean drinking water and improved hygiene in Peruvian households reduces the prevalence of childhood diarrhoea by 29% according to a community randomised trial conducted by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and the Instituto de Investigación Nutricional (IIN).

Clinical innovation is essential in order to tackle neglected tropical diseases, which threaten one billion people worldwide. A group of international scientists has published a guide for clinical studies in difficult field circumstances in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. NIDIAG is an EU-funded consortium of scientists from 13 institutes including Swiss TPH and universities in Europe, Africa and Asia.

ZikaPLAN: Swiss TPH Unites with 25 Research Organizations to Fight Zika Virus and Build Long-term Outbreak Response Capacity in Latin America Swiss TPH is among the 25 leading research and public hea

Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis Advisory Committee convenes at Swiss TPH This year's annual meeting of the Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis Advisory Committee, chaired by Jürg Utzinger, is hosted at Swiss TPH.

The new chemical compound ACT-451840 is highly effective against most deadly malaria parasites in humans. It is also active against those parasites that have developed resistance against the standard therapies. The findings, published today in the journal PLOS Medicine, come from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) in collaboration with partners from industry and academia.

A long-term partnership managed to reform radiology services in Egypt and to ensure the access of Egyptian citizens to save and performing imaging diagnostics.

Children who are stimulated with age-adjusted toys at an early age perform better in categories such as fine motor skills, understanding time and space, or cognitive abilities. The community-randomised trial conducted by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and the Peruvian Instituto de Investigación Nutricional (IIN) is the first study to assess the impact of an early child development intervention on household level in rural Peru.

Already 100mg of the Chinese drug candidate tribendimidine helps patients to get rid of a helminth infection caused by Opisthorchis viverrini according to a clinical study conducted by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health-Institute (Swiss TPH) and the National Institute of Public Health (NIOPH) in Lao PDR.

A new study shows a strong association of the educational level of parents and the survial of their children diagnosed with central nervous (cns) tumours.

Today, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive scientific opinion for the malaria vaccine RTS,S also known as MosquirixTM in children aged 6 weeks to 17 months.