September 22, 2015 • You're not just shedding microbes on every surface you touch. Research suggests you're actually walking around in an airborne plume of bacteria and other microscopic organisms that's unique to you.
September 16, 2015 • The Heartland virus was considered rare. Scientists now say they've found signs of it circulating in animals across the Midwest, New England and the South. They think human cases have been missed.
How Many Viruses Have Infected You?
June 4, 2015 • Most tests for viruses aim to detect only one or two. But researchers can now check a drop of blood for antibodies to hundreds of viruses, tracing the history of a lifetime of infections, old and new.
April 1, 2015 • It's related to herpes. And it infects most of the world — about half of Americans, nearly all the developing world. But don't go out and get infected. The virus has a dark side, too.
Could This Virus Be Good For You?
January 30, 2015 • Scientists studying HIV and Ebola have noticed another virus hitching along for the ride in some blood samples. Now they're trying to figure out whether the lurker helps the body fend off disease.
January 18, 2015 • Moving the American Gut Project to a biotech hub like San Diego may speed the jump from basic research to real treatments. At least that's microbe tracker Rob Knight's plan.
Where Could Ebola Emerge Next?
January 2, 2015 • A handful of ecologists knew for years that West Africa was at risk for an Ebola outbreak. Now they're figuring out where else in the world the virus could be hiding. Many signs point to Asia.
Painful Virus Sweeps Central America, Gains A Toehold In U.S.
January 1, 2015 • While some Americans worried that Ebola would spread around the U.S., a new mosquito-borne virus flew right in. It sickened more than 2,000 Americans and nearly a million people across the Caribbean.
December 16, 2014 • It's called "breakbone fever" because that's how bad you feel when you get it. There's no cure. But scientists have found powerful antibodies that could lead to the development of a simple vaccine.
Is HIV Evolving Into A Weaker Virus?
December 3, 2014 • In parts of southern Africa, HIV has picked up mutations that slow down its ability to grow inside a person's blood. That's a good sign. But will it be enough to make a difference in the epidemic?
November 14, 2014 • Rotavirus kills more than a half-million kids around the world each year. Now scientists have evidence that the secret to stopping it is hiding in the trillions of bacteria of our microbiome.
October 31, 2014 • Big questions have bedeviled virus hunters for 38 years: Why do people differ in their response to Ebola? Is it becoming more or less dangerous? There's now more evidence about who gets sick and why.
October 27, 2014 • A 700-year-old caribou dropping from northern Canada holds surprisingly well-preserved viruses. There's no evidence the viruses are dangerous, but they are scientifically interesting.
How Do You Catch Ebola: By Air, Sweat Or Water?
September 12, 2014 • Americans have many questions — and misconceptions — about the deadly virus that's rapidly spreading in West Africa. We asked two scientists to explain more about how Ebola is transmitted.
July 24, 2014 • Scientists have discovered what may be the most common virus in people worldwide. The tiny critter doesn't make us sick but may be involved in obesity and diabetes.