The use of phages in biomedicine can address the problem of multi-resistant bacteria. However, there are some weak points we must overcome before using them in clinical practice.
The scientific community agrees that viruses are not alive. However, the idea sparks some debate because it depends on how we define life.
We remember June Almeida, the first person to photograph a human coronavirus.
The WHO published recommendations on how to name new infectious diseases to avoid stigmatising a country, community, or economic sector.
An analysis of our historical relationship with viruses to understand the reactions to the present pandemic.
Our intelligence may be the only recourse against emerging infectious diseases like SARS-CoV-2.
Maurice Hilleman is probably the scientist who has prevented the highest number of deaths and illnesses from infection in the history of medicine. He and his team obtained or improved more than 25 vaccines against viruses and bacteria.
Every historical period has had its epidemic executioner, and it has almost always been the ecological changes between human communities and the environment that have caused changes in pathogenicity and epidemic diseases.
We need to rethink many aspects of our daily lives, of our values, of our economic and cultural practices; in short, of our coexistence with the rest of nature and, especially, of our respect for non-human animals.