Thursday, August 21, 2025

Viruses hidden within fungi could be secret drivers of deadly lung infections

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Aspergillus fumigatus under stress — image:
*Aspergillus fumigatus* strains in which stress granules—intracellular condensates that form in response to stress and are essential for cell survival—are fluorescently labeled and become visible following heat shock.
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Credit: Marina Rocha, PhD

Researchers have discovered that a virus living inside the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus significantly boosts the fungus’s ability to survive stress and cause severe infections in mammals. Removing the virus made the fungus weaker and less virulent, while antiviral treatments improved survival outcomes. This finding reveals a hidden factor driving the deadliness of fungal infections and opens the door to potential new treatments that target the virus rather than the fungus itself.

A new study by researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in collaboration with researchers from the Institute of Microbiology at Friedrich Schiller University, has uncovered an unexpected culprit fueling the severity of one of the most dangerous fungal infections in humans: a virus living inside the fungus itself.

Led by Dr. Marina Campos Rocha, Dr. Vanda Lerer, PhD., and Student John Adeoye under the supervision of Dr. Neta Shlezinger of the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine at Hebrew University, the research reveals that a virus residing within the Aspergillus fumigatus fungus gives it a powerful survival advantage—making it tougher, more resilient, and ultimately, more dangerous to human health.

A Hidden Influence in a Dangerous Pathogen

Aspergillus fumigatus is already notorious in medical circles. Responsible for the majority of invasive fungal infections in humans, it’s especially lethal for people with weakened immune systems. Despite decades of research, mortality rates from infections remain alarmingly high—approaching 50%.

But Dr. Shlezinger’s team has added a surprising new layer to the story: a double-stranded RNA virus, quietly riding along inside the fungus, appears to act like a hidden booster pack for the pathogen. When this virus is present, the fungus becomes far more adept at surviving environmental stress, including the heat and oxidative conditions inside the lungs of mammals.

Virus-Cured Fungi Lose Their Edge

To test the impact of the virus, the researchers removed it from fungal strains and compared their behavior to their virus-infected counterparts. The difference was striking. The virus-free fungi lost their ability to reproduce effectively, showed weaker defenses like reduced melanin production, and became significantly less dangerous when introduced into mammalian lungs.

The findings suggest that these so-called “mycoviruses” may play a quiet but critical role in the development and progression of fungal diseases in humans—a role that has largely gone unnoticed in the field of medical mycology.

Hope for New Treatments

Perhaps most promising of all: when antiviral treatments were used to suppress the virus during infection, survival outcomes improved in the mammalian model. This hints at a whole new treatment avenue—not just targeting the fungus itself, but the virus helping it thrive.

“These viruses are like molecular backseat drivers,” says Dr. Shlezinger. “They don’t cause disease on their own, but they influence how aggressively the fungus behaves once it’s inside the body.”

A Paradigm Shift in Fighting Fungal Infections

This discovery opens the door to rethinking how fungal infections are treated. By targeting the virus within the fungus, researchers may one day weaken the pathogen enough for the immune system—or existing antifungal drugs—to fight back more effectively.

In a world where fungal pathogens are becoming more drug-resistant and harder to treat, the study provides a rare glimmer of hope: perhaps we’ve been overlooking a key player all along.

Journal

Nature Microbiology

DOI

10.1038/s41564-025-02096-3

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Cells

Article Title

Aspergillus fumigatus dsRNA virus promotes fungal fitness and pathogenicity in the mammalian host

Article Publication Date

14-Aug-2025

Sports clubs participation rises among Finnish youth

Strong growth among girls, but inequalities remain

University of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto

A recent study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, reveals that sports clubs have grown in popularity among children and adolescents since the 1980s. Girls now participate in sports clubs as much as boys do. However, participation in sports clubs is less common in rural areas, and rising costs are limiting opportunities for low-income families. The researcher suggests providing sports opportunities with a low barrier to entry, such as physical activities organised during and around the school day.

The professionalization of sports clubs and rising costs have reduced participation opportunities for low-income families.

A recent study by the University of Jyväskylä shows that participation in sports club activities among Finnish youth aged 8 to 19 has significantly increased from the 1980s to the 2020s, particularly among the youngest age groups.

“Families are investing more in children’s leisure-time physical activities, and this investment now begins at an earlier age,” says researcher Irinja Lounassalo from the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä. “While this can be beneficial for a child’s development, physical activity, and health, early specialization in a single sport may increase the risk of injury and lead to early dropout.”

Engaging in a wide variety of physical activities supports the development of children’s fundamental motor skills and predicts a physically active lifestyle in adulthood. Lounassalo emphasizes that in addition to sports clubs, everyday environments such as home yards, public outdoor recreational areas, and forests offer excellent opportunities for physical activity.

The number of girls in sports clubs is increasing

The study also found that the gender gap in sports club participation has narrowed in Finland: in the 1980s, boys were significantly more active in sports clubs than girls were, but by the 2020s, this difference had disappeared.

“This is a great development for gender equality,” Lounassalo notes.

However, socioeconomic and regional disparities remain significant. Family income and the family’s place of residence are associated with who participates in sports and how often. In the 2020s, the impact of family income is already visible among primary school-aged children, whereas in the 1980s, it became more apparent only among secondary school–aged youth and older.

“The professionalization of sports clubs and rising costs have reduced participation opportunities for low-income families,” Lounassalo explains.

Regional inequality has also increased. Youth living in sparsely populated areas participate in sports clubs less than those in urban areas do. For example, in sparsely populated regions, long distances and limited sports participation options restrict participation.

Flexible and Accessible Options Needed to Promote Physical Activity of Youth

The researchers highlight the need for targeted actions to support the recreational and sport opportunities of children from low-income families and sparsely populated areas. Increasing physical activity opportunities during and around the school day, improving school transport, closer cooperation between municipalities and sports clubs, free and diverse local recreational indoor and outdoor facilities, and low-threshold participation options such as multi-sport clubs could enhance accessibility to physical activity.

“According to earlier studies, many young people reported lack of time, motivation, lack of guidance and facilities as well as the high cost of participation as reasons for not being physically active,” says Lounassalo. “Offering more flexible sports options that involve less commitment and competition could encourage more children and young people to engage in physical activity.”

The study was published in the Journal of Public Health. It examined sports club participation across two generations: the 9- to 18-year-olds from the 1980s “Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns” study (N = 3,439) were compared to their 8- to 19-year-old offspring in 2018 to 2020 (N = 1,156). The study explored the prevalence of sports club participation in Finland and its associations with sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, family income, parental education level, and residential area.

The research was conducted in collaboration with the Universities of Jyväskylä, Turku, and Tampere, as well as Likes, Jamk.

Journal

Journal of Public Health

DOI

10.1007/s10389-025-02500-6

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Sociodemographic determinants of youth sports club participation across two generations: the Young Finns Study

Study finds humpback whales only ones capable of bubble-net feeding

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Deploying a tag on a humpback whale — image:
Dr. Will Gough deploying a Customized Animal Tracking Solutions (CATS) tag on a humpback whale in Alaska.
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Credit: Alaska Whale Foundation

In a surprising discovery, a new study reveals that among seven species of baleen whales, only the humpback is capable of the high-performance turns required for its signature bubble-net feeding strategy. The research, led by recent University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate Cameron Nemeth, shows humpbacks use their unique pectoral flippers to achieve this maneuver, shedding new light on the biomechanics of this iconic feeding strategy.

Nemeth just earned his bachelor of science degree in marine biology, and conducted this research as part of a larger project at UH Mānoa Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP). The study focuses on solitary bubble-net feeding, a complex foraging strategy where whales release bubbles in a ring to corral prey. By combining data from drones and non-invasive suction-cup tags, Nemeth and his team were able to accurately quantify the turning performance required for this maneuver.

"The fact that humpback whales’ pectoral flippers enhance their maneuverability wasn't the most surprising part of our study, as there have been previous studies on the morphology of these flippers," said Nemeth. "However, it was shocking to discover that amongst thousands of turns from a variety of behavioral states, no other species of whale examined were achieving the turning performance required to create a bubble-net."

Highly efficient pectoral flippers

The research indicates that the humpback whale's large pectoral flippers can generate nearly half of the force needed to turn, making them highly efficient at this feeding strategy. Other whale species, even if physically capable of similar turns, would need to expend significantly more energy, likely making the strategy energetically impractical. Humpbacks’ special body shape allows them to successfully hunt smaller or scattered groups of prey.

“This is a great example of a collaborative research project that took advantage of datasets from 28 different research organizations across six countries,” said Lars Bejder, research professor at HIMB, principle investigator of MMRP, and co-author of the study. “These sorts of initiatives are able to address questions that otherwise would be very difficult to answer.”

This research is significant for Hawaiʻi, as humpback whales fast while in the islands, relying on the energy reserves they build up on Alaskan feeding grounds. Understanding the efficiency of their foraging techniques is crucial for assessing their overall health and energetic needs, which ultimately impacts their stay in Hawaiian waters.

Ongoing research, new Hawaiian language precedent

Nemeth led this large-scale project during his final semester as an undergraduate student at UH Mānoa. He will be continuing his research with the MMRP, transitioning to a PhD program in fall 2026 to lead the lab's ongoing humpback whale project in Maui.

In a move to increase the availability of scientific literature in the Hawaiian language, Nemeth also worked with the journal to include a Hawaiian-language abstract for the paper. He translated the abstract himself and worked with a Hawaiian language professor to edit the text, setting a precedent for future publications from the lab.

Funding for this study was provided by UH Mānoa, the Omidyar Ohana Foundation, and the Lindblad Expedition-National Geographic Fund. Equipment was provided through a Defense University Research Instrumentation award from the U.S. Department of Defense.

A solitary bubble-net feeding humpback whale targeting a patch of Pacific herring in Alaska.

Credit
Martin van Aswegen

An infographic presenting the main findings of Nemeth et al. (2025).
Credit
Anaïs Remili and Zoltan Nemeth

Journal

Journal of Experimental Biology

DOI

10.1242/jeb.249607

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

The key to bubble-net feeding: How humpback whale morphology functionally differs from other baleen whales

Article Publication Date

19-Aug-2025

Patients with Long COVID forced to become their own doctors

University of Surrey

Despite the increasing recognition of Long COVID as a condition, many patients still face dismissal by medical professionals, misattribution of their symptoms to psychological causes, or simply being left to fend for themselves. The study describes the response many encounter from professionals as ‘medical gaslighting’, disbelief and dismissiveness.

The study, published in Sociology and conducted in collaboration with Professor Deborah Lupton from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, found that people with Long COVID are turning to wearable devices and online patient communities to make sense of their symptoms, identify patterns and triggers, and develop their own care plans.

The research found that the study participants, most of whom are highly educated and professionally employed (although more than half were unable to work at the time of the interview because of their illness), are using data from smartwatches and symptom-tracking apps to evidence their symptoms to their medical practitioners and advocate for diagnostic tests. In some cases, participants felt it was only because of their self-tracking data that they had been able to get referrals to tests or specialists and subsequently obtain formal diagnoses and access treatment.

Dr Sazana Jayadeva, co-author of the study and Surrey Future Fellow in the Department of Sociology at the University of Surrey, said:

“We found that people with Long COVID are often left to fend for themselves in a system that isn’t adequately informed about their condition and doesn’t offer them appropriate medical support. Digital self-tracking, combined with the expertise shared in online patient groups, offers a vital source of knowledge, validation and practical care. But it shouldn’t fall to patients to do this work alone. And not all patients have the resources and capacities to usefully engage with self-tracking technologies and advocate for themselves.”

The study found that online patient groups are not only sharing advice on which metrics to monitor and how to interpret data, but are also contributing to the uptake of self-tracking technologies by people with limited to no previous experience or interest in tracking. The study also found that having wearable data gave patients greater confidence to advocate for themselves in medical contexts. Yet many still felt their data was disregarded or even resented. The study identifies this digital evidence as a tool for reducing the power imbalance between patients and doctors – but only where clinicians are willing to listen.

Dr Sazana Jayadeva continued:

“We need a shift in medical culture, and we urge practitioners to treat patient-generated data as a valuable resource. Without this shift, patients with contested illnesses like Long COVID risk remaining stuck in a system where they have to be their own doctors.”

[ENDS]

Note to editors

Dr Sazana Jayadeva is available for interview, please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange.

This study has been published in the journal of Sociology.

Journal

Sociology

DOI

10.1177/00380385251351252

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

‘Most People with Long COVID Are Their Own Doctors’: Self-Tracking and Online Patient Groups as Pathways to Challenging Epistemic Injustice

Walkable communities lowered mental health stressors during COVID-19 pandemic

University of New Hampshire

DURHAM, N.H.—(August 21, 2025)—Research out of the University of New Hampshire shows that communities that were easier for people to lace up and get out for a walk during the COVID-19 pandemic also helped lower the impact of mental health issues, like stress and anxiety.

“The unknown of the pandemic was difficult but to be able to get outside and simply go for a walk was a salvation for many people,” said Karen Conway, professor of economics at UNH’s Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. “In my own family, all my adult children moved home during the pandemic and we must have gone on walks three or four times a day. It was a chance to see other people, we could wave across the street and say, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ It was definitely a mental thing more than a physical thing.”

In a study recently published in Health Economics, Conway and her co-author Andrea K. Menclova of the University of Canterbury took a closer look at the impact of walking on mental health during the pandemic by analyzing national census and survey data around walkability. They used the Environmental Protection Agency’s 0–20 Walkability Index to measure different communities and found that increasing a neighborhood’s walkability just a little bit — about four points on the index — was associated with a 4% reduction in average pandemic-related mental health deterioration.

For context, neighborhoods that are considered in the low range of walkability have index scores under 6, while the most walkable communities have scores above 15.

The researchers also compared mental health trends before the pandemic (2018–2019) and during it (2020–2021) across more than 55,000 Census tracts nationwide, matching CDC survey data with the EPA Walkability Index. By focusing on differences within the same county, they could isolate the influence of local walkability.

“COVID hit people differently across the country, based on restrictions, deaths, local policies,” said Conway. “We were able to look within a county, where cultural, environmental and other characteristics are pretty similar. But walkability is a very local characteristic that can vary within a county. By making those within-county comparisons, we could see how areas hit by COVID in the same way still experienced different mental health impacts depending on walkability in their neighborhood.”

This positive protective effect of walkability is thought to stem from multiple benefits, including physical activity, more time spent outdoors and improved social ties within neighborhoods. Complementary analysis confirmed that despite a decline in walking for commuting and transportation, walking for leisure increased during the pandemic, largely occurring near people's homes and strongly associated with walkability measures.

While the study focused on the pandemic as the specific stressor, researchers say it points to broader implications for the potential role of walkable communities in lowering the impact of mental health issues and individual-level stressors like grief, divorce, job loss or everyday anxiety. The research also highlights the importance of incorporating walkability into urban planning and infrastructure — like adding sidewalks and traffic calming measures — and public health strategies to improve overall community well-being and health outcomes.

###

The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation and world. More than 16,000 students from 50 states and 87 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. A Carnegie Classification R1 institution, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF, and NIH, and received over $250 million in competitive external funding in FY24 to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea and space.

Journal

Health Economics

Africa’s most feared snake can help to sniff out pollution

New research has shown that heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury accumulate in the scales of Black Mambas (Dendroaspis polylepis).

University of the Witwatersrand

Black Mambas, Africa’s fastest and most feared snakes, can be a key player into tracking pollution, while at the same time keeping ecosystems healthy.

New research from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa (Wits University), has shown that heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury accumulate in the scales of Black Mambas (Dendroaspis polylepis).

The study, conducted on snakes captured in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal and published in Environmental Pollution, was the first of its kind to examine heavy metal accumulation in an African snake species. The results mean that researchers can use scale clippings from these snakes to accurately measure spatial patterns of environmental pollution levels, without harming the snakes.

“Black Mambas are common in the Durban area, and individuals often live in the same refuge for years,” says Professor Graham Alexander, a herpetologist at Wits. “If the body tissue of individuals contain high levels of heavy metals, it is a strong sign that the local environment is under threat.”

Snakes such as Black Mambas are apex predators, which mean they feed on various other animals such as birds and rodents. The pollutants absorbed from the food that birds and rodents eat, eventually accumulate in the body tissue of Black Mambas.

The research team, led by Professor Marc Humphries, an environmental chemist at Wits, analysed scale clippings from live snakes that were removed from domestic, industrial and commercial properties by snake expert Nick Evans, from KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, and tissue samples from mambas that had died in road accidents or from human conflict. The snakes found in industrial and commercial areas had far higher metal levels than those from nature reserves and green spaces, such as Durban’s Metropolitan Open Space System (D’MOSS) network.

The study’s findings highlight the value of having connected green spaces around our cities, as they help protect wildlife from harmful pollution linked to urban development.

“We found a clear association between land use and heavy metal exposure in black mambas. Snakes living in connected green spaces around the city generally had significantly lower heavy metal concentrations in their scales compared to those in more industrial and commercial areas,” says Humphries.

“The exciting thing is that we can get this information from a quick, harmless scale clipping,” Humphries said. “It’s safe for the snake and could be used in cities across Africa where snakes are already being relocated from homes and businesses.”

Mambas as apex predators

The Black Mamba inhabits a wide geographic range in sub-Saharan Africa. In South Africa, its range is confined to the coastal regions of KwaZulu-Natal, and in the north-eastern parts of the country.

A second study in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, also co-authored by Alexander, shows that Black Mambas are more than just top predators. They also shape their environment in ways that benefit other species.

Mambas often use the same refuge sites, such as termite mounds, hollow logs, and abandoned buildings for years. They serve a valuable role in the environment, by controlling rodent populations, which may help protect crops and reduce the spread of rodent-borne diseases.

Changing perceptions

Black Mambas appear to have been increasing in numbers in the Durban area over the last decades, with compared to historical data, with Evans removing steady numbers from suburban, industrial, informal settlements and rural areas. Evans gets between 100-120 calls a year for Black Mambas in the throughout the eThekwini Municipality.

“Humans often make their properties appealing to mambas by dumping rubbish over their fence, in their garden, having messy sheds or garages, creating rat breeding grounds,” says Evans. “Durban also has high numbers of feral cats, and mambas feed on their kittens. So there is suitable habitat and an abundance of food.”

Evans says unprovoked bites are extremely rare, with approximately 3 to 5 bites occurring per year.

“Almost all patients survive, unless they do not go to hospital. Some of the bites are dry bites, warning bites where no venom is injected.”

The team believes that recognising the value of Black Mambas could help shift public attitudes from fear to appreciation.

“People are understandably scared of mambas, as they are one of Africa’s most dangerous snakes, but if we treat them correctly, they can be a valuable tool to assess pollution levels,” says Alexander. “Snakes in general can play a valuable role as biomarkers for environmental health, and should preferably be left to live in peace in their natural environments.”

Evans urged residents to rather call a snake expert to safely remove an animal from a property, should it pose a danger to residents or domestic animals, rather than kill them.

“Experts can safely remove and relocate snakes where needed,” says Evans.

“Attempting to kill or capture a Black Mamba puts you at higher risk of being bitten. Black Mambas are animals that just want to be left alone, in which case, they actually pose very little risk to humans.”

Evans often remove snakes from situations where bites could easily have occurred, but they’d rather sneak past people or hide, rather than choose conflict.

“Snakes play an extremely important role in nature and should be protected as much as possible. They are excellent for rodent control, and aid in the control of Rock Hyrax populations.”

Domestic pets like dogs are normally an issue, as they attack snakes.

“Please keep dogs away from all snakes, especially Black Mambas, should you see the snake before your dog does.”

The Black Mamba, Africa’s most feared snake can help to sniff out pollution.
Credit
Nick Evans/KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation

Journal

Environmental Pollution

Thursday, August 21, 2025

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The number of girls in sports clubs is increasing

Flexible and Accessible Options Needed to Promote Physical Activity of Youth

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Highly efficient pectoral flippers

Ongoing research, new Hawaiian language precedent

A solitary bubble-net feeding humpback whale targeting a patch of Pacific herring in Alaska.

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An infographic presenting the main findings of Nemeth et al. (2025).

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The Black Mamba, Africa’s most feared snake can help to sniff out pollution.

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