Low-dose CT chest scans could help detect pneumonia in at-risk patients while exposing them to only small amounts of radiation, a new study has found. The research, published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, shows that ultra-low-dose scans can effectively detect pneumonia in patients with compromised immune systems, enabling doctors to treat the infection before it becomes life-threatening. According to the researchers, these scans expose patients to just 2% of the radiation dose used in a standard CT scan.

"This study paves the way for safer, AI-driven imaging that reduces radiation exposure while preserving diagnostic accuracy,” lead researcher Dr Maximiliano Klug, a radiologist with the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, said in a news release. He added that CT scans are the gold standard for detecting pneumonia but there are concerns regarding the risk posed by repeated exposure to radiation. There is a solution- ultra-low-dose CT scan. However, the problem is that these scans can be grainy and hard to read, researchers said.

Study Gives Solution To This

To overcome that, Klug's team developed an AI program that could help "de-noise" low-dose scans, making them sharper and easier to read. Between September 2020 and December 2022, 54 patients with compromised immune systems who had fevers underwent a pair of chest CT scans -- a normal dose scan and an ultra-low-dose scan. The AI program cleaned up the low-dose scan, and then both sets of images were given to a pair of radiologists for assessment. Radiologists had 100% accuracy in detecting pneumonia and other lung problems with the AI-cleaned low-dose scans, but 91% to 98% accuracy in examining the scans that hadn’t been improved through AI, results show.

"This pilot study identified infection with a fraction of the radiation dose," Klug said. "This approach could drive larger studies and ultimately reshape clinical guidelines, making denoised ultra-low dose CT the new standard for young immunocompromised patients.

How Can You Detect Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid or pus and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. The symptoms can range from milk to severe, which includes:

Coughing with or without cough

Fever

Chills

Trouble breathing

Chest pain, especially when breathing deeply or coughing

Sweating or chills

Rapid heart rate

Loss of appetite

Bluish skin, lips, and nails

Confusion.

How to detect Pneumonia in coughing newborns and toddlers?

Pneumonia can severely affect newborns and young children as their lungs are comparatively more sensitive. As per Dr Goyal, young children can cough for various reasons including seasonal infections and tonsillitis, which is very common in this age group. But if they look visibly irritable and have poor sleep patterns, then parents must reach out to an expert. "I am not saying that parents must visit a hospital but any local paediatrician would be able to detect pneumonia in your kid.

The United Nations has warned that health workers responding to the rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing growing risks as the virus has infected new areas, prompting urgent calls for stronger infection control measures, funding and global support.

The warning comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the outbreak has become one of the largest ever recorded in the country, with more than 2,400 confirmed Ebola cases and nearly 1,000 deaths. WHO said the outbreak continues to expand despite intensive response efforts.

According to WHO, the epidemic is being caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, a strain for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment, making containment and treatment even more challenging.

UN Warns Frontline Responders

The UN and its agencies have expressed concern that healthcare workers remain among the most vulnerable because they are in direct contact with infected patients and often work in unsafe environments conditions.

"Health workers are on the front line of this response and must be protected through adequate infection prevention measures, personal protective equipment, training and support," WHO officials have stressed as response teams continue to battle the outbreak.

On Monday, the UN warned on Monday that Ebola could spread in displacement camps in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, adding that overcrowding could increase transmission and new cases.

Also read: Ebola Outbreak: Confirmed Cases Hit 2,344, Deaths Rise To 930

The UN aid agency OCHA said that confirmed Ebola cases had been reported in "at least 16 displacement sites" across Ituri, the epicentre of outbreak.

"These sites host more than 270,000 displaced people, with overcrowding and limited access to basic services increasing the risk of disease transmission," OCHA said in a statement.

Separately, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that the movement of Ebola victims' bodies between different regions is increasing the risk of transmission, especially in communities where traditional burial practices involve close contact with the deceased.

"Transporting bodies over long distances creates additional opportunities for the virus to spread," the UN agency warned, urging safer burial practices.

Ebola Outbreak In DRC Expanding Faster Than Response

According to the World Health Organization, there have been 2,344 confirmed cases of Ebola in the DRC and at least 930 deaths.

More than 460 patients have recovered, while there are 192 suspected cases.

Marking the 17th outbreak, the current Ebola epidemic was declared on May 15 after several deaths were reported in Ituri.

WHO has warned that the outbreak is expanding faster than the response efforts, with transmission now occurring across multiple provinces. The agency said that even though some affected areas are starting to see stability, several hotspots continue to report persistent transmission and new cases.

Also read: Why Transporting Ebola Victims' Bodies Is Fueling Congo's Outbreak, UN Agency Issues Warning

"We are tailoring our response according to different transmission patterns," WHO officials said, noting that surveillance, contact tracing and treatment capacity continue to be expanded.

Health authorities are also increasingly concerned about infections with unknown transmission chains, suggesting that some cases are being detected too late for effective contact tracing.

Status Of Ebola Outbreak In Uganda

In neighboring Uganda, officials have reported encouraging progress. The country has discharged its last Ebola patient and has entered the WHO-required 42-day countdown before it can officially declare the outbreak over, provided no new infections are detected.

Uganda has recorded 20 confirmed Ebola cases, most linked to cross-border transmission from the DRC, and has not reported a new case since late June.

WHO, the UN and African health authorities continue to call for increased international funding, rapid deployment of medical teams and stronger protection for frontline healthcare workers.

A total of 52,10,302 girls across India have received the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine under the nationwide campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, the government informed Parliament during the ongoing Monsoon Session.

The nationwide vaccination campaign for 14-year-old girls was launched from Rajasthan's Ajmer as part of India's efforts to eliminate cervical cancer.

“The nationwide HPV vaccination campaign was launched on February 28, for approximately 1.2 crore eligible beneficiary girls aged 14 years across all 36 States and Union Territories. As of July 15, a total of 52,10,302 girls have received the HPV vaccine across the country,” Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

Free HPV Vaccination

Read More: Fact Check: Common Myths Around HPV Vaccine And How It Will Prevent Cervical Cancer

The Minister said the HPV vaccine is being provided free of cost at designated government health facilities, including:

• Ayushman Arogya Mandirs–Primary Health Centers (PHCs)

• Community Health Centers (CHCs)

• Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs) and District Hospitals (DHs)

• Government Medical Colleges (GMCs)

She also said the government's cervical cancer prevention strategy includes HPV vaccination, screening, early diagnosis at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs), and treatment through Day Care Cancer Centers (DCCCs).

Immunization Coverage Remains Above 90%

The Minister also updated Parliament on India's immunization program.

“As per the National Health Policy 2017 goals, the National Full Immunization Coverage has been maintained more than 90% for the last four years,” Patel said. National full immunization coverage was:

• 94.7% in 2022–23

• 93.7% in 2023–24

• 98.3% in 2024–25

• 97.9% in 2025–26

Strengthening Pandemic Preparedness

Also read: Healthcare In India No Longer A Privilege, Becoming A Right: PM Modi

Patel also said that the government has taken several steps to improve preparedness for future pandemics and public health emergencies, including:

• Launch of the Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) to strengthen public health infrastructure, disease surveillance, diagnostics, research, and emergency response.

• Strengthening the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) with trained multidisciplinary Rapid Response Teams (RRTs).

• Expansion of the Indian Council of Medical Research's Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) network to more than 160 laboratories for pathogen diagnosis.

Meanwhile, the Nationwide Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) network under ICMR has been expanded to 163 laboratories, comprising 11 Regional VRDLs, 27 State VRDLs and 125 Medical College VRDLs, to strengthen diagnostic capacity across the country.

Cervical Cancer Cases Decline

Read to Know: SHetA2: India's Indigenous Drug Candidate For Cervical Cancer

Meanwhile, recent data from the ICMR's National Cancer Registry Program (NCRP) show that India has recorded a significant decline in its cervical cancer burden.

According to the latest estimates, new cervical cancer cases have fallen by 37% over the past decade, declining from about 1.27 lakh cases annually to around 79,000, marking a major public health milestone in the fight against one of the country's most common cancers among women.

Unlike many other cancers, cervical cancer is considered highly preventable through HPV vaccination, regular screening, and timely treatment of precancerous lesions.

The WHO global targets for 2030 include vaccinating 90 percent of girls by age 15, screening 70 percent of women by ages 35 and 45, and ensuring 90 percent of women with pre-cancer and invasive cancer receive appropriate treatment.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur have uncovered how an experimental vaccine booster molecule activates the body's immune system, a breakthrough that could help researchers develop safer and more effective vaccines in the future.

The study, published this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), provides the first detailed structural view of how a synthetic molecule called EP67 binds to and activates an important immune receptor known as C5aR1. The findings offer researchers a molecular blueprint for improving vaccine adjuvants, the ingredients added to vaccines to strengthen and prolong immune protection.

Unlike vaccines, which train the immune system to recognize a specific pathogen, adjuvants help amplify the body's immune response, making vaccines more effective.

Inspired By The Body's Natural Immune System

Also read: US Reports 2,260 Measles Cases In Just Over Six Months Of 2026: CDC

The researchers developed EP67 by taking inspiration from C5a, a naturally occurring immune protein released during bacterial and viral infections. While C5a helps activate immune cells to fight infections, prolonged activation can trigger harmful inflammation and damage healthy tissues.

To overcome this challenge, the IIT Kanpur team engineered EP67, a much smaller version consisting of just 10 amino acids.

The molecule retains the beneficial immune-stimulating properties of C5a while limiting the inflammatory effects. According to the researchers, EP67 selectively activates dendritic cells and macrophages, two immune cells that play a central role in generating long-lasting immunity, while largely avoiding activation of neutrophils, immune cells that are often responsible for excessive inflammatory responses.

This selective activation makes EP67 a promising candidate as a vaccine adjuvant capable of producing stronger immune protection without triggering inflammation.

Earlier Studies

Previous animal studies have shown the potential of EP67 in boosting vaccine responses.

When incorporated into experimental vaccines against multiple viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, mice developed stronger immune responses than those receiving vaccines alone. Researchers also observed faster recovery in infected animals.

Beyond vaccines, EP67 has also shown promise against bacterial infections, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a major antibiotic-resistant pathogen.

However, the molecule has not yet entered clinical use in humans, and additional preclinical research will be required before human trials can begin.

Although scientists had previously observed EP67's immune-boosting effects, precisely how the molecule worked remained vague for a long time.

The IIT Kanpur researchers found that EP67 binds to C5aR1, a receptor located on the surface of immune cells. C5aR1 belongs to the large family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are involved in transmitting signals into cells and are among the most common targets for modern medicines.

Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), the team captured near-atomic-resolution images showing EP67 adopting a hook-like shape that fits into the centre of the receptor, switching it on and initiating immune activation.

The structural insights have already enabled researchers to redesign EP67 by modifying its amino acid sequence to improve its stability and receptor binding. The next steps would be refining the formulation and introducing it in pre-clinical tests.