Health — Bacteria & Viruses — April 2nd, 2024
Certain gut bacteria may help lower cholesterol and heart disease risk
Changes in the gut microbiome have been implicated in a range of diseases including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease. Now, a team of researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard along with Massachusetts General Hospital has found that microbes in the gut may affect cardiovascular disease as well.
April 2nd, 2024 — Source
Far-UVC light can virtually eliminate airborne virus in an occupied room, study shows
Far-UVC light is a promising new technology for reducing airborne virus levels in occupied indoor spaces, but its effectiveness has not been evaluated in real-life scenarios.
April 2nd, 2024 — Source
Gut bacteria that strongly influence obesity are different in men and women, study finds
New research being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Venice, Italy (12--15 May) identifies changes in the composition of gut bacteria that may play a key role in the onset and development of obesity, with differences in men and women, which might affect the metabolism of different nutrients and therefore the presence of bioactive molecules in the gut that influence the development of metabolic disease.
April 2nd, 2024 — Source
Novel pre-clinical models help advance therapeutic development for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections
The A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs) and the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation have teamed up to shed light on a concerning health issue—infections caused by a type of bacteria known as Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp).
April 2nd, 2024 — Source
Researchers recommend update of dental antibiotic guidelines to protect high-risk heart patients
Research led by the University of Sheffield found that dental patients at high risk of infective endocarditis, a life-threatening infection, should be given antibiotics before undergoing invasive dental treatment.
April 2nd, 2024 — Source
Researchers synthesize new compounds within living cells using light
Plants harness chlorophyll to capture sunlight and kickstart photosynthesis, a crucial process on our planet that converts luminous energy into chemical fuel while producing oxygen. This pivotal chemical energy is subsequently utilized by plants, algae, and select bacteria to metabolize carbon dioxide and water into sugars.
April 2nd, 2024 — Source
Researchers explain how green algae and bacteria together contribute to climate protection
A research team at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany has now found a bacterium that forms a team with a green alga. Both microorganisms support each other in their growth. Additionally, the bacterium helps the microalga to neutralize the toxin of another, harmful bacterium.
April 2nd, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 29th, 2024
Cases of drug-resistant gonorrhea have tripled in China, posing a global threat
A strain of highly antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea first emerged in China in 2016, and cases of this tough-to-treat infection have tripled there in just five years, Chinese researchers report.
March 29th, 2024 — Source
High-resolution images reveal similarities in protein structures between Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome
More than 90% of people with Down syndrome, the most common chromosomal disorder in humans and the most frequent genetic cause of intellectual disability, are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease by ages 55--60.
March 29th, 2024 — Source
Scientists have a new tool in the race to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis
Researchers from Lund University in Sweden have identified distinct molecular signatures associated with the clinical signs of sepsis that could provide more accurate diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis, as well as help to target specific therapies at patients who would benefit most, according to new research being presented at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024) in Barcelona, Spain (27-30 April).
March 29th, 2024 — Source
Study identifies protein responsible for gas vesicle clustering in bacteria
Gas vesicles are hollow structures made of protein found in the cells of certain microorganisms, and researchers at Rice University believe they can be programmed for use in biomedical applications.
March 29th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 28th, 2024
Bacterial RNAs have shorter lifetimes than expected
The decay of ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a crucial mechanism for controlling gene expression in response to environmental stresses. Researchers from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) and the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) have developed a statistical approach that allows a more accurate prediction of RNA half-lives in bacteria.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
Biochemists discover first new antibacterial class in decades
Vanderbilt biochemists are part of a team taking a stride toward the development of antibacterials to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections, a pervasive bacterial infection that affects 50%--60% of women in their lifetime.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
China has a big problem with super gonorrhea, study finds
Drug-resistant gonorrhea is a growing problem—one that doesn't heed borders.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
Exploring the relationship between HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and the incidence of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis
In their research article published in Eurosurveillance, von Schreeb et al. challenge existing assumptions regarding the relationship between the use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and the incidence of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STI).
March 28th, 2024 — Source
Generative AI develops potential new drugs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria
With nearly 5 million deaths linked to antibiotic resistance globally every year, new ways to combat resistant bacterial strains are urgently needed.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
New method uses nanofibrils on magnetic microparticles to isolate HIV particles
Researchers at Leipzig University and Ulm University have developed a new method to isolate HIV from samples more easily, potentially making it easier to detect infection with the virus. They focus on peptide nanofibrils (PNFs) on magnetic microparticles, a promising tool and hybrid material for targeted binding and separation of viral particles. They have published their new findings in Advanced Functional Materials.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
New 'Silicon Spikes' Can Destroy Almost All Virus Particles
The spikes rip apart some viruses while preventing others from replicating. Both could help prevent the spread of disease.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
New study shows how the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus enters our cells
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with JLP Health and others, have identified how the tick-borne Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus enters our cells. The results are published in Nature Microbiology and are an important step in the development of drugs against the deadly disease.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
New TB skin test could offer cheaper and easier way to detect the disease
Detecting tuberculosis early could play a significant role in eradicating the world's most deadly infectious disease. The World Health Organization says 1.5 million people die from this devastating disease each year.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
Puerto Rico declares dengue epidemic as cases climb
Puerto Rico has declared a dengue epidemic following a surge in cases of the mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. territory.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
Researchers uncover potential treatment targets for Zika virus--related eye abnormalities
A study published in the journal iScience presents crucial insights into the ocular effects of Zika virus infection during pregnancy and offers promising avenues for therapeutic intervention.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
Study finds wild nematode worms learn to avoid harmful bacteria—and their offspring inherit this knowledge
The nematode worm C. elegans will stay away from dangerous bacteria in its environment when exposed to certain bacterial RNAs—and can transmit that learned behavior to future generations. A team led by Coleen Murphy at Princeton University report these findings in a new study, published in the journal PLOS Genetics.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
Thailand sounds alarm after anthrax outbreak in Laos
Thailand ordered a close watch on livestock on Thursday after an outbreak of anthrax in neighboring Laos, where more than 50 suspected human cases have been reported.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
US mpox cases rising again as vaccinations lag
Mpox cases are climbing again in the United States, with the number of reported infections now twice as high as they were at this time last year, new government data shows.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
US officials warn of increase in bacterial illnesses that can lead to meningitis and possibly death
U.S. health officials are warning of an increase in rare bacterial illnesses than can lead to meningitis and possible death.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
US tuberculosis cases were at the highest level in a decade in 2023
The number of U.S. tuberculosis cases in 2023 were the highest in a decade, according to a new government report.
March 28th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 27th, 2024
Colistin resistant bacteria found in mothers and newborn babies in Nigeria
Researchers from the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research (IOI) and Cardiff University have found evidence that bacteria resistant to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic, were present in mothers and babies under a week old in Nigeria in 2016, despite limited clinical use of colistin at that time in the country.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
Gut microbiome: Meet Ruminococcus bromii, the microbe that loves carbs
The fascinating human gut bacterium Ruminococcus bromii is one of the ten most common bacterial species found in the colon.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
Half of those with HIV in developed countries are at least age 50, at higher risk of frailty and multiple comorbidities
A new research review to be presented at a pre-congress day for this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024) will focus on the growing prevalence of HIV in older adults, with—using England as an example—half of adults accessing care aged now 50 years and older, and around 1 in 11 aged 65 years and older.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
Inappropriate diagnosis of pneumonia common in hospitalized adults
Inappropriate diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in hospitalized adults is common, especially among older adults and those with dementia, according to a study published online March 25 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
Millions in the UK are being urged to get vaccinations during a surge in measles cases
U.K. health officials on Monday urged millions of parents to book their children for missed measles, mumps and rubella shots during a sharp increase in the number of measles cases and the lowest vaccination rates in a decade.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
More older adults being diagnosed with STIs such as gonorrhea and syphilis
A new research review presented at a pre-congress day for this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024, Barcelona, 27-30 April) will look at how to manage the rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in older people, such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and genital warts.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
Old immune systems revitalized in mouse study, may improve vaccine response in the elderly
Planes, trains, boats, automobiles and even feet. During the past decades and centuries, global travel and human migration have made all of us more worldly—from our broadening awareness of the world beyond our birthplaces, to our more sophisticated palates, to our immune systems that are increasingly challenged by unfamiliar bacteria and viruses.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
Research finds T cell subset significantly expands in spleen and brain after virus infection
It is currently unclear where T cells in the brains of teleosts originate from. While viewing the central nervous system (CNS) as immune privileged has been widely accepted, previous studies suggest that T cells residing in the thymus but not in the spleen of the teleost play an essential role in communicating with the peripheral organs.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
Research team designs silicon spikes that can take out 96% of virus particles
An international research team led by RMIT University has designed and manufactured a virus-killing surface that could help control disease spread in hospitals, labs and other high-risk environments.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
Viral host jumps: Humans to animals transmission more common than previously thought
In a recent study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, researchers harnessed publicly available viral genomic data, using a comprehensive suite of network and phylogenetic analyses to investigate the evolutionary mechanisms underpinning recent viral host jumps.
March 27th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 25th, 2024
A promising new approach to data sharing in neuroscience research
Loren Frank's HHMI lab at UCSF has pioneered an ambitious framework for sharing vast neuroscience datasets and complicated analysis methods, a step toward tipping the culture of science toward more effective and fruitful collaboration.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
Deep learning enables faster, more accurate decisions for treatment of shoulder abnormalities
QUT scientists have developed a deep learning framework to detect shoulder abnormalities such as fractures in X-ray images with 99% accuracy to enable clinicians to make correct and speedy decisions in emergency situations.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
Gut microbiota and antibiotics: Missing puzzle piece discovered
The intricacies of how intestinal bacteria adapt to their environment have yet to be fully explored. Researchers from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg and the University of California, Berkeley, U.S., have now successfully closed a gap in this knowledge.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
New compound extracted from African catfish skin mucas exhibits powerful antibacterial properties
Scientists report they have extracted a compound with powerful antibacterial properties from the skin of farmed African catfish. Although additional testing is necessary to prove the compound is safe and effective for use as future antibiotic, the researchers say it could one day represent a potent new tool against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
Novel electrochemical sensor detects dangerous bacteria
Each year, bacterial infections claim several million lives worldwide. That is why detecting harmful microorganisms is crucial -- not only in the diagnosis of diseases but also, for example, in food production.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
Novel study compares fracture patterning in fatal, survived intimate partner violence cases
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an underreported global human rights issue that affects approximately 25% of women and 10% of men and is the leading cause of homicides among women worldwide. Multiple interventional studies have been conducted to screen for IPV. However, fractures associated with intimate partner homicide (IPH) have not been studied from a forensic anthropological perspective.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
Students lead new study on barriers facing Black medical students pursuing surgical residency
A study led by fourth-year undergraduate medical students at the University of Toronto (U of T) is shedding light on the experiences of Black medical students in applying for a surgical residency in Canada.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
Study describes structure of antiviral drug bulevirtide bound to hepatitis B and D virus receptor protein NTCP
A recent article in the journal Nature Communications describes the structural basis of mimicked HBV/HDV viral peptide drug interaction with its receptor NTCP.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
Study shows impact of cessation of universal BCG vaccination on pediatric TB epidemiology in Ireland
A new study from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin has explored the effects of stopping universal Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination in Ireland.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
There's only one syphilis medication for pregnant people and the supply is running out
The government has a role to play in solving the shortage of the only medication that can treat syphilis in pregnant people, Northeastern University experts say.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
Experts advocate three-pronged approach to identifying missing tuberculosis cases
In the journey towards a world free of Tuberculosis (TB), the crucial first step begins with identifying individuals affected by the disease.
March 25th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 22nd, 2024
Scientists close in on TB blood test which could detect millions of silent spreaders
Millions of people are spreading tuberculosis unknowingly - now scientists say they are close to developing a new test that is as simple as the lateral flows used during the Covid pandemic.
March 22nd, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 20th, 2024
AI can help predict responses to specific tuberculosis treatments, paving way for personalized care
Tuberculosis is the world's deadliest bacterial infection. It afflicted over 10 million people and took 1.3 million lives in 2022. These numbers are predicted to increase dramatically because of the spread of multidrug-resistant TB.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Bioluminescence technology reveals role of protein in immune response modulation
Cutting-edge bioluminescence technology pioneered at The University of Western Australia has been used to uncover a potential game-changer in immunotherapy.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Experts warn climate change will fuel spread of infectious diseases
A team of infectious diseases experts called for more awareness and preparedness in the medical field to deal with the impact of climate change on the spread of diseases. Their article, published in JAMA raises the alarm about the emergence and spread of harmful pathogens. The authors also urge the medical community to update their education and training and take steps to combat global warming.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Friends don't let friends use an AI STI test
No app will be as useful as just peeing in a cup.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
How the body's immune response to bacterial infections could cause detrimental inflammation
Researchers co-led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the University of Toulouse, France, have uncovered how bacteria and their toxins prompt the human immune response, leading to inflammation.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Laboratory model enables researchers to explore the mouth's response to oral disease
Researchers have created a three-dimensional model of the oral mucosa that can be used in studies to test its response to a range of bacterial and other infections. They report their results in the Journal of Tissue Engineering.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Pandemic and Costs Limited Use of Shingles Vaccine
Since its rollout, the Shingrix vaccine has been hailed as a breakthrough in preventing shingles.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Research suggests natural electrical grid deep inside Earth enables many types of microbes to survive
To "breathe" in an environment without oxygen, bacteria in the ground beneath our feet depend upon a single family of proteins to transfer excess electrons (produced during the "burning" of nutrients) to electric hairs called nanowires projecting from their surface.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Researchers develop early detection method for rare Borna virus
Researchers at Augsburg University Medicine have discovered a possible early detection method of the rare Borna virus. Their results have been published in The Lancet. In humans the virus triggers inflammation in the brain which is almost always deadly and is transmitted to humans by shrews.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Routine genomic surveillance at antenatal care can be a cost-effective approach to detect changes in malaria transmission
Genetic diversity of the malaria parasite in pregnant women and children declined in an area targeted for malaria elimination in Mozambique, according to a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by "la Caixa" Foundation and the Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM).
March 20th, 2024 — Source
New tuberculosis study offers a novel paradigm for understanding bacterial transcription
The bacterium behind tuberculosis is a wily foe, adept at bobbing and weaving around the immune system and antibiotics alike. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has been notoriously difficult to eradicate, often dormant in the body for years only to reactivate when the time is ripe.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Study maps main genes involved in immune response to infection by dengue virus
By comparing data for the immune response to natural infection by dengue virus to data for activation of the immune system by dengue vaccines, researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) have identified molecular markers that could be used in the development of novel vaccines and treatments for dengue.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Study reveals how ulcer bacteria's ability to attach to inflamed stomach is affected by pH
A study by Anna Arnqvist's research group at Umeå University reveals molecular details about the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori's ability to bind to an inflamed stomach and how this is controlled by the stomach's pH. An increased understanding of how H. pylori bacteria can cause a persistent lifelong infection is an important piece of the puzzle in order to ultimately identify the characteristics that contribute to disease.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Tracking and tracing members of the plant microbiome with DNA barcodes
A research team led by Paul Schulze-Lefert from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, Germany, developed a modular toolkit for tracking bacterial strains colonizing plant tissue in competition with other microbiome members. The study is now published in Nature Microbiology.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Unique bacteria colonize the gut shortly after birth and make serotonin to educate gut immune cells NewsGuard 100/100 Score
A recent Science Immunology study revealed that neonatal gut bacteria produce serotonin and down-regulate monoamine oxidase A (MOA) to limit serotonin breakdown, thereby promoting immune tolerance.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Watch: Many Americans Are Unaware of HIV Prevention Medication
Celine Gounder, KFF Health News' editor-at-large for public health, explained on "CBS Mornings" why many at-risk Americans do not know about medication to prevent HIV infection through sexual contact or do not have access to it.
March 20th, 2024 — Source or Watch Video
WHO calls for 'immediate action' over cholera vaccine shortage
Immediate action is needed to stem a spike in cholera cases amid worldwide shortages of vaccines, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.
March 20th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 18th, 2024
A new antibody capture method reveals G-quadruplex landscape and its regulation
A new research paper was published in Oncotarget entitled, "G-quadruplex landscape and its regulation revealed by a new antibody capture methodSource."
March 18th, 2024 — Source
Bacteria commonly found in the body contribute to stomach cancer, finds study
A new study has discovered that a type of bacteria commonly found in the body, which usually does not pose problems for healthy people, plays a significant role in causing stomach cancer, the fifth most common cancer in the world. The findings are published in the journal Cell.
March 18th, 2024 — Source
Dosing software accelerates antibiotic effects in ICU patients treated for sepsis
University of Queensland researchers have used dosing software to accelerate the effects of antibiotics in patients being treated for sepsis in Intensive Care Units.
March 18th, 2024 — Source
How is climate change influencing the spread of vector-borne diseases?
In a recent review published in Nature Reviews Microbiology, researchers discussed the impact of climate change, weather, and other anthropogenic factors on vector-borne illness spread globally.
March 18th, 2024 — Source
How the anti-vaccine movement pits parental rights against public health
Gayle Borne has fostered more than 300 children in Springfield, Tennessee. She's cared for kids who have rarely seen a doctor—kids so neglected that they cannot speak. Such children are now even more vulnerable because of a law Tennessee passed last year that requires the direct consent of birth parents or legal guardians for every routine childhood vaccination.
March 18th, 2024 — Source
Genes identified that allow bacteria to thrive despite toxic heavy metal in soil
Some soil bacteria can acquire sets of genes that enable them to pump the heavy metal nickel out of their systems, a study has found. This enables the bacteria to not only thrive in otherwise toxic soils but help plants grow there as well.
March 18th, 2024 — Source
Gut microbiome: Meet Roseburia intestinalis—the energy-producing bacterium that helps us fight against disease
The hundreds of species of microorganisms that comprise the microbiome all have different, unique roles.
March 18th, 2024 — Source
Measles outbreaks have CDC tweaking travel guidelines
As millions of Americans prepare to travel abroad this summer and measles outbreaks increase worldwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tightened its guidance on how travelers should handle the potential health threat.
March 18th, 2024 — Source
Newly identified yeast could prevent fungal infections by outcompeting rivals, study suggests
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have identified a yeast that could be used to prevent invasive candidiasis, a major cause of death in hospitalized and immunocompromised patients. The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, shows that the novel yeast lives harmlessly in the intestines of mice and humans and can displace the yeast responsible for candidiasis, Candida albicans.
March 18th, 2024 — Source
Rising antifungal resistance heightens concerns over invasive fungal infections
A global wave of infections caused by fungi growing drug-resistant has the medical community issuing precautions on how to protect yourself.
March 18th, 2024 — Source or Source
Study shows how heteroresistance can act as a precursor to antibiotic resistance
A new study shows how heteroresistance, a transient resistance common in many bacteria, can act as a precursor to the development of antibiotic resistance. According to researchers at Uppsala University, this is the first time this link has been demonstrated.
March 18th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 15th, 2024
Common viruses trigger most cases of intussusception in children
Viral infections trigger more cases of intussusception, the common cause of bowel blockages in young children, than previously thought, according to a new study.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Czechs see record spread of whooping cough
More than 3,000 Czechs have caught whooping cough so far this year, the highest figure since the 1960s, with teenagers the worst hit, health authorities said Friday.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Research team identifies three bacteria species in the human gut that can break down cellulose
An international team of biotechnologists and evolutionary specialists has discovered three types of bacteria in the human gut that help to break down cellulose. In their project, reported in the journal Science, the group studied the genomes of bacteria found in human and ruminates.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Researchers discover key metabolic process responsible for rapid immune responses
Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) identified a key metabolite in cells that helps direct immune responses and explains at a single cell level why immune cells that most efficiently recognize pathogens, vaccines, or diseased cells grow and divide faster than other cells.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Study shows that antibiotics targeting the same enzyme elicit varied responses
There is an urgent need for new antimicrobial strategies to keep pathogens in check. This applies specifically to Gram-negative bacteria, which are protected from antibiotic intervention by a thick second membrane.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 14th, 2024
Bacterial diseases a lethal threat during the Stone Age
Bacterial poisoning via food and water—but also via contact such as kisses—caused a lot of suffering during the Stone Age. Diseases that today can be treated with antibiotics were then fatal, concludes new study published in Scientific Reports.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Common viruses trigger most cases of intussusception in children, finds study
Viral infections trigger more cases of intussusception, the common cause of bowel blockages in young children, than previously thought, according to a new study.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Gut bacteria and tryptophan diet can play a protective role against pathogenic E. coli
Gut bacteria and a diet rich in the amino acid tryptophan can play a protective role against pathogenic E. coli, which can cause severe stomach upset, cramps, fever, intestinal bleeding and renal failure, according to a study published March 13 in Nature.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Gut bacteria important for overcoming milk allergy, study suggests
Researchers led by Hiroshi Ohno at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences in Japan have discovered a link between gut bacteria and the success of milk-allergy oral immunotherapy.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Infections from nontuberculous mycobacteria are on the rise: New blood test cuts diagnosis time from months to hours
Inhaling nontuberculous mycobacteria is common for most people. The bacteria are found in water systems, soil and dust worldwide and, for many, cause no harm.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Nanozyme-enabled nanodecoys: A new strategy for fighting urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs), affecting millions worldwide, are predominantly caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). These infections are characterized by bacterial adhesion and colonization in the urinary tract, evading host immune responses. Researchers from Nanjing University have recently reported a new approach to combating UTIs through the development of bioinspired nanozymes acting as nanodecoys.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
New study explores next-generation vaccine technology for RSV
Calder Biosciences, Inc., a next-generation vaccine company, has published an article that debuts and validates the application of Calder's '3D Vaxlock' platform technology. When applied to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) F protein as a vaccine immunogen, Calder's 3D Vaxlock technology achieves an unprecedented 11X more potent immune response than the standard industry comparator.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Q&A: The rising rates of immunosuppression among US adults
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, as it became clear that people with suppressed immune systems were particularly vulnerable to the worst of the virus, public health officials prioritized their protection. Leaders presented stay-at-home orders and masking requirements as measures to prevent the virus from spreading to high-risk individuals. And when vaccines became available, many governments placed immunocompromised people near the front of the line.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Republic of Congo reports its first mpox virus cases, in several regions
The Republic of Congo has recorded its first cases of mpox in several regions, the health ministry said, an indication of how the disease may be spreading across Africa since sexual transmission was first confirmed on the continent last year.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Scientists compete to make best predictions about pertussis vaccine
Scientists love a challenge. Or a friendly competition. Now, scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have recently published the results of a competition that put researchers to the test. For the competition, part of the Computational Models of Immunity network, teams of researchers from different institutions offered up their best predictions regarding B. pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination.
March 14th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 11th, 2024
A catalog of coral microbes and metabolites paves the way to monitoring reef health
Researchers may have a new way to monitor the health of reefs around HawaiÊ»i. A study co-led by a University of HawaiÊ»i at MÄnoa doctoral student has revealed that each type of coral and algae from a coral reef produced a unique suite of chemical compounds.
March 11th, 2024 — Source
Close research partnership with African scientists helps solve mystery of malaria-like illnesses
Malaria prevalence has decreased drastically over the past two decades, but clinics in West Africa are still full of patients with fevers and symptoms similar to, but not exactly like, malaria.
March 11th, 2024 — Source
Gut microbiome: Meet Ruminococcus gnavus, the bacteria with a sweet tooth
Having a sweet tooth isn't just a human characteristic. It turns out our gut microbes can have a preference for sweets, tooâ€"and one of these selfish, sugar-loving bacteria is Ruminococcus gnavus.
March 11th, 2024 — Source
Higher bacterial counts detected in single-serving milks
Cornell University scientists have detected higher bacterial counts in commercial, paperboard single-serving containers two weeks after processing than in milk packaged in larger containers from the same facilities.
March 11th, 2024 — Source
How quickly could measles outbreak spread? Here's what 'worst-case scenario' looks like
How quickly could measles actually spread in South Florida?
March 11th, 2024 — Source
How to Beat a Bad Cold or the Flu
Here, remedies to help ease your aches, coughing, and fever—and sometimes even shorten a viral infection
March 11th, 2024 — Source
Improving care of hospitalized patients with HIV in Tanzania
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have shown that three months of social worker follow-up support to people hospitalized with HIV in Tanzania had health benefits at low cost. The protocol shortened the time it took participants to attend an HIV clinic and to start on antiretroviral therapy after discharge.
March 11th, 2024 — Source
'Molecular Rosetta Stone' reveals how our microbiomes 'talk' to us
Researchers from Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego have uncovered thousands of previously unknown bile acids, a type of molecule used by our gut microbiome to communicate with the rest of the body.
March 11th, 2024 — Source
Nurse-led strategy found to reduce cardiovascular risk factors for people with HIV
Nurse-led management can lower cardiovascular risk factors among individuals with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy, according to a study published online March 5 in JAMA Network Open.
March 11th, 2024 — Source
Why do some vaccines work better than others?
If someone is vaccinated against the measles virus, they likely won't get measles.
March 11th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 8th, 2024
MIT Scientists Enhance Vaccines with Novel Nanoparticles
Numerous vaccines, such as those for whooping cough and hepatitis B, contain bits of bacterial or viral proteins. These vaccines also often contain adjuvants, which are molecules that help enhance the response of the immune system to the proteins.
March 8th, 2024 — Source
Q&A: Prescription drugs and the gut microbiome—getting the right balance
Pills and the gut microbiome sometimes don't mix. Oral prescription drugs often disturb the gut microbiome, killing off some species or changing the balance in a way that impacts patient health. In other combinations, bacteria get the upper hand and disable a drug's active ingredient.
March 8th, 2024 — Source
Researchers open new leads in anti-HIV drug development, using a compound found in nature
A team of University of Michigan researchers has successfully modified a naturally occurring chemical compound in the lab, resulting in advanced lead compounds with anti-HIV activity.
March 8th, 2024 — Source
Versatile antibody technology allows design of long-acting antibodies with tailored target-dependent mode of actions
Antibody therapeutics are a rapidly growing class of drugs used to treat infections as well as a range of diseases. Among them are cancer and autoimmunity particularly important, and the use of antibody therapeutics transforms the lives of patients.
March 8th, 2024 — Source
Women with high-risk HPV and metabolic syndrome have almost three times risk for mortality: Study
Using large-scale U.S. data following patients for more than a decade, York University Faculty of Health researchers found that women with both metabolic syndrome and high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) are at a 2.6 times higher risk for mortality than women without either condition, suggesting a need to look at chronic disease comorbidity when it comes to HPV-related cancers.
March 8th, 2024 — Source
Zika virus vaccine emerges as an unlikely hero in battling brain cancer
Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) have developed a new approach using the Zika virus to destroy brain cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth, while sparing healthy cells. Using Zika virus vaccine candidates developed at Duke-NUS, the team discovered how these strains target rapidly proliferating cells over mature cells—making them an ideal option to target fast-growing cancerous cells in the adult brain.
March 8th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 6th, 2024
Airflow dynamics are as important as the volume of air flow in dispersing pathogens, study finds
If you've ever wondered why some folks never catch the office or school cold, where they're sitting might be keeping them from the path of pathogens, according to new UBC Okanagan research.
March 6th, 2024 — Source
Children surpass a year of HIV remission after treatment pause
NIH-funded trial shows promising outcomes with treatment started promptly after birth.
March 6th, 2024 — Source or Source
Endolymphatic hydrops, nystagmus can help ID subgroups of Meniere disease
Subgroups of Meniere disease (MD) can be made based on the presence or absence of endolymphatic hydrops (EH) and nystagmus, according to a study published online Jan. 10 in Frontiers in Neurology.
March 6th, 2024 — Source
First atom-level structure of packaged viral genome reveals new properties and dynamics
A computational model of the more than 26 million atoms in a DNA-packed viral capsid expands our understanding of virus structure and DNA dynamics, insights that could provide new research avenues and drug targets, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers report in the journal Nature.
March 6th, 2024 — Source
Long-acting HIV treatment benefits adults with barriers to daily pill taking and adolescents with suppressed HIV
NIH-funded research networks provide evidence on cabotegravir and rilpivirine in additional populations.
March 6th, 2024 — Source
Metal-organic framework nanoparticles make vaccines more powerful
Many vaccines, including vaccines for hepatitis B and whooping cough, consist of fragments of viral or bacterial proteins. These vaccines often include other molecules called adjuvants, which help to boost the immune system's response to the protein.
March 6th, 2024 — Source
Research reveals novel herpesvirus in South American pinnipeds
New research in PLOS ONE uncovers an important discovery in the study of marine mammal health by being the first study to detect Otariid gammaherpesvirus 1 (OtGHV1) in free-ranging South American pinnipeds, as well as a novel herpesvirus Otariid gammaherpesvirus 8 (OtGHV8) in South American sea lions (Otaria byronia) in the Southern Hemisphere.
March 6th, 2024 — Source
Scientists use a new type of nanoparticle that can both deliver vaccines and act as an adjuvant
Many vaccines, including vaccines for hepatitis B and whooping cough, consist of fragments of viral or bacterial proteins. These vaccines often include other molecules called adjuvants, which help to boost the immune system's response to the protein.
March 6th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 4th, 2024
Bacterial genes responsible for breaking down metformin in sewer water discovered
A team of biochemists at the University of Minnesota has discovered which two bacterial genes are responsible for producing proteins capable of breaking down metformin in sewer water. In their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group isolated genes likely to be involved in creating the target proteins.
March 4th, 2024 — Source
In Rio, rife with dengue, bacteria-infected mosquitoes are making a difference
Since Rio de Janeiro declared a public health emergency after an outbreak of dengue fever last month, the city has ramped up testing capacities, opened up a dozen dengue health centers and trained medical staff to attend to the ever-growing needs of its population.
March 4th, 2024 — Source
Novel material degrades a widely used antibiotic that contaminates water
Levofloxacin is a widely used antibiotic prescribed to treat pneumonia, bacterial rhinosinusitis, bacterial prostatitis, pyelonephritis, urinary tract infections, skin disorders, and skin structure infections, among other conditions. The drug is prevalent in aqueous environments owing to its low degradability in wastewater treatment plants and is therefore considered an emerging pollutant.
March 4th, 2024 — Source
Tools underestimate cardiovascular event risk in people with HIV
NIH trial reveals need for more accurate screening in Black people and cisgender women
March 4th, 2024 — Source
US conspiracy theorists monetize 'Disease X' misinformation
Coined by the World Health Organization to denote a hypothetical future pandemic, "Disease X" is at the center of a blizzard of misinformation that American conspiracy theorists are amplifying—and profiting from.
March 4th, 2024 — Source
What is mpox, and how you can protect yourself
An outbreak of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) across Europe and North America made headlines in 2022.
March 4th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 3rd, 2024
Measles is one of the deadliest and most contagious infectious diseases—and one of the most easily preventable
"You don't count your children until the measles has passed." Dr. Samuel Katz, one of the pioneers of the first measles vaccine in the late 1950s to early 1960s, regularly heard this tragic statement from parents in countries where the measles vaccine was not yet available, because they were so accustomed to losing their children to measles.
March 3rd, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 2nd, 2024
Dengue cases in Peru are surging, fueled by mosquitoes and high temperatures brought by El Niño
Residents of Pedregal Grande, a poor neighborhood in the Peruvian city of Piura, receive water for only 30 minutes a day because of shortages, forcing them to collect it in plastic tanks that have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
March 2nd, 2024 — Source
Only nine percent of older Americans were vaccinated against RSV before the disease hit this fall and winter
A new study from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health found that only 9 percent of older Americans had been vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prior to this fall and winter, despite the threat of increased rates of hospitalization and deaths nationwide from the virus.
March 2nd, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — March 1st, 2024
2023 to 2024 seasonal influenza vaccine effective for reducing risk, research finds
The 2023 to 2024 seasonal influenza vaccine is effective for reducing the risk for medically attended influenza virus infection, according to research published in the Feb. 29 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
March 1st, 2024 — Source
An overgrowth of nerve cells appears to cause lingering symptoms after recurrent UTIs
A perplexing problem for people with recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) is persistent pain, even after antibiotics have successfully cleared the bacteria.
March 1st, 2024 — Source
How signaling proteins get to the mitochondrial surface
Mitochondria are organelles that are known for providing the energy currency that fuels chemical reactions within cells, but they are also involved in other important processes vital for cell health including the innate immune response to pathogens like viruses, programmed cell death, and communication with the rest of the cell—processes that all play a role in health and disease.
March 1st, 2024 — Source
New antibodies target 'dark side' of influenza virus protein
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified antibodies targeting a hard-to-spot region of the influenza virus, shedding light on the relatively unexplored "dark side" of the neuraminidase (NA) protein head. The antibodies target a region of the NA protein that is common among many influenza viruses, including H3N2 subtype viruses, and could be a new target for countermeasures.
March 1st, 2024 — Source or Source
Newly identified antibodies target a hard-to-spot region of the influenza virus
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified antibodies targeting a hard-to-spot region of the influenza virus, shedding light on the relatively unexplored "dark side" of the neuraminidase (NA) protein head. The antibodies target a region of the NA protein that is common among many influenza viruses, including H3N2 subtype viruses, and could be a new target for countermeasures.
March 1st, 2024 — Source
Post-pandemic vaccine hesitancy fueling latest measles outbreak
Cases of measles are rising across the country and seem to be striking counties at random, but experts say there is one thing the public health system can do to turn the tide, and that's to stem the post-pandemic vaccine lag and get parents to vaccinate their kids.
March 1st, 2024 — Source
Research team develops nanoparticle-based sonodynamic therapy for H. pylori infection
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a common pathogen that can be transmitted from person to person. Long-term H. pylori infection has been recognized as a Class I human carcinogen. Currently, the standard clinical treatments for H. pylori infection (i.e., triple and quadruple therapy) rely on oral antibiotics to clear H. pylori from the stomach.
March 1st, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 28th, 2024
Avian influenza virus is adapting to spread to marine mammals
The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has adapted to spread between birds and marine mammals, posing an immediate threat to wildlife conservation, according to a study from the University of California, Davis, and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Argentina.
February 28th, 2024 — Source
Expedition finds Tibetan lakes harbor bacteria that produce antibiotics
Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from China and Russia have discovered that the waters and soils of the Tibetan Plateau are teeming with bacteria that produce antibiotics. While none of the antimicrobial compounds identified by the team are new to science, the findings bring certain hope amid the outbreak of bacterial resistance triggered by irresponsible drug use.
February 28th, 2024 — Source
Eyes serve as immunological barrier in fight against brain pathogens, finds study
The eyes have been called the window to the brain. It turns out they also serve as an immunological barrier that protects the organ from pathogens and even tumors, Yale researchers have found.
February 28th, 2024 — Source
How AI and FHIR can help reduce sepsis mortality rates
Yusuf Tamer, principal data and applied scientist at the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation, offers a sneak preview of his HIMSS24 session, which offers a detailed look at one of artificial intelligence's most promising use cases.
February 28th, 2024 — Source
How does vaccination thwart pneumococcal infection? Animal model uncovers 'capture and kill' scenario
In findings that are nothing short of surprising, scientists have demonstrated that the liver is the site where the immune system unleashes its assault on pneumococcal bacteria following vaccination against the potentially lethal pathogens.
February 28th, 2024 — Source
Q&A: Supercomputer simulations find new starting point for HIV therapies
Molecular simulations on the JUWELS supercomputer show how the HIV-1 virus is able to evade the human immune system. The newly discovered mechanism could prove to be the Achilles' heel of the virus and open new doors for HIV therapies.
February 28th, 2024 — Source
Researchers develop a new toolkit of fruit flies to study Zika virus
To study how Zika virus proteins hijack and disrupt host developmental pathways during infection and disease progression, Dr. Shinya Yamamoto, assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and principal investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; Dr. Nichole Link, assistant professor at the University of Utah; and colleagues have generated a toolkit of transgenic flies expressing all ten Zika virus proteins.
February 28th, 2024 — Source
The 'switch' that keeps the immune system from attacking the body
A microscopic battle rages in our bodies, as our cells constantly fend off invaders through our immune system: a complex system of cells and proteins designed to protect us from harmful pathogens. One of its central components is the enzyme cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), which acts as a sentinel, detecting foreign DNA and initiating an immune response.
February 28th, 2024 — Source
What is measles, and how can I shield myself & my family?
Once thought to be a bygone disease, measles is making a comeback in the United States and globally as folks shun a safe, surefire way to prevent it: The measles vaccine.
February 28th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 27th, 2024
Bile acid breakthrough: Researchers team up for microbiome discoveries
Ask someone what they think of when they hear the phrase "bile acids," and you might get a few unpleasant answers.
February 27th, 2024 — Source
Nanotweezers accelerate phage therapy
With antibiotic resistance looming as a formidable threat to our health, scientists are on a constant quest for alternative ways to treat bacterial infections. As more and more bacterial strains outsmart drugs we have been relying on for decades, a possible alternative solution may be found in bacteriophages, which are viruses that prey on bacteria.
February 27th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 26th, 2024
'Artificial tongue' detects and inactivates common mouth bacteria
From the fuzzy feeling on your teeth to the unfortunate condition of halitosis, bacteria shape mouth health. When dental illnesses take hold, diagnosis and treatment are necessary, but identifying the microorganisms behind an infection can be a lengthy and expensive process.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Biodiversity of gut bacteria is associated with sexual behavior
The human body is colonized by a variety of different microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and fungi. All these microbial co-inhabitants—known as the microbiome or microbiota—are important for our health: For example, the microbiome in the gut supports digestion and helps to make nutrients available.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Blindness from some inherited eye diseases may be caused by gut bacteria, news study suggests
Sight loss in certain inherited eye diseases may be caused by gut bacteria, and is potentially treatable by antimicrobials, finds a new study in mice co-led by a UCL and Moorfields researcher.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Feds eye Texas as cases of syphilis surge in newborns
Syphilis is on the rise in Texas and nationally, causing serious medical complications, especially for newborn babies who contract the disease during pregnancy.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Gut bacteria may be responsible for sight loss in certain inherited eye diseases
Sight loss in certain inherited eye diseases may be caused by gut bacteria, and is potentially treatable by antimicrobials, finds a new study in mice co-led by a UCL and Moorfields researcher.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Improving public understanding of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is an open, national surveillance system used by medical professionals as well as the public at large to self-report potential adverse medical events following vaccination. These events are entered as unconfirmed reports to VAERS, which is managed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Isolating and genotyping Leptospira bacteria for the first time in Austria
Leptospirosis is a globally distributed infectious disease that affects both animals and humans. While the infection is endemic in tropical regions, its incidence seems to increase in temperate regions. The serological diagnostic test used in routine to detect antibodies against the bacteria responsible for the disease performs better when local variants are used. In Austria, however, no locally circulating strain has been available to date.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
New analysis shows anti-vaccination conspiracy theories gain political weight due to social media
Heightened use of social media during the coronavirus pandemic brought with it an unprecedented surge in the spread of misinformation. Of particular significance were conspiracy theories surrounding the virus and vaccines made to combat it. Though conspiracy theories about vaccines are not a new phenomenon, this was the first time they were observed becoming elevated to the level of national political discourse.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Structure of HSV-1 gB bound to a potent neutralizing antibody reveals a conservative antigenic domain across herpesvirus
Human herpesviruses comprise the alpha, beta, and gamma subfamilies and are a widely prevalent group of DNA-enveloped viruses capable of establishing lifelong latent infections in humans and causing various diseases. Among them, herpes simplex virus (HSV) belongs to the alpha herpesvirus group and infects a wide population, causing symptoms like oral or genital herpes.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Study reveals BCG vaccine's unexpected role in fighting influenza
As Canada's flu season collides with record strep A cases and ongoing COVID-19 concerns, a new study is shedding light on our understanding of respiratory immune responses. Scholars from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) have discovered a surprising facet about a century-old vaccine for tuberculosis, Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG).
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Walking pneumonia: What you should know
Not all medical conditions have names that spell out their meaning, but "walking pneumonia" seems to be an exception.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Why confirmed cases of Lyme disease have increased
Recent tracking rule changes led to a significant increase in reported Lyme disease cases in the U.S.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Zika virus detected in Singapore neighborhood: 15 cases spark renewed vigilance
In a recent study published in eBioMedicine, researchers conducted entomological, wastewater, and case surveillance of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in Singapore.
February 26th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 24th, 2024
Researchers develop promising recombinant flu vaccine using nanoliposome technology
Recombinant protein vaccines, like the Novavax vaccine used to fight COVID-19, offer several advantages over conventional vaccines.
February 24th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 23rd, 2024
AI tool helps develop the most complete map of the bacterial essential interactome
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) researchers have produced the most complete map of the bacterial essential interactome, i.e. how proteins combine and interact to perform functions essential for their survival. The research, published in the journal eLife, used the artificial intelligence tool AlphaFold to predict and model more than 1,400 interactions. The results have revealed previously unknown details of these mechanisms and offer potential targets for the development of new antibiotics.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Bacteria can develop resistance to drugs they haven't encountered before. Scientists figured this out decades ago
Do bacteria mutate randomly, or do they mutate for a purpose? Researchers have been puzzling over this conundrum for over a century.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Fibroblast cells play a key role in resolving joint inflammation, new study finds
In a significant breakthrough in inflammatory arthritis research, a study published today (Feb. 23) in Nature Immunology has revealed that inflammation-associated fibroblasts—a type of cell in connective tissues—can switch phenotype and stabilize specific immune cell populations in the joint, promoting the resolution of inflammation.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Florida Defies CDC in Measles Outbreak With Fraught Advice to Parents
With a brief memo, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has subverted a public health standard that's long kept measles outbreaks under control.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Fungal keratitis prevalence twice as high in rural versus nonrural areas
Fungal keratitis prevalence appears to be twice as high in rural versus nonrural areas, according to a research letter published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Key link discovered between spread of antibiotic resistance genes and drug resistance evolution
Biomedical engineers at Duke University have uncovered a key link between the spread of antibiotic resistance genes and the evolution of resistance to new drugs in certain pathogens.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Percentage of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections up since September 2023, research shows
The percentage of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections decreased during the pandemic, but has increased since September 2023, according to research published in the Feb. 22 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Research reveals bacteria's dynamic defense duo against phage viruses
Scientists at the University of Southampton have discovered that bacteria can pair up their defense systems to create a formidable force, greater than the sum of its parts, to fight off attack from phage viruses. Understanding how bacteria react to this type of virus is a big step in combatting antimicrobial resistance.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Should you worry about measles in South Florida? What to know as school cases found
It often starts with a cough. Red, watery eyes. A high fever. You might think it's a normal cold. Perhaps it's the flu.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Study: 'Hexaplex' vaccine aims to boost flu protection
Recombinant protein vaccines, like the Novavax vaccine used to fight COVID-19, offer several advantages over conventional vaccines. They're easy to produce precisely. They're safe and potentially more effective. And they could require smaller doses.
February 23rd, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 21st, 2024
AGA guideline endorses fecal microbiota transplant as treatment for recurrent C. diff infection
In the first comprehensive evidence-based guideline on the use of fecal microbiota-based therapies for gastrointestinal disease, the American Gastroenterological Association recommends fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) for most patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Australian citizen scientists hop to it with rabbit virus tracking project
Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, is calling on rural and regional Australians to join in the longest-running citizen science survey of rabbit diseases in the world, to help keep the invasive pest in check.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Comprehensive analysis of immune checkpoint inhibitors reveals endocrine toxicity patterns
Announcing a new publication for Acta Materia Medica journal. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment but pose a challenge of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), particularly endocrine toxicity, that can severely compromise patient well-being. Existing research has often been limited in scope and has not provided comprehensive safety profiles across the diverse range of ICI therapies.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Dengue fever: An expert explains the mosquito-borne infection
Recent outbreaks of dengue fever in Brazil have prompted public health officials to launch an immunization campaign targeting children ages 10 to 11.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Digital DNA melting analysis can be a faster and more reliable tool for pathogen detection
A new analysis method can detect pathogens in blood samples faster and more accurately than blood cultures, which are the current state of the art for infection diagnosis. The new method, called digital DNA melting analysis, can produce results in under six hours, whereas culture typically requires 15 hours to several days, depending on the pathogen.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Harnessing siRNA-Loaded Nanomedicine to Target HIV
During the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists and medical professionals used mRNA to deliver a vaccine for the virus within a year, demonstrating to the public the importance of mRNA.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Long-acting HIV treatment demonstrates efficacy in people with challenges taking daily medicine as prescribed
Long-acting antiretroviral therapy (ART) with cabotegravir and rilpivirine was superior in suppressing HIV replication compared to daily oral ART in people who had been unable to maintain viral suppression through an oral daily regimen, according to interim data from a randomized trial. Upon review of these findings, an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) recommended halting randomization and inviting all eligible study participants to take long-acting ART.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
NIH study offers new clues into the causes of post-infectious ME/CFS
In-depth study finds brain, immune, and metabolic abnormalities linked to debilitating chronic disease.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Possible trigger for autoimmune diseases discovered: B cells teach T cells which targets must not be attacked
Immune cells must learn not to attack the body itself. A team of researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) has discovered a previously unknown mechanism behind this: other immune cells, the B cells, contribute to the "training" of the T cells in the thymus gland.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Researchers reveal what makes some bacteria life-threatening
Queensland researchers have discovered that a mutation allows some E. coli bacteria to cause severe disease in people while other bacteria are harmless, a finding that could help combat antibiotic resistance.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Study examines medical mystery of child hepatitis outbreak
An analysis of the sudden global outbreak of hepatitis in children finds that although the primary suspect is highly likely to be an infection by multiple viruses, many questions still puzzle researchers.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Study offers new clues into the causes of post-infectious chronic fatigue syndrome
In a detailed clinical study, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found differences in the brains and immune systems of people with post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (PI-ME/CFS). They also found distinct differences between men and women with the disease.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
TB vaccine shrinks liver cancer tumors in mice
A UC Davis Health study found that a single dose of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), the vaccine for tuberculosis (TB), reduced liver tumor burden and extended the survival of mice with liver cancer. The study, published in Advanced Science, is the first to show the promising effects of the vaccine in treating liver cancer.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
VPNVax: Crafting enhanced viral structure in vaccines through polymer restructuring
Generally speaking, the higher the degree of information restoration of a vaccine to a virus, the greater its potential efficacy. The virus itself is the most authentic vaccine, such as the varicella-zoster virus, which provides lifelong immunity after a single infection. However, viruses also evolve mechanisms to evade immune surveillance during their long evolutionary history, such as evading the immune system's pursuit by frequently changing disguises through high mutability.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Why do I keep getting urinary tract infections? And why are chronic UTIs so hard to treat?
Dealing with chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) means facing more than the occasional discomfort. It's like being on a never ending battlefield against an unseen adversary, making simple daily activities a trial.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Worse overall survival seen for adults with leukemia with CNS involvement
For adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), those with central nervous system (CNS) involvement have worse overall survival, according to a review published in the February issue of Leukemia Research.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Worse survival rates, different care for cancer patients who live further from the hospital in Scotland
Patients who live further away from cancer centers are likely to receive different care and experience worse outcomes than those who live closer according to new research on patients in the north-east of Scotland and the Northern Isles. This is despite patients from further away being referred and diagnosed as quickly as people close to the center.
February 21st, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 19th, 2024
CDC studies show effectiveness of flu vaccines across all age groups
The prospect of the worrisome triple threat of COVID, RSV and flu was assuaged last year by the effectiveness of flu vaccines. Two recent studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's VISION Network have found that flu vaccines were effective for all ages against both moderate and severe flu in the U.S. during the 2022-2023 flu season.
February 19th, 2024 — Source
Discovery of new enzymes related to bacterial cell walls could lead to novel antibiotics
Bacterial cell walls form mesh-like structures, shielding cells from rupturing under high internal pressure and safeguarding against external threats. The cell wall is comprised of sugar and amino acid molecules interconnected by various types of cross-links. These cross-links play a crucial role in providing strength and stability to the cell wall, while also enabling bacteria to adapt to diverse environments and stressors.
February 19th, 2024 — Source
HIV among older South Africans in rural areas: Large study shows there's a problem that's being neglected
South Africa continues to have a high prevalence of HIV among all age groups. About 8.2 million people or 13.7% of the population live with HIV, one of the highest rates in the world.
February 19th, 2024 — Source
Rare case of opossum infected by rabies sounds alarm regarding circulation of this virus in urban environments
A female white-eared opossum (Didelphis albiventris) found dead in 2021 in Bosque dos Jequitibás Park in the center of Campinas, one of the largest cities in São Paulo state, Brazil, died from rabies meningoencephalitis, according to a group of researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) and Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL), the regional reference laboratory, working with health professionals affiliated with public institutions in São Paulo city and Campinas.
February 19th, 2024 — Source
Revealing global barriers to curative hep C treatment access
Almost 90% of the 57 million people living with hepatitis C live in low- and middle-income countries, but only half of these countries currently provide curative treatments at an accessible cost, according to a study by UNSW Sydney's Kirby Institute.
February 19th, 2024 — Source
Without social distancing, how do bacteria survive a viral epidemic?
Like humans struggling to get through the COVID-19 pandemic, bacterial cells need social distancing to thwart viruses. But in some situations, such as inside elevators or within the candy-colored bacterial structures known as "pink berries," staying apart just isn't feasible.
February 19th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 14th, 2024
Antiseptic mouthwash reduces periodontitis bacteria in diabetes patients
More than bad breath, there is growing evidence that ongoing inflammation in the mouth, like with gum disease, is associated with serious diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or type 2 diabetes. Now, researchers from Osaka University have identified an easy way to fight bacteria that might cause such problems.
February 14th, 2024 — Source
Case study features successful treatment of the oldest patient to achieve remission for leukemia and HIV
City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, treated the oldest person to be cured of a blood cancer and then achieve remission for HIV after receiving a blood stem cell transplant from a donor with a rare genetic mutation. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine today demonstrates that older adults with blood cancers who receive reduced intensity chemotherapy before a stem cell transplant with donor cells that are resistant to HIV may be cured of HIV infection.
February 14th, 2024 — Source
Data show 2016 to 2022 saw increase in rate of maternal syphilis
There was an increase in maternal syphilis rates in women giving birth in the United States from 2016 to 2022, according to a February data brief published by the National Center for Health Statistics.
February 14th, 2024 — Source
Fluid-filled lung sac found to be the hub for virus-eating cells
Scientists have long thought of the fluid-filled sac around our lungs merely as a cushion from external damage. Turns out, it also houses potent virus-eating cells that rush into the lungs during flu infections.
February 14th, 2024 — Source
New research advances potential HIV cure strategy
Published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, new research led by the University of Minnesota Medical School offers a new avenue of hope in the fight against chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
February 14th, 2024 — Source
Research team creates novel rabies viral vectors for neural circuit mapping https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-case-drug-resistant-bacteria-phage.html
A research team led by the University of California, Irvine has created 20 new recombinant rabies viral vectors for neural circuit mapping that offer a range of significant advantages over existing tools, including the ability to detect microstructural changes in models of aging and Alzheimer's disease brain neurons.
February 14th, 2024 — February 14th, 2024
Scientists discover hidden army of lung flu fighters
Scientists have long thought of the fluid-filled sac around our lungs merely as a cushion from external damage. Turns out, it also houses potent virus-eating cells that rush into the lungs during flu infections.
February 14th, 2024 — Source
Study finds climate change has contributed to the spatial expansion of West Nile virus in Europe
West Nile virus is an emerging pathogen in Europe and represents a public health threat in previously non-affected European countries. Occurring in a cycle involving transmission between bird and mosquito species, this virus can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes and induce West Nile fever.
February 14th, 2024 — Source
What is Alaskapox? Recent death brings attention to virus seen in small animals
For nine years, Alaska health officials have been aware of an unusual virus causing rare, relatively mild illnesses in the Fairbanks area. But a recent case in another part of the state—this one resulting in a man's death—has brought new attention to the so-called Alaskapox virus.
February 14th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 12th, 2024
Cambodia reports a new bird flu case, the brother of a 9-year-old who died of the virus
The brother of a boy who died last week from bird flu has tested positive for the virus, Cambodia's Health Ministry said Monday.
February 12th, 2024 — Source
Disparities in mpox vaccine uptake could leave many vulnerable to resurgence
A study by CUNY SPH researchers found that, even as availability of the mpox vaccine increased toward the end of the 2022 outbreak in the U.S., uptake remained low.
February 12th, 2024 — Source
Lack of access to health care is partly to blame for skyrocketing HIV rates among gay Black men
Over the past 20 years, people living with HIV in the United States have seen a drastic improvement in their overall quality of life
Massachusetts doctors push for measles vaccination after cases reported in several states
Local doctors are urging families to get vaccinated against measles following a troubling rise in measles cases across several U.S. states and Europe.
February 12th, 2024 — Source
Multimodal AI model may guide personalized treatments for tuberculosis
A team of University of Michigan researchers has developed a multimodal AI model to predict treatment outcomes of tuberculosis (TB) patients. Their analysis of worldwide patient data may lead to personalization of TB treatment.
February 12th, 2024 — Source
Researchers offer new insights into how antibodies function against herpes simplex virus
Findings from a new study conducted by a team of researchers at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine and Thayer School of Engineering and published in Cell Reports Medicine offer new insights into how antibodies function in combating herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections
February 12th, 2024 — Source
Scientists develop model to distinguish between two strikingly similar diseases blamed for skin lesions
Scientists have developed a deep learning (DL) model capable of quickly and accurately distinguishing between monkeypox and chickenpox skin lesions, which often exhibit striking similarities.
February 12th, 2024 — Source
Scientists identify "universal network" of microbes for decomposing flesh
Findings could help forensic scientists better determine a body's precise time of death.
February 12th, 2024 — Source
Tuberculosis cases rise, but public health agencies say they lack the resources to keep up
Until COVID-19, tuberculosis was the world's deadliest infectious disease, killing about 1.5 million people annually.
February 12th, 2024 — Source
"Very sick" pet cat gave Oregon resident case of bubonic plague
The person's cat was reportedly extremely ill and had a draining abscess.
February 12th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 9th, 2024
CARB-X awards $1.8 million to Visby Medical to develop a portable rapid PCR test for gonorrhea
Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) will award up to US$1.8 million to biotechnology company, Visby Medical, to develop a portable rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic to detect the presence of the pathogen that causes gonorrhea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and its susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, a former frontline oral antibiotic that can no longer treat resistant NG.
February 9th, 2024 — Source
Drug repurposing research offers new hope in the fight against RSV
Every year in the winter months, there are waves of infection with RSV. In healthy adults and adolescents, the infection is usually harmless. Not so with small children: Around 1% of them who are exposed to the pathogen for the first time become so seriously ill that they have to be hospitalized.
February 9th, 2024 — Source
Flu hangs on in US, fading in some areas and intensifying in others
The flu virus is hanging on in the U.S., intensifying in some areas of the country after weeks of an apparent national decline.
February 9th, 2024 — Source
Research links prison time with increase of TB
Tuberculosis, the main cause of death due to a single pathogen globally, causes more than 1.5 million deaths each year. New research from the University of Cincinnati finds that being in prison or being a former prisoner is responsible for high rates of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB.
February 9th, 2024 — Source
Vaccine shows promise against cytomegalovirus, a virus that causes birth defects
An experimental mRNA vaccine against human cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus that can infect babies during pregnancy, elicited some of the most promising immune responses to date of any CMV vaccine candidate, according to a study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.
February 9th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 7th, 2024
Bacteria in the mouth linked to pulmonary fibrosis survival
Bacteria in the mouth may play a role in survival from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), finds a new study led by researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia.
February 7th, 2024 — Source
Cases of syphilis hit dangerous record high, CDC says: Why it's not just another STD
Cases of syphilis have hit record high numbers following a five-year trend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
February 7th, 2024 — Source
Creating a virus-resistant bacterium using a synthetic engineered genome
Genome engineering allows scientists to modify the genetic code of microbes. Now, researchers have engineered the genome of the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) to make it immune to viral infections. These infections often cause bacterial cultures to fail.
February 7th, 2024 — Source
Investigating the impact of perceived experts as anti-vaccine influencers on social media
While medical professionals and scientific researchers are some of the most effective sources encouraging vaccination, a study finds that individuals who appear to be biomedical experts may also be important anti-vaccine influencers on social media.
February 7th, 2024 — Source
Prior Zika infection ups risk of severe dengue, study finds
A study led by Brazilian researchers shows that people who have had Zika run a higher risk of subsequently having severe dengue and being hospitalized. The finding is highly relevant to the development of a zika vaccine.
February 7th, 2024 — Source
Researchers identify a new approach to controlling bacterial infections
The team found a way to turn on a vital bacterial defense mechanism to fight and manage bacterial infections. The defense system, called cyclic oligonucleotide-based antiphage signaling system (CBASS), is a natural mechanism used by certain bacteria to protect themselves from viral attacks. Bacteria self-destruct as a means to prevent the spread of virus to other bacterial cells in the population.
February 7th, 2024 — Source
Researchers uncover how deadly MRSA pneumonia inhibits body's antimicrobial activity
In a recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, a group of researchers examined how heparan sulfate (HS)shedding impacts cathelicidin efficacy in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia.
February 7th, 2024 — Source
Trust in doctors key to boosting vaccination rates
While this expression has become an advertising slogan and meme, physicians and nurses continually rank among the most trusted professions in the U.S.
February 7th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 5th, 2024
A puzzling illness paralyzed US kids every other year—until it didn't
Researchers braced for a surge in 2022 that never came—and no one knows why.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
An infectious gibbon ape leukemia virus found to be colonizing a rodent's genome in New Guinea
A research team has caught a glimpse of a rare case of retrovirus integration. Retroviruses are viruses that multiply by incorporating their genes into the genome of a host cell. If the infected cell is a germ cell, the retrovirus can then be passed on to the next generation as an "endogenous" retrovirus (ERV) and spread as part of the host genome in that host species.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
Bacterial research: Novel antibiotic producers discovered in German collection
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, led by Dr. Yvonne Mast and Dr. Imen Nouioui, have published scientific descriptions for five new antibiotic-producing bacteria.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
Bacterial test for raw, organic milk may require more precision
Cornell food scientists show that a standard quality test used for raw, organic milk is insufficient for distinguishing between specific groups of bacteria, suggesting that the criteria for determining milk quality at processing plants need to be updated.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
Burn injury disrupts gut microbiome and weakens intestinal mucus barrier, finds study
In a study published in the journal Burns & Trauma, researchers employed a combination of techniques to analyze the effects of burn injury on the gut microbiota and mucus barrier in mice.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
HIV patients have been less vaccinated with the full initial regimen against COVID-19
In December, the journal Vaccines published an analysis of COVID-19 vaccination coverage among people with HIV in Catalonia between December 2020 and July 2022. The article, resulting from a study funded by the Fundació La Marató de TV3 and led by the Centre for Epidemiological Studies on HIV/AIDS and STI of Catalonia (CEEISCAT), a group from the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), in collaboration with researchers from the PISCIS Cohort group, evaluates the primary, monovalent, and booster doses.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
Measles vaccine uptake must increase in UK, says expert
Following an increase in reported cases of measles across the U.K., the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has declared a national incident and initiated a public campaign to increase childhood vaccination against the disease.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
New E. coli strain will accelerate evolution of the genes of your choice
Strain eliminates the trade-offs of a high mutation rate.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
Researchers uncover the architecture of poxvirus cores
A recent re-emergence and outbreak of mpox brought poxviruses back as a public health threat, underlining an important knowledge gap at their core. Now, a team of researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) lifted the mysteries of poxviral core architecture by combining various cryo-electron microscopy techniques with molecular modeling.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
Sexually transmitted infections among older adults pose a global public health challenge, study says
The incidence of HIV and other STIs among people aged 60 to 89 years is increasing in some regions of the world. More awareness about the issue, stigma reduction and preventive measures are needed, according to a new study published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
Virus ancestry could aid bid to predict next pandemic, study finds
Virus family history could help scientists identify which strains have potential to become the so-called Disease X that causes the next global pandemic.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
Virus ancestry could help predict next pandemic
Virus family history could help scientists identify which strains have the potential to become the so-called Disease X that causes the next global pandemic.
February 5th, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 2nd, 2024
High efficacy and good safety profile for the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine in African children
Phase III trial results of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine developed by Oxford University and Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, leveraging Novavax's Matrix-M adjuvant, has confirmed high efficacy and supported regulatory approvals and licensure in several African countries.
February 2nd, 2024 — Source
Many with Meniere's disease based on ICD-10 do not meet AAO-HNS criteria
Many patients with a Meniere's disease diagnosis based on the "International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10)" do not meet the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) diagnostic criteria, according to a study published online Jan. 18 in The Laryngoscope.
February 2nd, 2024 — Source
Possibility of wildlife-to-human crossover heightens concern about chronic wasting disease
Each fall, millions of hunters across North America make their way into forests and grasslands to kill deer. Over the winter, people chow down on the venison steaks, sausage, and burgers made from the animals.
February 2nd, 2024 — Source
Research team uses AI to improve sepsis detection and effective treatment
Sepsis acquired in clinical settings threatens the lives of tens of millions of people worldwide every year. The condition, in which the body responds to an infection by essentially going into overdrive, inadvertently attacks the body by overzealously releasing chemicals to defend it.
February 2nd, 2024 — Source
Scientists see an ultra-fast movement on surface of HIV virus
As the HIV virus glides up outside a human cell to dock and possibly inject its deadly cargo of genetic code, there's a spectacularly brief moment in which a tiny piece of its surface snaps open to begin the process of infection.
February 2nd, 2024 — Source
Studies find that people living with HIV have been less vaccinated with the full initial regimen against COVID-19
In December, the journal Vaccines published an analysis of COVID-19 vaccination coverage among people with HIV in Catalonia between December 2020 and July 2022. The study led by the Center for Epidemiological Studies on HIV/AIDS and STI of Catalonia (CEEISCAT), a group from the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), in collaboration with researchers from the PISCIS Cohort group, evaluated the primary, monovalent, and booster doses.
February 2nd, 2024 — Source
Using machine learning to battle COVID-19 bacterial co-infection
University of Queensland researchers have used machine learning to help predict the risk of secondary bacterial infections in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The research is published in The Lancet Microbe.
February 2nd, 2024 — Source
Vaccine skepticism, equity issues hinder cervical cancer fight
Cervical cancer is the only cancer that is vaccine-preventable and curable, but the United States is lagging in its efforts to meet the World Health Organization's 2030 targets to effectively eliminate the disease.
February 2nd, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — February 1st, 2024
Microfluidic chip reveals that bacteria swim toward large, complex polymers
Using a novel microfluidic chip, ETH researchers led by Professor Roman Stocker and Estelle Clerc have shown that bacteria not only recognize small food molecules, but also swim towards large, complex polymers. A startup is now using these findings and applying the technology to find microbes in the environment that can break down pollutants.
February 1st, 2024 — Source
Surge in Syphilis Cases Leads Some Providers to Ration Penicillin
Vials of injectable penicillin in cold storage at the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville, Tennessee. Injectable penicillin is the go-to treatment for syphilis and the only treatment considered safe for pregnant people with the disease. In mid-2023, the health department began rationing the injectable to just pregnant women because of a nationwide antibiotic shortage.
February 1st, 2024 — Source
The right bacteria turn farms into carbon sinks
A company works with farmers to treat fields with bacteria that sequester carbon.
February 1st, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 31st, 2024
Add bacteria to the list of things that can run Doom
Frame rate would be even worse than the original, though. MUCH worse
January 31, 2024 — Source
"Can it run Doom?" (Gut bacteria edition)
Simulated 1-bit, 32x48 cellular grid runs at a blazing 0.00003 fps.
January 31, 2024 — Source or Watch Video
Engineering viruses to kill deadly pathogens
Study marks critical step in creating new therapies to treat antibiotic-resistant infections
January 31, 2024 — Source
Measles is on the rise around the world. We can't let vaccination rates falter
In recent weeks a series of measles alerts have been issued around Australia, including in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, after the identification of a small number of cases in travelers returning from overseas.
January 31, 2024 — Source
New and highly infectious E. coli strain resistant to powerful antibiotics
A new type of E. coli that is both highly infectious and resistant to some antibiotics has been discovered.
January 31, 2024 — Source
The US eliminated measles in 2000: Why is it back now?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging health care providers to be "on alert" for patients with symptoms of measles—a virus declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000—after nearly two dozen cases have been reported across the country in the past month.
January 31, 2024 — Source
When and how immune cells form 'memories' of pathogen encounters and respond upon reinfection
Unexpected findings have emerged about how and when certain infection-killing white blood cells decide to form memories about their encounters with a pathogen.
January 31, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 29th, 2024
Controlling respiratory syncytial virus: Real-life data from Luxembourg
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the main reasons leading to hospitalization among young children worldwide and each year, an estimated 101,000 children below the age of 5 years die due to RSV infections. Since the end of 2022, the use of a long-acting monoclonal antibody (nirsevimab) in infants as means of passive immunization against RSV has been allowed in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA).
January 29, 2024 — Source
Researchers control biofilm formation using optical traps
Biofilms—slimy layers formed when bacteria stick together on a surface—allow bacteria to shield themselves from extreme environments and even evade antibiotics. In a new study, researchers have shown that laser light in the form of optical traps can be used to control biofilm formation. The findings could allow scientists to harness these microbial layers for various bioengineering applications.
January 29, 2024 — Source
Link found between cold snaps during Roman Empire era and pandemics
A team of geoscientists, Earth scientists and environmental scientists affiliated with several institutions in Germany, the U.S. and the Netherlands has found a link between cold snaps and pandemics during the Roman Empire.
January 29, 2024 — Source
The impact of gut microbiota on the risk of erectile dysfunction
A recent International Journal of Impotence Research study has validated the potential association between gut microbiota and erectile dysfunction (ED), which is one of the most prevalent sexual disorders in men.
January 29, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 26th, 2024
Clinical study supports the long-lasting impacts of typhoid conjugate vaccine
A single dose of the typhoid conjugate vaccine, Typbar TCV®, provides lasting efficacy in preventing typhoid fever in children ages 9 months to 12 years old, according to a new study conducted by researchers at University of Maryland School of Medicine's (UMSOM) Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD) and led by in-country partners at the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust (MLW) Clinical Research Programme.
January 26, 2024 — Source
Discovery of a third RNA virus lineage in extreme environments
There are numerous RNA virus species on Earth. However, their diversity and evolution as well as roles in the ecosystem remain unclear.
January 26, 2024 — Source
Shortened antibiotic treatment for ventilator-associated pneumonia in ICU patients just as effective as standard course
Less is also better—that is what researchers have found while conducting a tri-nation clinical trial to see if shorter courses of antibiotics are as effective as longer prescriptions of the drug to treat ventilator-associated pneumonia.
January 26, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 24th, 2024
Altered light-harvesting complex in a cyanobacterium allows low-energy light use
Researchers have isolated and determined the molecular structure of the light-harvesting antenna that helps some cyanobacteria—formerly referred to as blue-green algae—produce energy through photosynthesis even in lower-energy light.
January 24, 2024 — Source
Community-acquired pneumonia: Machine learning enhances early risk prediction in hospitalized patients
Pneumonia remains one of the most significant health challenges globally, being a primary cause of hospitalization and leading to severe respiratory failure. Traditional tools for assessing the severity of pneumonia, such as the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI), primarily focus on mortality risks. However, these tools often fall short in predicting the need for advanced respiratory support, leaving a crucial gap in patient care.
January 24, 2024 — Source
How does HIV get into the cell's center to kickstart infection?
UNSW medical researcher Dr. David Jacques and his team have discovered how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) breaches the cell nucleus to establish infection, a finding that has implications beyond HIV biology.
January 24, 2024 — Source
Nanoparticle spray reduces risk of airborne bacterial infections caused by air filtration systems
A novel nanoparticle spray coating process has been shown to all but eliminate the growth of some of the world's most dangerous bacteria in air filtration systems, significantly reducing the risk of airborne bacterial and viral infections.
January 24, 2024 — Source
Researchers engineer bacteria that eat plastic, make multipurpose spider silk
Move over Spider-Man: Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a strain of bacteria that can turn plastic waste into a biodegradable spider silk with multiple uses.
January 24, 2024 — Source
Tiny hitchhikers: Scientists uncover new 'mini-satellites' in sea bacteria
Microbiologists led by Universite de Montreal biologist Frederique Le Roux have made an underwater breakthrough, discovering what they're calling "mini-satellites" in sea bacteria.
January 24, 2024 — Source
Strep A explainer: Why invasive cases are increasing, how it spreads and what symptoms to look for
A jump in the number of people with serious illness caused by group A Streptococcus—also referred to as Streptococcus pyogenes or Strep A—has made headlines recently.
January 24, 2024 — Source
Zambia further delays school reopening over cholera
Zambia postponed the start of the school year for the second time on Wednesday due to a cholera outbreak that has claimed more than 500 lives.
January 24, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 22nd, 2024
Cameroon launches historic large-scale malaria jab campaign
Cameroon on Monday launched the first malaria vaccination program to be offered nationwide and as a matter of routine, in a step the WHO has described as "historic".
January 22, 2024 — Source
Cameroon starts world's first malaria vaccine program for children
Cameroon will be the first country to routinely give children a new malaria vaccine as the shots are rolled out in Africa.
January 22, 2024 — Source
Information about the salmonella outbreak involving meats sold at Costco and Sam's Club
The salmonella outbreak previously linked to charcuterie meats sold at Sam's Club also has been connected to meats from the same company sold at Costco. And, the CDC says, the outbreak's reached 22 states.
January 22, 2024 — Source
Risk factor control may modify link between HIV status and heart disease
Control of dyslipidemia and diabetes, but not hypertension, reduces the association of HIV status with cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published online Jan. 16 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
January 22, 2024 — Source
Study finds S. aureus' surface-sticking ability not evenly distributed over cell envelope
Infections caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus have a significant impact on human health, with tens of thousands of hospital patients dying every year from infections due to the S. aureus "superbug." Stopping the spread of bacteria like S. aureus will require not only the development of new antibiotics to which antimicrobial resistance has not been established, but also a better understanding of how these germs adhere to surfaces and from where they can enter the human body.
January 22, 2024 — Source
Study reveals how some bacterial infections become chronic
In the early 1900s, a cook named Mary Mallon, better known as "Typhoid Mary," spread Salmonella Typhi, the causative agent of typhoid fever, to dozens of her patrons even though she showed no symptoms. Many people today harbor pathogenic Salmonella bacteria for years without feeling sick, making them potential sources of new infections.
January 22, 2024 — Source
Millions in the UK are being urged to get vaccinations during a surge in measles cases
U.K. health officials on Monday urged millions of parents to book their children for missed measles, mumps and rubella shots during a sharp increase in the number of measles cases and the lowest vaccination rates in a decade.
January 22, 2024 — Source
Microgravity may make space veggies more prone to bacteria
Lettuce and other leafy green vegetables are part of a healthy, balanced diet -; even for astronauts on a mission.
January 22, 2024 — Source
Novel approach identifies people at risk of developing TB
A novel approach to studying the progression of tuberculosis (TB) from infection to disease has identified and treated people at increased risk of developing the disease that current methods of testing would not.
January 22, 2024 — Source
Unveiling hidden TB risk with cutting-edge techniques
A novel approach to studying the progression of tuberculosis (TB) from infection to disease has identified and treated people at increased risk of developing the disease that current methods of testing would not.
January 22, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 19th, 2024
Bacteria's "suicidal" immune system boosts antibiotic power against cholera
Bacteria have an immune system that protects them against viruses known as bacteriophages. A research team from the Universities of Tübingen and Würzburg has now shown how this immune system enhances the effect of specific antibiotics against the cholera pathogen Vibrio cholerae. The immune system is the reason why this bacterium is particularly sensitive to one of the oldest known classes of antibiotics - the antifolates.
January 19, 2024 — Source
Bacterial immune system boosts antibiotic effectiveness against cholera, study reveals
Bacteria have an immune system that protects them against viruses known as bacteriophages. A research team from the Universities of Tübingen and Würzburg has now shown how this immune system enhances the effect of specific antibiotics against the cholera pathogen Vibrio cholerae.
January 19, 2024 — Source
Exploding kamikaze bacteria: How a few 'soldier' cells confer virulence to a population by sacrificing themselves
You suddenly feel sick—pathogenic bacteria have managed to colonize and spread in your body. The weapons they use for their invasion are harmful toxins that target the host's defense mechanisms and vital cell functions. Before these deadly toxins can attack host cells, bacteria must first export them from their production site—the cytoplasm—using dedicated secretion systems.
January 19, 2024 — Source
How 'late-rising' T cells combat a stubborn virus
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a pathogen that likes to lurk. Most adults already carry CMV, and they show no symptoms at all. The trouble comes when the virus infects a pregnant person for the first time and passes through the placenta. Babies born with congenital CMV can develop deafness and life-long health problems.
January 19, 2024 — Source
Humans can get their pets sick: Reverse zoonoses more common than once thought
For as long as humans have been domesticating animals, there have been zoonoses, also known as infectious diseases that jump from animals to humans. Recent public health stories about COVID-19, avian flu and swine flu have thrust zoonoses back into the spotlight, sparking conversations about how animals like pets, rodents, birds or livestock might make humans sick.
January 19, 2024 — Source
Molecular switch found to play central role in bacterial dysentery
Bacteria of the genus Shigella, closely related to the well-known Escherichia coli, are the second most common cause of fatal bacterial diarrheal diseases, with over 200,000 victims worldwide every year. There are repeated outbreaks of strains that are resistant to common antibiotics.
January 19, 2024 — Source
Monitoring microorganisms on the International Space Station
Crew members on the International Space Station have a lot of company—millions of bacteria and other microbes. The human body contains 10 times more microbes than human cells, and bacteria and fungi grow in and on just about everything around us on Earth.
January 19, 2024 — Source
New York City virus database may advance research into factors contributing to respiratory illness severity
Virome Data Explorer visualizes longitudinal viral respiratory infection data from New York City cohort
January 19, 2024 — Source
One in three children who contract bacterial meningitis live with permanent disability: Study
One in three children who suffer from bacterial meningitis live with permanent neurological disabilities due to the infection. This is according to a new epidemiological study led by Karolinska Institutet and published in JAMA Network Open.
January 19, 2024 — Source
Researchers discover rare phages that attack dormant bacteria
In nature, most bacteria live on the bare minimum. If they experience nutrient deficiency or stress, they shut down their metabolism in a controlled manner and go into a resting state. In this stand-by mode, certain metabolic processes still take place that enable the microbes to perceive their environment and react to stimuli, but growth and division are suspended.
January 19, 2024 — Source
'The number of people avoiding vaccination is a concern': Public health expert discusses measles
Dr. Sophie Martucci is an expert in Public Health from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick. As part of her agents of infectious disease module and science communication model, she covers the MMR Vaccine and the unnecessary controversy around the vaccination.
January 19, 2024 — Source
Virus Soup: Many Respiratory Viruses Peaking in Early 2024
The familiar symptoms are back again -- a runny nose, coughing, aches, congestion, and maybe a fever. When the at-home COVID-19 test comes back negative, you head to the doctor to see if they can figure out what you've caught. At the doctor, though, the typical COVID and flu tests also come back negative. It could seem like a new mysterious respiratory illness is making the rounds.
January 19, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 16th, 2024
Amsterdam UMC project aims for first effective HIV vaccine with Gates funding
Worldwide, an estimated, 40 million people live with HIV. Two-thirds of this group on the African continent. In 2022, more than 600,000 people died from HIV-related causes and more than 1.3 million were infected. There is no vaccine against the world's second most deadly infection, after TB. Thanks to a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Amsterdam UMC's Rogier Sanders leads a project that aims to develop the first effective HIV vaccine.
January 16, 2024 — Source
Benin gets first malaria vaccines
Benin has received its first doses of a vaccine for malaria, the leading cause of infant mortality in the country, and will begin administering them soon, officials said late on Monday.
January 16, 2024 — Source
Controlling inflammation to conquer lung infection
The latest studies at Hudson Institute of Medical Research have identified a novel therapy that controls the body's response to the influenza virus, limiting damaging inflammation and promoting recovery from severe infection.
January 16, 2024 — Source
First polar bear to die of bird flu: What are the implications?
Climate change is a threat to polar bear's survival. Now they have a new deadly challenge facing them: bird flu. It was recently confirmed that a polar bear from northern Alaska has died from the disease.
January 16, 2024 — Source
People deprived of liberty are at very high risk of tuberculosis, even years after release, finds study
Incarcerated people are at an alarmingly high risk of tuberculosis (TB) and this risk persists for years after their release, according to a study conducted in Paraguay and led by the Universidad Nacional de Asunción and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).
January 16, 2024 — Source
Researchers discover new antibiotic-resistant species of bacteria
Researchers at University of Limerick in Ireland have discovered a new species of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics.
January 16, 2024 — Source
Risk factors and diagnostic methods of H. pylori in Saudi Arabia
Dr. Mutasim E. Ibrahim from the University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia, has recently conducted an extensive study on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), published in Biomolecules and Biomedicine, which brings new insights into its epidemiology, pathogenicity, risk factors, and treatment methodologies.
January 16, 2024 — Source
Ultrasensitive tools detect asymptomatic malaria
Researchers in the U.S. and Uganda have developed tools that can detect the slightest traces of malaria in people who harbor the disease but do not show signs of sickness.
January 16, 2024 — Source
We need a staph vaccine: Here's why we don't have one
Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is an extremely common bacterial infection; about 30% of people have colonies of SA living in their nose. SA is often harmless, but it is also a leading cause of hospital-acquired and community-associated infections.
January 16, 2024 — Source
You rarely see them and might not even remember being bitten, but ticks can pose a serious threat, reveals study
In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers used serum samples to investigate the prevalence of common tick-borne diseases (TBDs) among Johnston County citizens.
January 16, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 15th, 2024
Flu activity slows down, but season far from over: CDC
Following weeks of increases in flu activity, the latest U.S. government data shows "a single-week decrease" for the first time in months.
January 15, 2024 — Source
Maturation instead of cell death: Defective signaling pathways disrupt immune cell development
In the case of an autoimmune disease, the immune system not only attacks pathogens, but also the body's own cells. Researchers at the University of Freiburg—Medical Center have now been able to show that defective signaling pathways in the body play a decisive role in the development of immune cells, a discovery that opens up new therapeutic approaches for autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS).
January 15, 2024 — Source
Novel regulator of immune evasion in cancer identified
Northwestern Medicine investigators have identified a previously unknown regulator of tumor immune evasion, which may help improve the efficacy of current and future anti-tumor immunotherapies, according to recent findings published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
January 15, 2024 — Source or Source
Study finds that HIV populations in people with higher viral loads also have higher rates of viral recombination
In a recent study published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, researchers investigated whether denser intrahost human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) populations had a higher incidence of coinfection and recombination.
January 15, 2024 — Source
Study shows western honey bee synthesizes food for its intestinal bacteria
Bacteria have adapted to all terrestrial environments. Some have evolved to survive in the gut of animals, where they play an important role for their host; they provide energy by degrading indigestible food, they train and regulate the immune system, they protect against invasion by pathogenic bacteria, and they synthesize neuroactive molecules that regulate the behavior and cognition of their host.
January 15, 2024 — Source
UTI: This common infection can be serious
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is common, but it can be serious.
January 15, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 15th, 2024
Concealing sexual identity may have impeded mpox care for some men
Openly gay, bisexual and other sexual minority men were more likely than those who conceal their sexual orientation to seek care for mpox last year during a global outbreak of the disease that disproportionately affected their community, researchers from Cornell and the University of Toronto found.
January 15, 2024 — Source
Expert discusses increasing levels of respiratory infections
The new year is bringing a significant rise in respiratory virus activity across the U.S. Many are experiencing coughs, fever and congestion—some of the telltale signs of COVID-19 and influenza. Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a Mayo Clinic pediatric infectious diseases expert, explains why this surge is happening, what still may be to come, and how to protect you and your family.
January 15, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 13th, 2024
Many more infected by TBE virus than previously known
The number of infections by the tick-borne TBE virus that are not detected by health services is far higher than previously assumed. This has been shown in a new study of Swedish blood donors.
January 13, 2024 — Source
New estimate doubles likely deaths from fungal disease globally
The annual total of deaths from fungal disease worldwide has risen to 3.75 million, double the previous estimate, according to a new study.
January 13, 2024 — Source
New insights into what helps Salmonella cause infections
In a new study, researchers have discovered how a system of proteins, called TamAB, helps Salmonella survive under the harsh conditions inside macrophages.
January 13, 2024 — Source
Novel type 2 oral polio vaccine secures WHO prequalification for broader rollout
The novel type 2 oral polio vaccine (nOPV2), developed by a team including scientists from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has today (9 January) been quality-assured (prequalified) by the World Health Organization (WHO).
January 13, 2024 — Source
Overuse of antifungal skin meds could be driving drug-resistant disease
U.S. doctors are prescribing antifungal creams to patients with skin complaints at rates so high they could be contributing to the rise of drug-resistant infections, new research shows.
January 13, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 12th, 2024
Many more infected by tick-borne encephalitis virus than previously known, finds Swedish blood donors study
The number of infections by the tick-borne TBE virus that are not detected by health services is far higher than previously assumed. This has been shown in a new study of Swedish blood donors from Uppsala University and the University Hospital in Uppsala.
January 12, 2024 — Source
Nutritional acquired immunodeficiency (N-AIDS) found to be the leading driver of the TB pandemic
Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious killer worldwide, with 10.6 million cases and 1.6 million deaths in 2021 alone. One in five incident TB cases were attributable to malnutrition, more than double the number attributed to HIV/AIDS. Like HIV/AIDS, malnutrition is a cause of secondary immunodeficiency, known as nutritionally acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (N-AIDS). However, N-AIDS remains the neglected cousin of HIV/AIDS in global TB elimination efforts.
January 12, 2024 — Source
Smallpox vaccine efficiently induces immunity against mpox virus infection in people living with HIV
Researchers from the Infection Biology Lab at the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) at Pompeu Fabra University and the HIV Unit at Hospital del Mar Research Institute have shown that intradermal vaccination with the JYNNEOS vaccine against smallpox is the best option to protect people living with HIV from contracting the monkeypox virus.
January 12, 2024 — Source
Team explores role of 'stimulator of interferon genes' in body's innate immune system
When pathogens attack the body, the innate immune system goes to work protecting against the invading disease. The innate immune system is the first line of defense. It detects precisely what the virus or bacteria is and then activates the proteins that fight the pathogens. Wanting to better understand how the body's innate immune system works, a team of scientists undertook a study of STING, a protein that plays a vital role in innate immunity.
January 12, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 11th, 2024
Blocking sugar molecules stops flu virus spread in mice
Scientists have long known that some viruses and bacteria begin infections by latching first onto sugar molecules on the surfaces of cells lining the sinuses and throat of mammals, including humans. Viral particles, for instance, can attach to these molecules, called sialic acids, or SAs, like keys fitting into locks.
January 11, 2024 — Source
Experiments in infant mice suggest new way to prevent spread of flu in people
Scientists have long known that some viruses and bacteria begin infections by latching first onto sugar molecules on the surfaces of cells lining the sinuses and throat of mammals, including humans. Viral particles, for instance, can attach to these molecules, called sialic acids, or SAs, like keys fitting into locks.
January 11, 2024 — Source
First-in-human vaccine trial for deadly Nipah virus launched
The University of Oxford has launched a new clinical trial to test a vaccine to protect people against deadly Nipah virus.
January 11, 2024 — Source
Scientists Engineer Skin Bacteria to Treat Acne
Cutibacterium acnes, a bacterial strain known to cause pimples, can be edited to counteract its own side effects.
January 11, 2024 — Source
Study discovers how a system of proteins helps Salmonella survive inside macrophages
Salmonella is notorious for surviving and replicating in macrophages, which are normally lethal to invading bacteria because of their inhospitable environment. In a new study, researchers have discovered how a system of proteins, called TamAB, helps Salmonella survive under the harsh conditions inside macrophages.
January 11, 2024 — Source
Study finds tafenoquine is a cost-effective treatment option for malaria
A new study led by Menzies School of Health Research has provided further insight into the cost-effectiveness of a new malaria medication, tafenoquine, to treat vivax malaria.
January 11, 2024 — Source
Study reveals unexpected strategy in competition between bacteria and viruses
If you've seen the original Star Wars movie, you might wonder whether the iconic Tie fighter was modeled after the Gabija protein complex, a bacterial defense system.
January 11, 2024 — Source
Unlocking the mechanisms of HIV in preclinical research
Mayo Clinic researchers have unraveled the molecular mechanisms that affect which cells infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) die and which survive, a discovery heralded as a step toward eliminating all HIV-infected cells from the body.
January 11, 2024 — Source
Unraveling the skin microbiome's impact on aging
The effects of aging and external factors like UV exposure on skin are well documented. As people age or spend more time in the sun, their skin tends to become drier and more wrinkled,
January 11, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 10th, 2024
A step closer to treatment for severe bacterial infections and sepsis
In a study published in Nature Communications, the researchers demonstrate how they can neutralize toxic substances from bacteria by mimicking a substance naturally present in the body and thereby mitigate harmful inflammation that could otherwise lead to sepsis.
January 10, 2024 — Source
Combined vaccination and behavior change efforts averted 64% of US mpox cases, study reveals
In a recent article published in the eClinicalMedicine Journal, researchers assessed the effectiveness of the combination of current preventive responses against monkeypox (Mpox) in the United States (US) at the population level.
January 10, 2024 — Source
Health officials warn of measles outbreak in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is tracking a measles outbreak, which so far has sickened eight city residents.
January 10, 2024 — Source
Is it the flu or COVID? Does it matter? Five questions about winter viruses
With COVID-19 and flu both surging across the country, chances are you or someone close to you is sick or getting over a virus.
January 10, 2024 — Source
New study finds maternal vaccine and monoclonal antibody effective against RSV in infants
In a recent article published in The Lancet Regional Health Journal, researchers compared the impact and cost-effectiveness of maternal vaccination (MV) to long-acting monoclonal antibody (la-mAB) therapy against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in young children in England and Wales.
January 10, 2024 — Source
New study reveals key blood markers for sepsis diagnosis in burn patients
A recent study published in Scientific Reports, evaluated the efficacy of Complete Blood Count (CBC) parameters in diagnosing sepsis and predicting mortality among burn patients.
January 10, 2024 — Source
Notorious cell subpopulation key to antibiotic failure, say scientists
Antibiotic overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance, but classic antibiotic resistance might not completely explain why antibiotics sometimes fail. Sub-populations of bacteria called persister cells can survive in the presence of lethal doses of antibiotics for prolonged periods.
January 10, 2024 — Source
The Nano Machines Made to Fight Antibiotic-Resistance and Cancer
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were responsible for nearly 5 million deaths globally in 2019, as detailed in The Lancet. The rise and fall of antibiotics is a topic that is deeply personal to Dr. Ana Santos, who led the EU-funded project REBELLION.
January 10, 2024 — Source
The value of information gathering in phage--bacteria warfare
Phages, the viruses that infect bacteria, will pay a high growth-rate cost to access environmental information that can help them choose which lifecycle to pursue, according to a study.
January 10, 2024 — Source
Viruses aren't always harmful. Six ways they're used in health care and pest control
We tend to just think of viruses in terms of their damaging impacts on human health and lives. The 1918 flu pandemic
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 9th, 2024
Fighting superbugs with medical nanomachines
Instruments smaller than a human hair are being designed to eradicate antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fight cancer.
January 9, 2024 — Source
How to maintain a healthy gut microbiome in 2024
We all know by now that the pillars of a healthy lifestyle are regular exercise, eating enough fruit and vegetables, a good night's sleep and staying hydrated. All of these things also support the gut microbiome—all the microbes that live in your digestive system—but there are some extras to consider if you want to optimize your gut health.
January 9, 2024 — Source
New research calls for antimicrobial resistance to be reframed as a sustainability issue
From a wartime spread of antimicrobial resistant disease in Ukraine, to superbugs in China causing "white lung" pneumonia in children, 2023 brought no shortage of new evidence that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to be a pressing problem globally, and this pattern shows no sign of abating in 2024 unless a radical shift occurs.
January 9, 2024 — Source
Rabies is an ancient, unpredictable and potentially fatal disease—two rabies researchers explain how to protect yourself
A feral kitten in Omaha, Nebraska, tested positive for rabies in November 2023. It died of the raccoon variant of the virus, which is typically found only in the Appalachian Mountains. Detecting this variant hundreds of miles away in the Midwest raised concerns about a potential outbreak and launched a public health task force to vaccinate all raccoons in the area.
January 9, 2024 — Source
Researchers engineer skin bacteria that are able to secrete and produce molecules that treat acne
International research led by the Translational Synthetic Biology Laboratory of the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) at Pompeu Fabra University has succeeded in efficiently engineering Cutibacterium acnes, a type of skin bacterium, to produce and secrete a therapeutic molecule suitable for treating acne symptoms.
January 9, 2024 — Source or Source
Researchers find Zika virus is effective when used to treat a type of childhood cancer in mice
Injecting neuroblastoma tumors with Zika virus shrank or eliminated those tumors in studies with mice, suggesting that the virus could someday serve as an effective cancer therapy, according to a study led by Nemours Children's Health researchers and published in Cancer Research Communications.
January 9, 2024 — Source
Spain re-imposes masks in hospitals as flu cases surge
Wearing masks will be obligatory again in Spain's hospitals and other health care facilities from Wednesday, the health ministry said on Monday as the country faces a flu outbreak.
January 9, 2024 — Source
Two doses of recombinant zoster vaccine highly effective
Two doses of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) are effective against herpes zoster (HZ), with the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of two doses waning a little over four years of follow-up, according to a study published online on Jan. 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
January 9, 2024 — Source
Vaccine boosts innate immunity in people with dormant immune cells, finds study
Humans are protected by two branches of the immune system. Innate immunity provides built-in defense against widespread characteristics of bacteria and viruses, while adaptive immunity memorizes individual pathogens that a person has already encountered. Vaccines teach the adaptive immune system about new pathogens without having to go through an actual infection.
January 9, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 8th, 2024
Bacteriophage-powered micromotors for rapid and selective Point-of-Care bacteria detection
Misdiagnosis and delayed treatment of bacterial infections have long challenged medicine, contributing to antibiotic resistance and poor patient outcomes. Clinicians lack rapid, selective diagnostic tests to target narrow-spectrum antibiotics early in illness.
January 8, 2024 — Source or Watch Video
Bacterial "freight elevator" unpacked: How pathogens hide from the immune system
Some bacterial membrane transporters work almost like freight elevators to transport substances through the cell membrane into the interior of the cell. The transporter itself spans the bacterial membrane. Like a forklift, a soluble protein outside the bacterium transports the substance to the "elevator" and unloads its cargo there
January 8, 2024 — Source
Engineered virus-like particles power up gene editing, correcting blindness in mice
Prime editing, a versatile form of gene editing that can correct most known disease-causing genetic mutations, now has a new vehicle to deliver its machinery into cells in living animals.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Immunoengineering researchers decode the 'cytokine storm' in sepsis
Sepsis—when an infection causes the immune system to improperly target the body—is one of the leading causes of death in the ICU.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Important membrane transport mechanism in pathogenic bacteria
Some bacterial membrane transporters work almost like freight elevators to transport substances through the cell membrane into the interior of the cell. The transporter itself spans the bacterial membrane. Like a forklift, a soluble protein outside the bacterium transports the substance to the 'elevator' and unloads its cargo there. The freight elevator transports it to the inside of the cell, in other words to another floor.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Less than half of pregnant women get the flu shot: New data from UPMC Children's might change that
John Williams knows the risks associated with riding motorcycles, but they don't deter him. Neither do warnings from physician friends, who hope their chiding might prevent him from becoming a statistic.
January 8, 2024 — Source
New antibiotic zosurabalpin shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria: An expert explains
Researchers have identified an entirely new class of antibiotic that can kill bacteria that are resistant to most current drugs.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Out-of-pocket cost increase could put HIV prevention medications out of reach
Increasing patients' out of pocket costs for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), medications, which have been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of HIV infection, could lead to a significant reduction in PrEP use and a rise in HIV infection rates, according to a new study co-led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Researchers discover important membrane transport mechanism in pathogenic bacteria
Some bacterial membrane transporters work almost like freight elevators to transport substances through the cell membrane into the interior of the cell. The transporter itself spans the bacterial membrane. Like a forklift, a soluble protein outside the bacterium transports the substance to the "elevator" and unloads its cargo there. The freight elevator transports it to the inside of the cell, in other words to another floor.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Researchers discover molecular 'barcode' used by bacteria to secrete toxins
Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a molecular "barcode" system used by disease-causing bacteria to distinguish between beneficial and toxic molecules.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Researchers identify bacterial strain that demonstrates a potentially protective role in celiac disease
Researchers from Mass General for Children (MGfC) and 13 other institutions have identified a strain of Bacteroides vulgatus that may protect the gut intestinal barrier against the break in tolerance that occurs when gluten is introduced into the diet of genetically at-risk children.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Rising out-of-pocket costs for PrEP threaten key strategy in ending the HIV epidemic
Increasing patients' out of pocket costs for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), medications, which have been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of HIV infection, could lead to a significant reduction in PrEP use and a rise in HIV infection rates, according to a new study co-led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Scientists unveil the hidden respiratory mechanisms of gut bacteria
In a recent study published in Nature Microbiology, researchers use a genome-mining technique to investigate respiratory electron acceptor utilization in the human gut microbiota.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Study finds Epstein-Barr virus T-cells prevalent in early multiple sclerosis
The body's immune response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may play a role in causing damage in people with multiple sclerosis, according to a new study led by UTHealth Houston.
January 8, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 5th, 2024
A new approach can address antibiotic resistance to Mycobacterium abscessus
Scientists have created analogs of the antibiotic spectinomycin that are significantly more effective against these highly resistant bacteria.
January 5, 2024 — Source
The evolution of photosynthesis better documented thanks to the discovery of the oldest thylakoids in fossil cyanobacteria
Researchers have identified microstructures in fossil cells that are 1.75 billion years old. These structures, called thylakoid membranes, are the oldest ever discovered. They push back the fossil record of thylakoids by 1.2 billion years and provide new information on the evolution of cyanobacteria which played a crucial role in the accumulation of oxygen on the early Earth.
January 5, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 5th, 2024
Experimental antibiotic kills deadly superbug, opens whole new class of drugs
The relatively large molecule clogs a transport system, leading to lethal toxicity.
January 5, 2024 — Source
University of Louisville scientists aim to disarm Yersinia pestis, the bubonic plague bacteria
When the body encounters bacteria, viruses or harmful substances, its innate immune cells, neutrophils, assemble at the site to combat the invader.
January 5, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — January 4th, 2024
Treating tuberculosis when antibiotics no longer work
A research team has detected various substances that have a dual effect against tuberculosis: They make the bacteria causing the disease less pathogenic for human immune cells and boost the activity of conventional antibiotics.
January 4, 2024 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 30th, 2023
Vaccine guidance from Mayo Clinic
Questions about vaccination? Here's what you need to know about vaccines that are recommended for you.
December 30, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 29th, 2023
Novel solution for Pichia pastoris enzyme production platform
The demand for industrial enzymes is continually rising, driven by the growing need to shift towards more sustainable industrial processes. Our research outlines a novel approach to enzyme production, harnessing the untapped potential of cyanobacterial biomass within the P. pastoris platform.
December 29, 2023 — Source
Protective antibody targets conserved site of fusion glycoprotein of respiratory syncytial virus
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the leading pathogens that cause lower respiratory tract infections in infants and the elderly. Passive immunoprophylaxis with monoclonal antibody (mAb) has been approved to prevent morbidity and mortality from RSV infection in infants.
December 29, 2023 — Source
Research reveals best approach for detection of maternal sepsis
A new study led by researchers at University of Limerick in Ireland has revealed the most effective way to diagnose maternal sepsis, a condition with a devastating global impact.
December 29, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 28th, 2023
Researchers make breakthrough in fighting a leading cause of fungal pneumonia
Scientists at Tulane University School of Medicine have developed a promising new model to study a pneumonia-causing fungus that has been notoriously difficult to culture in a lab.
December 28, 2023 — Source
Scientists solve 18-year-old mystery and find the once-elusive source of a critical T cell population
One of the more rigorous debates in immunology has centered on the origin of an enigmatic T cell population that possesses properties imparting memory and stem cell--like qualities, but facts about their genesis were so elusive that debate has raged for nearly two decades about the source of these vital immune system constituents.
December 28, 2023 — Source
Sepsis greatly reduces the chances of returning to work, study finds
A few years ago, the World Health Organization estimated that blood poisoning, or sepsis, is involved in one in five deaths in the world. 11 million people die from sepsis each year, of which nearly 3 million are children.
December 28, 2023 — Source
Stigma against gay men could worsen Congo's biggest mpox outbreak, scientists warn
As Congo copes with its biggest outbreak of mpox, scientists warn discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the continent could make it worse.
December 28, 2023 — Source
Zambia steps up anti-cholera campaign as deaths mount
Zambia stepped up a campaign to halt a surge in cholera cases Thursday as the number of deaths this year crept toward 100.
December 28, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 27th, 2023
Battling persistence in tuberculosis bacteria
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in collaboration with NCBS and InStem, have uncovered an important mechanism that allows the tuberculosis (TB) bacterium to persist in the human host for decades. They found that a single gene involved in the production of iron-sulfur clusters could be crucial for the persistence of the TB bacterium. The study was published in Science Advances.
December 27, 2023 — Source
How antibiotic-resistant bacteria can teach us to modify behavior
Most people want to do something about climate change, but lifestyle trade-offs and a narrowing window to enact broad changes to industrial, transportation, and consumption patterns are daunting enough to make them resist.
December 27, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 26th, 2023, 2023
Common inflammation pathway turns anthrax toxin into killer
Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin (LT) is a determinant of lethal anthrax. Its function in myeloid cells is required for bacterial dissemination, and LT itself can directly trigger dysfunction of the cardiovascular system. The interplay between LT and the host responses is important in the pathogenesis, but our knowledge on this interplay remains limited. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine induced by bacterial infections.
December 26, 2023 — Source
Prepare For The Apocalypse With This Mercedes 300E
It has an ML chassis and a V8 engine. It could be yours if you hurry up.
December 26, 2023 — Source
Researchers receive two grants to study tuberculosis drug development
Weill Cornell Medicine researchers and the TB Drug Accelerator have received two grants totaling $6.8 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to study tuberculosis (TB) drug development. This effort will expediate finding new drug targets within the bacteria and identifying new lead compounds, two significant bottlenecks in TB drug development.
December 26, 2023 — Source
Visual-motor illusion enhances motor performance and early-stage learning
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University showed that visual aids which create the illusion of movement, like a screen placed in front of one's hand showing the hand move, can improve motor performance and the early stages of motor learning. Compared to observing third-person motions, functional near-infrared spectroscopy data also showed greater changes in brain activity in regions associated with motor learning. Findings like this might inform new treatment strategies for hemiplegic stroke patients.
December 26, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 22nd, 2023
Strong connections found between vaccine hesitancy and support for vaccinating pets
Texas A&M University School of Public Health research on attitudes toward pet vaccination and how they may be linked with human vaccine hesitancy was the subject of a recent study recently published in the journal Vaccine.
December 22, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 21st, 2023
New research reveals critical steps in Lassa virus ribonucleoparticle assembly and recruitment
Lassa virus (LASV) is the pathogen that causes Lassa hemorrhagic fever, a disease endemic to West Africa, which causes approximately 5,000 deaths each year. At the CSSB Centre for Structural Systems Biology, the Uetrecht (CSSB, LIV, Uni Siegen), Kosinski (CSSB, EMBL) and Rosenthal (BNITM, CSSB) groups worked together to reveal the crucial role played by RNA in critical steps of the Lassa virus life cycle.
December 21, 2023 — Source
New type of antibody shows promise against multiple forms of flu virus
Researchers have identified a previously unrecognized class of antibodies—immune system proteins that protect against disease—that appear capable of neutralizing multiple forms of flu virus. These findings, which could contribute to development of more broadly protective flu vaccines, were published by Holly Simmons of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and colleagues in the open access journal PLOS Biology.
December 21, 2023 — Source
UKHSA announces concerning rise in antibiotic-resistant Shigella cases
There has been a concerning rise in cases of extensively antibiotic-resistant Shigella sonnei infections, mainly in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), UKHSA has announced.
December 21, 2023 — Source
Viruses as important factors driving the diel dynamics of marine bacterioplankton
The diel cycle is one of the most common periodic patterns in marine ecosystems. Previously, the diel rhythm changes of marine bacterioplankton have often been attributed to factors like bacterial light-dependent physiological mechanisms or their interactions with photosynthetic organisms.
December 21, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 19th, 2023
Human organ chip research shows a malaria drug treatment could save babies' lives
Wars, drought, displacement, and instability are causing a dramatic increase in the number of pregnant and breastfeeding women around the world who suffer from malnutrition. Without access to sufficient nutrients in the womb, babies born to these women are more likely to die due to complications like pre-term birth, low birth weight, and susceptibility to diseases like malaria.
December 19, 2023 — Source
Q&A: DoxyPEP, a 'morning-after pill' for STIs
There has been an alarming increase in sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. over the past decade: In 2021 alone, 2.53 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were recorded, a 7% increase from 2017—and the numbers continue to climb.
December 19, 2023 — Source
Nanoparticles with antibacterial action shorten duration of tuberculosis treatment
A low-cost technology involving nanoparticles loaded with antibiotics and other antimicrobial compounds that can be used in multiple attacks on infections by the bacterium responsible for most cases of tuberculosis has been developed by researchers at São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil and is reported in an article published in the journal Carbohydrate Polymers ("Antimicrobial peptides grafted onto the surface of N-acetylcysteine-chitosan nanoparticles can revitalize drugs against clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis").
December 19, 2023 — Source or Source
Researchers report detailed analysis of heart injury caused by yellow fever virus
To fill gaps in knowledge of yellow fever (YF), a group of researchers in Brazil affiliated with the Department of Pathology at the University of São Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP), Hospital das Clínicas (HC, the hospital complex run by FM-USP), the Heart Institute (InCor, linked to HC) and Emílio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases (IIER) have studied the pathogenesis of YF-associated heart injury.
December 19, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 18th, 2023
Giant bacterium powers itself with unique processes
Not all bacteria are created equal. Most are single-celled and tiny, a few ten-thousandths of a centimeter long. But bacteria of the Epulopiscium family are large enough to be seen with the naked eye and 1 million times the volume of their better-known cousins, E. coli.
December 18, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 15th, 2023
Researchers propose a new nano-micro composite delivery concept for inhalable vaccines
Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Process Engineering have introduced a novel vaccine delivery concept termed "nano-micro composite." Utilizing this concept, they have crafted an inhalable, dry powder vaccine platform, distinguished by nano-micro composite multilevel structures.
December 15, 2023 — Source
Vaccination encouraged for eligible groups as flu cases spike
All those eligible for the flu vaccine are being urged to come forward as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published data showing a significant increase in the number of recorded flu cases.
December 15, 2023 — Source
WHO warns DR Congo mpox epidemic could spread internationally
The World Health Organization warned on Friday that the mpox epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo could spread internationally, as sexual transmissions accelerate.
December 15, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 14th, 2023
Addressing racial disparities key to eliminating TB, researchers say
Progress toward the elimination of tuberculosis in the United States has been stalled by significant racial and ethnic disparities often masked by state- and national-level data, say University of Michigan researchers.
December 14, 2023 — Source
How the immune system fights to keep herpes at bay
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is extremely common, affecting nearly two-thirds of the world's population, according to the World Health Organization.
December 14, 2023 — Source
New report finds 15% of child deaths in England linked to infections
Of child deaths in England over the last three years, 15% are related to infection, according to a new report published on 14 December by the University of Bristol's National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) team. The report uses the NCMD's unique data on all child deaths in England to examine 1,507 infection-related deaths between April 2019 and March 2022.
December 14, 2023 — Source
New research identifies opportunities to improve future HIV vaccine candidates
An effective HIV vaccine may need to prompt strong responses from immune cells called CD8+ T cells to protect people from acquiring HIV, according to a new study from researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues.
December 14, 2023 — Source
New software paves the way for finding bacteriophages to control bacteria
A new bioinformatics software program at Flinders University is paving the way for a rapid expansion of research into bacteriophages, the viruses or phages that play key roles in controlling bacteria.
December 14, 2023 — Source
Novel bacteria identification methods might help speed up disease diagnosis
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterial strain that can be responsible for several human diseases. The most serious include malignant external otitis, endophthalmitis, endocarditis, meningitis, pneumonia, and septicemia.
December 14, 2023 — Source
Rapid identification of disease-causing bacteria using Raman spectroscopy
Why is it important to study bacteria?
December 14, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 12th, 2023
Gavi commits more than US$1.8 billion to support vaccine production in Africa
Gavi, the vaccine alliance, says it has committed more than US$1.8 billion to support vaccine production in Africa, a move that could bolster the continent's efforts to address historical dependence on imported vaccines and establish its own robust biotechnology sector.
December 12, 2023 — Source
How 'sleeping' microorganisms can determine the fate of a population
Microorganisms that temporarily "go to sleep" play an important role in the evolution and survival of a population. Mathematician Shubhamoy Nandan conducted research on the effect of this characteristic called "dormancy" in a novel mathematical model.
December 12, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 11th, 2023
A new mechanism by which rotavirus makes you sick
Rotavirus causes gastroenteritis, a condition that includes diarrhea, deficient nutrient absorption and weight loss. Severe cases result in approximately 128,000 deaths annually in infants and children worldwide. Despite intense research on how rotavirus causes diarrhea, there is still no complete answer, but in this new study researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report a new mechanism by which rotavirus induces diarrhea, interfering with the normal absorption of nutrients in the intestine.
December 11, 2023 — Source
Guidance for prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, treatment of hepatitis C virus in chronic kidney disease
The latest clinical practice guideline from the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) organization offers guidance for the prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in chronic kidney disease (CKD).
December 11, 2023 — Source
Llama Nanobodies Have Norovirus Neutralizing Powers
Human noroviruses cause acute gastroenteritis, a worldwide health issue for which no vaccines or antiviral drugs are available. Although most healthy individuals recover entirely, norovirus can be fatal in newborns, the elderly, and persons with underlying conditions. Human noroviruses are estimated to cause 684 million infections and 212,000 deaths per year.
December 11, 2023 — Source
Q&A: Everything you need to know about the new pediatric RSV immunizations
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of illness in young children and is the leading reason why infants are hospitalized. Until recently, this viral infection was difficult to prevent or treat. Thanks to research advances, two new effective prevention methods are now available.
December 11, 2023 — Source
Research shows CBD reduces inflammation in HIV-infected brain cells
CBD may be a promising therapy for people living with HIV. While the virus can be controlled with treatment, it can still wreak havoc on the brain and cause problems with cognition.
December 11, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 8th, 2023
How did machine learning models perform in identifying hepatitis in patients with diabetes?
A recent Scientific Reports study evaluated the performance of different machine learning models in detecting hepatitis among people with diabetes.
December 8, 2023 — Source
Looking at first results in using new tools to tackle respiratory syncytial virus in Europe
Each year, an estimated 101,000 children below the age of 5 years die across the globe due to infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Worldwide, RSV is a main cause of hospitalization among young children.
December 8, 2023 — Source
New insight into the impact of arsenic exposure on vaccine efficacy in children
A new study led by researchers in the Texas A&M University School of Public Health explores the potential adverse effects of arsenic on immune responses in children, which can make them more vulnerable to infectious diseases by reducing vaccine effectiveness. However, the study also suggests that folate—vitamin B9 essential for metabolic processes—might play a role in mitigating these effects.
December 8, 2023 — Source
Nanoparticle flu vaccine design shows promise in early tests
Existing flu vaccines provide only limited, seasonal protection because they target highly changeable proteins on the virus. Scripps Research scientists have now designed a vaccine that should work broadly against influenza A strains—one of the two types of flu virus that normally circulate in humans.
December 8, 2023 — Source
Overview of the JAD Methodology
The Joint Application Development methodology is a software development approach that aims to bring stakeholders, developers, and users together in joint sessions. These joint sessions are workshops where project requirements and design are defined. We take a look at the JAD methodology in great detail, exploring its advantages and disadvantages, best practices, and the role it plays in software creation.
December 8, 2023 — Source
Research finds marine bacteria, atmospheric rivers can contribute to formation of ice clouds
Understanding cloud formation in polar regions is essential to discern the influence of solar radiation on the polar ice caps. Existing numerical models, however, struggle to replicate ice clouds accurately. Now, using real-world observations and climate data, researchers from Japan have found that marine bioaerosols carried by streams of warm, moisture-laden air from higher latitudes contribute to the formation of ice clouds over the high latitude region of the Southern Ocean.
December 8, 2023 — Source
Researcher characterizes enzymes with N--N bonds for antibacterial applications
The building blocks for new drugs that help fight bacteria that are resistant to known antibiotics, for example, should be as cost-effective and environmentally friendly as possible. Enzymes are ideal for this purpose. For example, they can produce or combine different components of active substances.
December 8, 2023 — Source
Veins of bacteria could form a self-healing system for concrete infrastructure
In hopes of producing concrete structures that can repair their cracks, researchers from Drexel University's College of Engineering are putting a new twist on an old trick for improving the durability of concrete.
December 8, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 6th, 2023
Combined antibiotics more effective against Lyme disease: Study
Researchers at Tulane University have found that a combination of antibiotics is more effective in treating Lyme disease than the commonly prescribed course of one single antibiotic. This finding, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, could pave the way for improved Lyme disease treatments, particularly in persistent cases that have not responded to standard antibiotic treatment.
December 6, 2023 — Source
Dengue fever is on the rise in Mali with more than 20 deaths, health director says
Authorities say dengue fever is on the rise in Mali, posing a new threat to the West African nation struggling with extremist attacks and political turbulence.
December 6, 2023 — Source
Zinc shows promise as surprising emerging treatment for vaginal yeast infections
New research could one day pave the way for the treatment of vaginal yeast infections, by shedding new light on how microbes in the body absorb zinc.
December 6, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 5th, 2023
Could antivirals reduce your risk of long COVID? Where the research is up to on prevention and treatment
Evidence is continuing to accumulate on the burden and frequency of chronic effects after a COVID infection, which falls under the umbrella term "long COVID".
December 5, 2023 — Source
Dose matters: HIV drug could prevent coronaviruses, study finds
Coronaviruses are a global public health risk, with three highly infectious species, including SARS-CoV-2, emerging in the last 20 years. New research by the University of Bristol has shown how an HIV drug could stop many coronavirus diseases, including the SARS-CoV-2 variants, when given to infected cells at the right concentration. The findings could strengthen the arsenal of antiviral drugs available to combat current and future coronavirus outbreaks.
December 5, 2023 — Source
Nanomaterial with 'light switch' kills Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria
Health care-associated infections are a common problem in suppurating wound care, as is the rise in multi-drug resistant bacteria. In order to effectively and selectively combat bacterial infections, a team of researchers has developed a bactericidal nanomaterial equipped with a photochemical "light switch" that can be directed either against Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria.
December 5, 2023 — Source or Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 4th, 2023
Australia making progress but more needs to be done to eliminate hepatitis C: Report
Australia has made great progress towards hepatitis C elimination, with an estimated 60% of people living with hepatitis C having already been treated, but more work is needed if Australia is to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030.
December 4, 2023 — Source
Complications from flu largely preventable with annual flu vaccine
During National Influenza Vaccination Week (December 4-8, 2023), leading public health organizations are encouraging everyone to get a flu shot if they have not already done so. The flu is more than an inconvenience: it can lead to hospitalization, worsening of chronic medical conditions or even death. An annual flu vaccine is the best way to help prevent complications from the flu.
December 4, 2023 — Source
Drug-resistant tuberculosis may be under-diagnosed, says genomic analysis in southern Mozambique
A proportion of patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) receive ineffective treatment due to misdiagnosis by rapid molecular tests, according to a genomic analysis carried out in southern Mozambique and co-led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by "la Caixa" Foundation, and the Institute of Biomedicine in Valencia (IBV), from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
December 4, 2023 — Source
Homing in on disparities in access to HIV prevention medication can help get care to those who need it most
As the globe marks another World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, it's crucial to both acknowledge the significant strides made in the global battle against HIV and recognize the persistent challenges that remain. While the United States had seen a slow decline in the overall number of new HIV infections from 2017 to 2021, a closer look at the data reveals persistent disparities largely borne by LGBTQ people and communities of color.
December 4, 2023 — Source
Major UK study finds high demand and efficacy for HIV PrEP among sexual health service attendees
In a recent study published in The Lancet HIV, researchers investigated the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) requirement, duration, uptake, and usage among sexual health services (SHS) attendees in England.
December 4, 2023 — Source
Refeyn launches KaritroMP for rapid and reproducible characterization of large viral vectors
Refeyn, a leader in mass photometry technology, announces the launch of its macro mass photometry platform, KaritroMP. This new benchtop instrument marks an evolutionary step beyond mass photometry, allowing for the characterization of large viral vectors, including adenovirus vectors (AdVs) and lentivirus vectors (LVVs). Offering fast, simple, and qualitative analysis, KaritroMP can inform the R&D of gene and cell therapies, and vaccines.
December 4, 2023 — Source
Researchers crack the cellular code on protein folding, offering hope for many new therapeutic avenues
While we often think of diseases as caused by foreign bodies—bacteria or viruses—there are hundreds of diseases affecting humans that result from errors in cellular production of proteins.
December 4, 2023 — Source
South Florida's HIV dilemma: How to prevent babies from being born with the disease
As the international community observes World AIDS Day on Friday, doctors in South Florida confront a challenging reality: More women locally are getting HIV. A percentage of those women will become pregnant and give birth to babies who are infected.
December 4, 2023 — Source
STD specialists warn of shortage of vital syphilis drug
As syphilis cases surge across America, a group representing the nation's STD specialists says members are reporting shortages of a drug essential to fighting the disease.
December 4, 2023 — Source
Study links placental Group B Streptococcus to higher neonatal unit admissions in newborns
In a recent study published in Nature Microbiology, a group of researchers investigated the clinical significance of Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus; GBS) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in the placenta in relation to neonatal unit (NNU) admission and morbidity in term infants.
December 4, 2023 — Source
The rising health crisis of congenital syphilis: What physicians can do
Congenital syphilis, a disease passed to babies during pregnancy, is increasing worldwide, with between 700,000 and 1.5 million reported cases annually over the past eight years. The disease can cause stillbirths, disability and death. To better understand this issue, a team of UC Davis pediatricians wrote a literature review, published in the journal Children, to illuminate this rising health threat and offer potential countermeasures.
December 4, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — December 1st, 2023
Antiviral therapy favors a lower risk of liver cirrhosis in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B
New research delves into a traditionally overlooked category of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. While those who are HBeAg-negative with normal ALT levels have been considered low-risk and often excluded from immediate treatment, this study challenges that notion by demonstrating the considerable benefits of ongoing antiviral therapy.
December 1, 2023 — Source
Flu is on the rise while RSV infections may be peaking, US health officials say
Flu is picking up steam while RSV lung infections that can hit kids and older people hard may be peaking, U.S. health officials said Friday.
December 1, 2023 — Source
Polish NGO decries lack of sex education as HIV cases soar
A Polish NGO on Friday hit out at the government for restricting sex education as the devoutly Catholic country grapples with a spike in HIV cases.
December 1, 2023 — Source
The quest to conquer latent HIV and end the AIDS pandemic
A 36-year-old Brazilian man made headlines around the world in 2020 for being the first person to be putatively cured of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using an easily accessible and well-tolerated drug cocktail.
December 1, 2023 — Source
UKHSA report reveals continuous decline in HIV transmission but inequalities exist
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published the latest evaluation report into the government's progress towards reducing HIV transmission. The report shows that there has been a continued decline in HIV transmission but progress has slowed particularly among women and ethnic minorities.
December 1, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 30th, 2023
Elton John welcomes expansion of opt-out testing for HIV to 46 Accident & Emergency sites across England and calls on all political leaders to do more to end AIDS in a speech at Speaker's House
Elton John was honored at a reception hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV/AIDS at the Speaker's House today in recognition of his enduring commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic, both personally and through the work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
November 30, 2023 — Source
Gut bacteria show promise for thwarting toxic effects of cadmium
As a heavy metal that can persist in the human body for decades--and enter it by accumulating in fruits and vegetables--cadmium contributes to cancers of the kidney, lung and prostate, among other organs.
November 30, 2023 — Source
Implicit bias from providers inhibits hepatitis C treatment in people with HIV, study finds
A recent study reveals significant insights into the challenges that can occur for hepatitis C virus (HCV) micro-elimination efforts in people with HIV (PWH). Due to the opioid epidemic, the prevalence of co-infection with HIV and HCV has been increasing. If left untreated, HCV infection can lead to liver damage, cancer, and death. Although HIV requires lifelong therapy, HCV can be cured with a few months of oral medications.
November 30, 2023 — Source
New study links blood glycerol levels to tuberculosis severity in type 2 diabetes
A collaborative study between the A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs) and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Chan Medical School has uncovered that elevated glycerol levels are responsible for increased severity of tuberculosis (TB) disease in experimental models with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
November 30, 2023 — Source
Pathogens use force to breach immune defenses, study finds
Similar to a burglar breaking a window to get into a house, Indiana University researchers have discovered a previously unknown process by which pathogens enter a cell with physical force, breaching the body's immune defenses that prevent infection.
November 30, 2023 — Source
This gross mixture has big benefits for the study of bacteria
Animal models are a necessary research tool for understanding how diseases develop and how therapies work in biological systems and can be credited for breakthroughs ranging from effective antibiotics to the COVID-19 vaccines.
November 30, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 29th, 2023
Breaking down barriers: What happens when the vaginal microbiome attacks
Bacterial vaginosis is a common condition in which the natural microbiome of the vagina falls out of balance, sometimes leading to complications in sexual and reproductive health. But exactly how these bacterial populations disrupt vaginal health has remained unclear.
November 29, 2023 — Source
Lyme disease aftercare: new insights into persistent symptoms
Individuals who undergo treatment for Lyme borreliosis (LB) often report persistent symptoms; however, not much is known about the risk factors and etiology of these long-term effects after infection. A recent eBioMedicine study examines the determinants of symptom persistence following treatment for LB.
November 29, 2023 — Source
Research demonstrates ability of thermostable nanoparticle design platform to tackle viral infections
New research has demonstrated the potential for the ADDomer platform to produce thermostable vaccines and reagents to tackle viral infections The study led by the University of Bristol and Imophoron, a biopharmaceutical company developing thermostable nanoparticle vaccines using its ADDomer platform, is published in Antibody Therapeutics today (Nov. 29) under the title "In vitro generated antibodies guide thermostable ADDomer nanoparticle design for nasal vaccination and passive immunization against SARS-CoV-2."
November 29, 2023 — Source
Slippery toilet bowl treatment causes bacteria to slide right off
When entering public restrooms, it's hard not to dwell on what germs previous users have left behind in the toilet bowl. Imagine, instead, a self-cleaning system that doesn't require a brightly colored gel. Researchers have developed a simple, transparent coating that makes surfaces, like porcelain, more water-repellent. They show how this surface treatment effectively prevents bacteria from sticking to the inside of a toilet bowl.
November 29, 2023 — Source
Study of ancient British oral microbiomes reveals shift following Black Death
The Second Plague Pandemic may have led to oral microbiomes that contribute to modern-day chronic disease
November 29, 2023 — Source
To build better tuberculosis vaccines, researchers develop new model by leveraging an old vaccine
Scientists believe they can use one vaccine to study others
November 29, 2023 — Source
Vaccine acceptance hindered by lack of culturally responsive communications: Study
Although vaccination remains one of the most important public health strategies for preventing COVID and limiting its adverse outcomes, rates of vaccination are lower for Black people, suggesting that public health messaging and strategies have failed to adequately reach this community. A new study published in Vaccine from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (SPH) examines these shortcomings and seeks to understand the process that leads them to a decision about vaccination.
November 29, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 28th, 2023
Blending statistical studies of piglet gut bacteria reveals patterns at key growth stages
An analysis combining the results of 14 studies from around the globe has uncovered some common patterns in how the piglet microbiome, specifically the gut bacteria, changes over time.
November 28, 2023 — Source
'End of AIDS by 2030' if frontline services get proper funding: UN
The United Nations said Tuesday it is still possible to reach the "end of AIDS" by 2030--but only if communities and services on the ground are given the means.
November 28, 2023 — Source
Ending the HIV epidemic may require addressing 'everyday' discrimination
Latino sexual minority men who experience racial, ethnic and sexual prejudice are more likely to delay HIV testing, complicating efforts to end the more than 40-year epidemic, according to a new Rutgers study.
November 28, 2023 — Source
Graph neural networks: A new frontier in predicting hospital infections
Researchers at the University of Geneva have made a groundbreaking stride in health care technology, as detailed in their study published in Health Data Science.
November 28, 2023 — Source
Molecular diversity and evolution of far-red light photosynthesis
A collaborative study led by Dr. Christopher Gisriel at Yale University and Dr. Tanai Cardona at Queen Mary University of London, published in Frontiers in Plant Science, offers new insight on the origin and evolution of a unique type of photosynthesis that enables some bacteria, specifically cyanobacteria, to harness far-red light.
November 28, 2023 — Source
Q&A: Improvements in HIV care for Black and white men who have sex with men
Katherine Rich, MD MPH, resident in the MGH Department of Medicine, is the first author of a recently published paper in JAMA Network Open, "Projected Life Expectancy Gains from Improvements in HIV Care in Black and White Men Who Have Sex With Men." Aima Ahonkhai, MD MPH and Emily Hyle, MD MSc, physician investigators in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, are co-senior authors.
November 28, 2023 — Source
Research finds that mailing HPV test kits directly to patients increases cervical cancer screening rates
Three years ago, the federal government set a series of targets to improve Americans' overall health. Among the dozens of goals laid out in the plan, called Healthy People 2030, was a significant increase in the proportion of Americans who kept up to date with cervical cancer screening.
November 28, 2023 — Source
Researchers make great strides in combating pneumococcal pneumonia
The global impact of the coronavirus pandemic has ignited a renewed focus on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University are making great strides in combating pneumococcal pneumonia, one of the leading causes of respiratory deaths worldwide.
November 28, 2023 — Source
Slippery toilet bowl treatment causes bacteria to slide right off
When entering public restrooms, it's hard not to dwell on what germs previous users have left behind in the toilet bowl. Imagine, instead, a self-cleaning system that doesn't require a brightly colored gel. Researchers reporting in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces have developed a simple, transparent coating that makes surfaces like porcelain more water-repellent. They show how this surface treatment effectively prevents bacteria from sticking to the inside of a toilet bowl.
November 28, 2023 — Source
Two-week direct-acting antiviral prophylaxis prevents hep C after kidney transplant
Two-week direct-acting antiviral (DAA) prophylaxis prevents hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in individuals without HCV viremia who received kidney transplant (KT) from donors with HCV viremia (HCV D+/R−), according to a study published online Nov. 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
November 28, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 27th, 2023
How worried should we be about the pneumonia outbreak in China?
Reports of a surge in pneumonia-like illness primarily affecting children in northern China have captured our attention. The last time we heard about a mysterious respiratory outbreak leading to overcrowding in hospitals was the beginning of the COVID pandemic, so it's not entirely surprising this has caused some alarm.
November 27, 2023 — Source
In Michigan, one asymptomatic man spread syphilis affecting the eyes to five women
In a disease cluster last year, one infected but asymptomatic man spread a rare form of syphilis--that affects the eyes--to five Michigan women, a new report finds.
November 27, 2023 — Source
Research links climate change to vampire bat expansion and rabies virus spillover
Vampire bats may soon take up residence in the United States and bring with them an ancient pathogen. "What we found was that the distribution of vampire bats has moved northward across time due to past climate change, which has corresponded with an increase in rabies cases in many Latin American countries," said Paige Van de Vuurst, a Ph.D. student in Virginia Tech's Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program.
November 27, 2023 — Source
Researchers identify way to block alphavirus infection
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found an innovative way to block infection by a variety of alphaviruses, a group of mosquito-borne viruses that can cause joint and brain infections in people. The study, led by Michael S. Diamond, MD, Ph.D., the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine, and Daved H. Fremont, a professor of pathology and immunology, could be the first step on a path to a broad-spectrum therapy for these uncommon but serious infections.
November 27, 2023 — Source
South Africa AIDS epidemic eases: survey
South Africa has recorded its first significant fall in the number of people suffering from HIV but remains in the grip of a sexually transmitted epidemic, according to a survey released on Monday.
November 27, 2023 — Source
UK confirms first human case of swine flu strain H1N2
UK public health officials on Monday said they had confirmed a first human case of a swine flu strain similar to one that has been circulating in pigs.
November 27, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 24th, 2023
Drug resistance may make common infections like thrush untreatable
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest global threats to health, food security and development. This month, The Conversation's experts explore how we got here and the potential solutions.
November 24, 2023 — Source
Heat inactivation successful in controlling enteroviruses on surfaces, finds study
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a contagious disease that mainly affects young children in the Asia--Pacific region. The viral transmission can occur through direct contact with nose and throat secretions, surfaces, fomites and the environment. Moreover, children's school toys may serve an important role in HFMD surface-to-hand transmission. Heat inactivation can be an alternative to control HFMD transmission at schools.
November 24, 2023 — Source
Heat shock protein protects bacteria from plasma treatment
A heat shock protein protects the cells against protein clumping. It degrades, however, over longer treatment periods.
November 24, 2023 — Source
How bacteria defend themselves against plasmas
Plasmas are used in wound treatment against pathogens that are resistant to antibiotics. However, bacteria can defend themselves. They employ a heat shock protein that protects them.
November 24, 2023 — Source
Researchers build an enzyme-discovering AI
While E. coli is one of the most studied organisms, the function of 30% of proteins that make up E. coli has not yet been clearly revealed. For this, an artificial intelligence was used to discover 464 types of enzymes from the proteins that were unknown, and the researchers went on to verify the predictions of three types of proteins that were successfully identified through in vitro enzyme assay.
November 24, 2023 — Source
Researchers untangle the relationships between bacterial languages
A combination of machine learning and lab experiments has given researchers a peek into the different languages bacteria use to communicate. Understanding how bacteria communicate--and when they can't--has implications for treating drug-resistant bacteria and for developing biocomputing tools.
November 24, 2023 — Source
UN confirms sexual spread of mpox in Congo for the 1st time as country sees a record outbreak
The World Health Organization said it has confirmed sexual transmission of mpox in Congo for the first time as the country experiences its biggest-ever outbreak, a worrying development that African scientists warn could make it more difficult to stop the disease.
November 24, 2023 — Source
What you need to know about the new RSV shot for babies
Ahead of the winter respiratory virus season, many parents were relieved the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a shot to combat respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, for infants and toddlers this summer.
November 24, 2023 — Source
What we know so far about surging respiratory illnesses in China
Cases of respiratory illnesses have been surging in northern China, particularly among children, sparking speculation online of a new pandemic threat four years after COVID-19 first emerged in the country.
November 24, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 23rd, 2023
Study demonstrates prolonged persistence of enteroviruses on commonly encountered surfaces
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a contagious disease that mainly affects young children in the Asia-Pacific region. The viral transmission can occur through direct contact with nose and throat secretions, surfaces, fomites and the environment. Moreover, children's school toys may serve an important role in HFMD surface-to-hand transmission. Heat inactivation can be an alternative to control HFMD transmission at schools.
November 23, 2023 — Source
Study provides fresh insights into antibiotic resistance, fitness landscapes
E. coli bacteria may be far more capable of evolving antibiotic resistance than scientists previously thought, according to a new study published in Science on November 24.
November 23, 2023 — Source
WHO says misuse of antibiotics undermining efficacy
Misuse of antibiotics is denting their efficacy and spawning resistant bacteria which could be responsible for 10 million deaths worldwide by 2050, the World Health Organization warned Thursday.
November 23, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 22nd, 2023
Bacteria found to contribute to the modulation of animal behavior
An increasingly important field of work in modern life sciences is the study of the symbiotic coexistence of animals, plants, and humans with their specific microbial populations. In recent years, researchers have gathered growing evidence that the composition and balance of the microbiome plays a decisive role in the function and health of the organism as a whole.
November 22, 2023 — Source
Do You Have the Flu, RSV, COVID, or a Cold?
Winter is almost here, and with it may come runny noses, coughing, and congestion. But how do you know if you have just a common cold or one of the three respiratory viruses that make up the "tripledemic" — RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), COVID-19, and influenza?
November 22, 2023 — Source
Five women got eye syphilis from the same man--raising questions
The cluster of rare cases suggests a new strain of syphilis may have spread.
November 22, 2023 — Source
Imaging breakthroughs provide insight into the dynamic architectures of HIV proteins
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a formidable pathogen. It mutates rapidly; in fact, estimates suggest that the genetic diversity of HIV in a single person at one point in time is equal to the diversity of influenza across the globe for a year. HIV also has developed structures to shield itself from recognition and attack by antibodies and therapeutics. These factors all contribute to HIV being a dangerous, hard-to-treat virus.
November 22, 2023 — Source
Malaria jabs set for broader rollout in Africa
The United Nations heralded Wednesday the forthcoming scale-up of malaria vaccination across Africa after the first shipment of doses arrived in Cameroon.
November 22, 2023 — Source
Mitochondria-targeting antibiotics extend lifespan in C. elegans study
A new research paper titled "Antibiotics that target mitochondria extend lifespan in C. elegans" has been published in Aging.
November 22, 2023 — Source
More servings of whole grains linked to slower memory decline in Black people
Black people who eat more foods with whole grains, including some breads and cereals, quinoa, and popcorn, may have a slower rate of memory decline compared to Black people who eat fewer whole grain foods, according to a study published in the November 22, 2023, online issue of Neurology. The researchers did not see a similar trend in white participants.
November 22, 2023 — Source
Research lays the groundwork for a lifesaving group B strep vaccine
One in five pregnant women carry Streptococcus agalactiae (group B strep or GBS) in the vaginal tract, which is typically harmless--except when it isn't.
November 22, 2023 — Source
Researchers identify 'unicorn' defense mechanism that protects bacteria from antibiotics
Researchers at McMaster University have discovered unique characteristics of a mechanism used by bacteria to resist an important class of antibiotics. The new research, published in Nature Chemical Biology, shows that resistance to aminoglycoside drugs--used to treat a variety of infections--is far more complex than initially thought.
November 22, 2023 — Source
Study estimates hepatitis C infection seroprevalence in pregnant women
In a recent article published in eClinicalMedicine, researchers estimate the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in pregnant women globally and in World Health Organization (WHO)-specific regions.
November 22, 2023 — Source
Vaccine to prevent a dangerous tropical disease receives approval
The chikungunya virus is widespread in tropical regions, where it is spread to humans by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. Chikungunya is characterized by high fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, rash, and sometimes diarrhea. This viral disease has become a global health threat.
November 22, 2023 — Source
What to know about norovirus
Cases of norovirus--a common viral stomach illness--tend to occur in the U.S. between November and April. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been at least 13 cruise ship outbreaks so far in 2023. But norovirus causes about 20 million cases each year in the U.S. with more than 100,000 hospitalizations, and it can spread almost anywhere, so it's important to know how to spot it and deal with an infection.
November 22, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 21st, 2023
Bacteria store 'memories' and pass them on for generations, study finds
Scientists have discovered that bacteria can create something like memories about when to form strategies that can cause dangerous infections in people, such as resistance to antibiotics and bacterial swarms when millions of bacteria come together on a single surface. The discovery--which has potential applications for preventing and combatting bacterial infections and addressing antibiotic-resistant bacteria--relates to a common chemical element bacterial cells can use to form and pass along these memories to their progeny over later generations.
November 21, 2023 — Source
More deaths than malaria and HIV/AIDS: What Africa is doing to fight the silent epidemic of antibiotic resistance
Each year antimicrobial resistance--the ability of microbes to survive agents designed to kill them-- claims more lives than malaria and HIV/Aids combined. Africa bears the brunt of this development, which thrives on inequality and poverty. Nadine Dreyer asked Tom Nyirenda, a research scientist with over 27 years' experience in infectious diseases, what health organizations on the continent are doing to fight this threat to medical progress.
November 21, 2023 — Source
Researchers discover novel bacteriocin in common skin bacterium
Infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a growing global problem. Part of the solution may lie in copying the bacteria's own weapons. Researchers in Tromsø have found a new bacteriocin, in a very common skin bacterium. Bacteriocin inhibits the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are often the cause of disease and can be difficult to treat.
November 21, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 20th, 2023
17 people hospitalized in salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes
Salmonella-tainted cantaloupe has landed 17 people in the hospital, warns the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
November 20, 2023 — Source
Breakthroughs in TB prevention offer hope for children
Taking a common antibiotic could more than half the risk of children becoming sick with multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), according to findings presented this week at a conference on lung health.
November 20, 2023 — Source
Research highlights disrupted NAD(H) homeostasis as a potential therapeutic target to combat tuberculosis
It has been uncertain how Mycobacterium tuberculosis deflects the immune response in humans, though evidence has pointed to host immunometabolism--the intrinsic link between metabolism in immune cells and their immune function. The pathogen M. tuberculosis is known to disrupt a metabolic pathway called glycolysis in infected myeloid cells, which include macrophages, through an unclear mechanism.
November 20, 2023 — Source
Bioengineered viruses enable quantum leaps in biopyroelectric sensing and energy harvesting
For decades, researchers have sought to understand and harness the pyroelectric effect in biological materials. Pyroelectricity refers to the phenomenon where heating or cooling a material with a nonzero spontaneous electric polarization changes the polarization, generating a temporary voltage.
November 20, 2023 — Source
Infection-resistant, 3D-printed metals developed for implants
A novel surgical implant developed by Washington State University researchers was able to kill 87% of the bacteria that cause staph infections in laboratory tests, while remaining strong and compatible with surrounding tissue like current implants
November 20, 2023 — Source
New method combines synthetic biology with AI in the cell-free quest for new antibiotics
The rising resistance of bacteria to antibiotics presents an escalating global health risk. Now, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg, Germany, have combined synthetic biology and artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a more efficient approach to finding and creating new antimicrobial peptides that are effective against a wide range of bacteria.
November 20, 2023 — Source
Q&A: Expert explains RSV prevention for vulnerable populations
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that seriously affects vulnerable populations such as infants, young children and older adults. Dr. Wasem Alsabbagh, associate professor at the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy, answers frequently asked questions about RSV.
November 20, 2023 — Source
Researchers find high counts of flesh-eating bacteria in gulf waters after Hurricane Ian
There are a few reasons to avoid wading in the water after a hurricane--floating debris, backed-up sewage and downed power lines, to name a few.
November 20, 2023 — Source
Taking antibiotic after sex could slash your risk for an STI
Data showing that the antibiotic doxycycline might prevent a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if taken soon after sex made headlines earlier this year.
November 20, 2023 — Source
Tea Extracts Amplify Silver Nanoparticles' Antimicrobial Power
There is a pressing need for new methods to tackle antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Scientists at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) recently showcased the potential of green tea-silver nanoparticles in combating pathogens like bacteria and yeast, aiming to devise an effective approach against bacteria unaffected by traditional antimicrobial agents, such as antibiotics.
November 20, 2023 — Source
This Season's Flu Shot Is Shaping Up to Be Very Effective
For those who have gotten the flu shot this season, there's good news: This year's formulation looks like it will be very effective at preventing severe cases and hospitalization. That's based on how the vaccine performed in the parts of the world where flu season is wrapping up.
November 20, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 17th, 2023
Consumption of antibiotics in the community back to pre-pandemic levels in the European Union and European Economic Area
This year's European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) focuses on the targets outlined in the 2023 Council Recommendation to step up efforts in the European Union (EU) against antimicrobial resistance in a One Health approach. Those recommendations formulate the 2023 goal to reduce total antibiotic consumption (community and hospital sectors combined) by 20%, using consumption data from 2019 as a baseline.
November 17, 2023 — Source
Deadly sepsis and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are in Europe's crosshairs
EU researchers are looking for new ways to tackle bloodstream infections that kill millions of people worldwide every year.
November 17, 2023 — Source
Enhancing the antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles against pathogens by using tea extracts
Researchers at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) have demonstrated that green tea--silver nanoparticles as a powerful tool against pathogens such as bacteria and yeast. Their work is published in Nanoscale Advances.
November 17, 2023 — Source
Immunogenicity of insect-specific Zika virus-vectorized vaccine candidates
The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a worldwide health issue; however, there are no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved human vaccines. Insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFVs) have garnered increasing scientific interest in vaccine development and diagnostic applications.
November 17, 2023 — Source
Measles rises globally amid vaccination crash; WHO and CDC sound the alarm
From 2021 to 2022, measles deaths increased 43 percent.
November 17, 2023 — Source
Prolonging the effects of botulinum therapy: A milestone in neuromuscular disease management
Botulinum toxin-A (BTX), also known as Botox, is used to treat a range of neuromuscular disorders, including muscle spasms, dystonia, eye twitching, overactive bladder, and spasticity associated with cerebral palsy or stroke. Notably, BTX has gained popularity in cosmetology owing to its effectiveness in minimizing facial wrinkles. BTX works by inducing paralysis at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs)--the connections between a neuron (brain cell) and a muscle fiber.
November 17, 2023 — Source
Study reveals surprising link between malnutrition and rising antibiotic resistance
University of B.C. researchers have uncovered startling connections between micronutrient deficiencies and the composition of gut microbiomes in early life that could help explain why resistance to antibiotics has been rising across the globe.
November 17, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 16th, 2023
CDC to release infants' RSV shots to help ease shortage
To address a continuing nationwide shortage, more than 77,000 doses of RSV shots for infants were released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
November 16, 2023 — Source
Emerging tick-borne viral threats in eastern europe and the black sea basin
In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, a group of researchers analyzed tick samples from countries in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region using nanopore sequencing (NS) and targeted amplification, identifying prevalent viruses and pathogens. They assessed the spread of newly documented tick-borne viruses into Europe.
November 16, 2023 — Source
FDA approves first at-home test for chlamydia, gonorrhea
The first home test for chlamydia and gonorrhea will soon hit the market, following its approval Wednesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
November 16, 2023 — Source
Measles deaths worldwide jumped 40% last year, health agencies say
Measles deaths globally spiked by more than 40% last year and cases rose after vaccination levels dramatically dropped during the pandemic, leading health agencies said Thursday.
November 16, 2023 — Source
More than meows: How bacteria help cats communicate
Many mammals, from domestic cats and dogs to giant pandas, use scent to communicate with each other. A new study shows how domestic cats send signals to each other using odors derived from families of bacteria living in their anal glands.
November 16, 2023 — Source
One in five patients on Nirmatrelvir--Ritonavir experience virologic rebound, new observational study reveals
In a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers compared the frequency of viral rebound (VR) among acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with and without nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (N-R) treatment.
November 16, 2023 — Source
'Phage therapy' could treat some drug-resistant superbug infections, but comes with unique challenges
As bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, more people will become infected and die of untreatable bacterial infections. By 2050, drug-resistant infections are predicted to kill ten million people a year.
November 16, 2023 — Source
Q&A: Modeling measles amidst a global disruption in vaccine supplies
According to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that published today (Nov. 17) in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, this drop in vaccination coverage led to a 72% increase in reported measles cases and a 43% increase in measles deaths during 2021-22.
November 16, 2023 — Source
Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance Together: A Conversation with Dr. Beverley Isherwood
In this interview ahead of World AMR Awareness Week, we explore the imminent challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with Dr. Beverley Isherwood, Strategy Leader for Infectious Diseases at Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) and Programme Director for Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy (PACE).
November 16, 2023 — Source
Terrorism rather than pandemics more concerning for those with authoritarian views, analysis shows
Those with authoritarian political views are more likely to be concerned about terrorism and border control than a future new health pandemic, new research shows.
November 16, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 15th, 2023
Engineering bacteria to biosynthesize intricate protein complexes
Protein cages found within microbes help its contents weather the harsh intracellular environment--an observation that has many bioengineering applications. Tokyo Tech researchers have recently developed an innovative bioengineering approach that uses genetically modified bacteria to incorporate protein cages around protein crystals.
November 15, 2023 — Source or Source
Immune response that protects against infections also drives HIV latency
An immune response that likely evolved to help fight infections appears to be the mechanism that drives human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into a latent state, lurking in cells only to erupt anew, researchers at Duke Health report.
November 15, 2023 — Source
Investigating the smallpox blanket controversy
In Indian Country, it is an accepted fact that white settlers distributed items, such as blankets contaminated with smallpox and other infectious diseases, aiming to reduce the population of Native people resisting their Manifest Destiny. These accounts have left a legacy of trauma and distrust in Native communities that persist to this day. It comes as quite a surprise to Indigenous people to learn that a controversy exists regarding the veracity of these events. This article aims to answer some of the lingering questions while shedding light on the controversy.
November 15, 2023 — Source
Latest surveillance data shows a rise in antibiotic resistant infections and associated deaths
The latest national surveillance data, announced at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) annual conference in Leeds today, shows that an estimated 58,224 people in England had an antibiotic resistant infection in 2022 — a rise of 4% since 2021 (55,792). Deaths due to severe antibiotic resistant infections also increased from 2021 to 2022 (from 2,110 to 2,202).
November 15, 2023 — Source
More than meows: How bacteria help cats communicate
Many mammals, from domestic cats and dogs to giant pandas, use scent to communicate with each other. A new study from the University of California, Davis shows how domestic cats send signals to each other using odors derived from families of bacteria living in their anal glands.
November 15, 2023 — Source
Novel C. diff structures are required for infection, offer new therapeutic targets
Newly discovered iron storage 'ferrosomes' inside the bacterium C. diff — the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections — are important for infection in an animal model and could offer new targets for antibacterial drugs. They also represent a rare demonstration of a membrane-bound structure inside a pathogenic bacterium, upsetting the biological dogma that bacteria do not contain organelles.
November 15, 2023 — Source
Researchers develop preclinical vaccine to regulate immune responses to prevent kidney and heart transplant rejection
A subtype of CD8 T cells, which are classically known to promote immune system responses, may be in fact regulating the immune system by suppressing immune cells causing self-destructive responses leading to autoimmune disorders and organ graft rejection. A team led by researchers from the Department of Medicine and the Transplant Research Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in collaboration with researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has developed a vaccine in preclinical models to promote immune regulation.
November 15, 2023 — Source
STIM-mediated calcium influx regulates maintenance and selection of germinal center B cells: Study
Germinal centers (GCs) are specialized microenvironments where antigen (Ag)-specific B cells undergo antibody affinity maturation and clonal expansion. Positive selection of high-affinity GC B cells is driven by Ag internalization through their B cell receptor (BCR) and presentation to follicular helper T (Tfh) cells.
November 15, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 14th, 2023
CAR T cell therapies may lead to reactivation of childhood viral infections
Research led by the Department of Pathology at Stanford University, California, has found that chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) cell therapy can potentially result in a reactivation of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) by CAR T cells in patients.
November 14, 2023 — Source
Evolutionary virologist Daniel Blanco-Melo seeks out ancient pathogens
He has reconstructed two viruses brought to the Americas during European colonization
November 14, 2023 — Source
Flu Cases Climbing as We Return to a More 'Typical' Season
In what looks like a return to a typical pre-pandemic flu season, cases nationwide continue to slowly climb this fall, national infectious disease expert and pharmacy data shows.
November 14, 2023 — Source
New vaccine against Strep A could drastically cut antibiotic use for sore throats, study suggests
A new study published in the journal eBioMedicine predicts whether the widespread introduction of a vaccine against group A Streptococcus (Strep A) could reduce the use of antibiotics for sore throat.
November 14, 2023 — Source
Pink Eye During Flu Season: Effective Prevention, Treatment Tips and More
Viruses can cause symptoms in your eyes, including pink eye. Here's what an optometrist wants you to know.
November 14, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 13th, 2023
Antiviral treatment is largely underused in children with influenza, study shows
Despite national medical guidelines supporting the use of antiviral medications in young children diagnosed with influenza, a new study reports an underuse of the treatment.
November 13, 2023 — Source
Daycare TB case exposes over 500 babies, children; emergency declared
The health department has set up multiple clinics to test children as quickly as possible.
November 13, 2023 — Source
New approaches in the fight against drug resistance in malaria
Malaria is one of the most widespread and deadly infectious diseases worldwide. New compounds are continuously required due to the risk of malaria parasites becoming resistant to the medicines currently used. A team of researchers at FAU, led by Prof. Dr. Svetlana B. Tsogoeva, has now combined the anti-malaria drug artemisinin with coumarin--which, like artemisinin,
November 13, 2023 — Source
Research shows maternal dengue immunity worsens birth defects caused by Zika virus
A first-of-its-kind study led by Duke-NUS Medical School has shown that prior maternal immunity to the dengue virus substantially increases the risk of severe birth defects induced by Zika virus infection during pregnancy.
November 13, 2023 — Source
Researchers confirm six unique strains of African swine fever virus
The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has announced that researchers have reclassified the number of African Swine Fever (ASF) virus strains from 25 to only six unique genotypes. This scientific innovation may help redefine how ASF researchers across the globe classify ASF virus (ASFV) isolates and may make it easier for scientists to develop vaccines that match the different strains circulating in ASF endemic areas across the globe.
November 13, 2023 — Source
Reviewing new challenges and opportunities for hepatitis B cures
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a significant public health problem, with over 296 million people chronically infected worldwide. Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine for over 40 years, HBV remains a leading cause of liver disease and death.
November 13, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 10th, 2023
Artificial bladders shine light on bugs that cause urinary tract infections
A new study reveals that numerous bacterial strains are capable of hiding in the human bladder wall, suggesting why urinary tract infections often persist after treatment.
November 10, 2023 — Source
Norovirus: What to know and how to avoid it
Noroviruses are usually more widespread in the fall and winter, but you can get sick from the virus any time of the year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea from acute gastroenteritis in the U.S.
November 10, 2023 — Source
Spread of drug resistant bacteria linked to patient hand contamination and antibiotic use within nursing homes
Nursing home residents have an increasing diversity in the level of care required--ranging from short term post-acute care stays that are focused on rehabilitation, to more intensive nursing care.
November 10, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 9th, 2023
A New RSV Shot Could Help Protect Babies This Winter — If They Can Get It in Time
Emily Bendt was in her third trimester of pregnancy when she first heard the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had approved a new shot for infants to protect them from the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
November 9, 2023 — Source
Bacteria-virus arms race provides rare window into rapid and complex evolution
As conceived by Charles Darwin in the 1800s, evolution is a slow, gradual process during which species adaptations are inherited incrementally over generations. However, today biologists can see how evolutionary changes unfold on much more accelerated timescales.
November 9, 2023 — Source
Battling aspergillus: The synergistic power of statin combinations
Pulmonary aspergillosis--a group of infectious respiratory diseases caused by various species of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus--has a significant mortality rate globally. Currently, the first-line antifungal therapy in patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is azoles, which belong to a class of antifungal drugs.
November 9, 2023 — Source
Lipid Nanoparticles: A Potent Weapon Against Antibiotic Resistance
An Australian research team, under the direction of Monash University, has developed a novel strategy for eliminating bacteria resistant to antibiotics by utilizing lipid nanoparticles that specifically target different bacterial cell surface layers.
November 9, 2023 — Source
Microbial cell factories offer sustainable alternative to chemical factories for compound production
As climate change and environmental concerns intensify, sustainable microbial cell factories garner significant attention as candidates to replace chemical plants. To develop microorganisms to be used in the microbial cell factories, it is crucial to modify their metabolic processes to induce efficient target chemical production by modulating its gene expressions.
November 9, 2023 — Source
Puerto Rico declares flu epidemic as cases spike. 42 dead and more than 900 hospitalized since July
Puerto Rico health officials on Thursday declared an influenza epidemic in the U.S. territory.
November 9, 2023 — Source
Q&A: Drug shortages, lack of action to blame in congenital syphilis crisis, public health expert says
Cases of STIs--sexually transmitted infections--are at epidemic levels in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
November 9, 2023 — Source
Scientists discover kidney-friendly antifungal that evades resistance
Polyenes are among the most commonly used broad-spectrum antifungals but have significant associated renal toxicity. Attempts to develop newer drugs of the same class without these adverse effects led to nothing, mostly because of the perception that their antifungal activity was based on membrane permeabilization.
November 9, 2023 — Source
Study reveals bacterial protein capable of keeping human cells healthy
Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil, partnering with colleagues in Australia, have identified a novel bacterial protein that can keep human cells healthy even when the cells have a heavy bacterial burden.
November 9, 2023 — Source
US childhood vaccination exemptions reach their highest level eve
The proportion of U.S. kindergartners exempted from school vaccination requirements has hit its highest level ever, 3%, U.S. health officials said Thursday.
November 9, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 7th, 2023
Combined treatment using lipid nanoparticles shows promise against antibiotic resistant bacteria
A large Australian team led by Monash University has devised a new approach to killing antibiotic-resistant bacteria using lipid nanoparticles that target specific layers on the surface of the bacterial cell.
November 7, 2023 — Source
Research investigates a novel strategy for inhibiting the spread of Vibrio cholerae
Karl Klose, director of The South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID) and the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg College of Sciences Endowed Professor, coauthored a research article with Cameron Lloyd '23, a UTSA doctoral student who graduated in August with a Ph.D. in molecular microbiology and immunology under the guidance of Klose.
November 7, 2023 — Source
Researchers develop metal-enhanced fluorescence probes for influenza A virus detection
Recurring influenza epidemics, such as the one during World War I, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak in the 2010s, and the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years have made it evident that contagious viral respiratory diseases often make an appearance in the timeline of human history.
November 7, 2023 — Source
Review: Antibiotic prescribing and stewardship in outpatient telemedicine
A new report in the peer-reviewed journal Telemedicine and e-Health provides a review of the published literature on antibiotic prescribing and antibiotic stewardship in outpatient telemedicine. At least 28% of antibiotic use in outpatient settings is unnecessary, contributing to excess costs, adverse drug events, and antibiotic resistance.
November 7, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 6th, 2023
Learning more about how flu strains evolved may help guide future vaccine development
Simon Fraser University researchers studying the evolutionary history of flu viruses have found that a new quantitative analysis of how they evolved may help predict future strains. The research draws on a field known as phylogenetics, which focuses on how groups of organisms are evolutionarily related, and is published in the journal Science Advances.
November 6, 2023 — Source
New antibodies neutralize resistant bacteria
Broadly neutralizing antibodies are already being used to fight viruses. This approach could also help to treat infections with multi-resistant bacteria in the future.
November 6, 2023 — Source
Q&A: Testing the efficacy of new vaccines against enteroviruses
Marta Butrym from the Center for Infectious Medicine (CIM), at the department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH), is defending her thesis, "Novel vaccines and antiviral treatments for enterovirus induced infections and disease," on November 10, 2023. Her main supervisor is Malin Flodström Tullberg (MedH).
November 6, 2023 — Source
Research shows mRNA vaccine harnesses T-cell power to combat COVID-19 in lungs
The effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in reducing disease severity and hospitalization from COVID-19 is well established. Now, new research from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine advances our understanding of how these vaccines protect the lungs following breakthrough infections from emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
November 6, 2023 — Source
Review examines antibiotic prescribing in outpatient telemedicine
A new report in the journal Telemedicine and e-Health provides a review of the published literature on antibiotic prescribing and antibiotic stewardship in outpatient telemedicine. At least 28% of antibiotic use in outpatient settings is unnecessary, contributing to excess costs, adverse drug events, and antibiotic resistance.
November 6, 2023 — Source
Success of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in fighting dengue may be underestimated
The fight against dengue fever has a new weapon: a mosquito infected with the bacteria Wolbachia, which prevents the spread of the virus. These mosquitoes have now been deployed in several trials demonstrating their potential in preventing disease transmission.
November 6, 2023 — Source
Vampire viruses prey on other viruses to replicate themselves--and may hold the key to new antiviral therapies
Have you ever wondered whether the virus that gave you a nasty cold can catch one itself? It may comfort you to know that, yes, viruses can actually get sick. Even better, as karmic justice would have it, the culprits turn out to be other viruses.
November 6, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 3rd, 2023
Leveraging technology to improve tuberculosis health care
Every year, around 10 million people contract tuberculosis (TB)--a treatable disease where bacteria attack a patient's lungs. Globally, only about half of those who contract TB yearly are diagnosed. Many other people with TB are undiagnosed and untreated, partly due to a lack of access to quality health-care systems, particularly in resource-limited settings and among marginalized groups.
November 3, 2023 — Source
New antibiotic tackles drug-resistant gonorrhea in trial
The first new antibiotic for gonorrhea--the second most common sexually transmitted disease--has shown promise in a clinical trial.
November 3, 2023 — Source
Researcher: Amazon a time bomb for emergence of diseases with pandemic potential due to deforestation and climate change
Home to the greatest biodiversity on the planet, the Amazon is also a ticking time bomb for the emergence or resurgence of diseases with pandemic potential. This is because environmental degradation and altered landscapes are important factors in this process, which are exacerbated during periods of extreme drought, such as the one now affecting the region.
November 3, 2023 — Source
Researchers find evidence of mpox circulating in humans since 2016
A large international team of medical researchers and epidemiologists has found evidence that monkeypox (mpox) has been circulating in humans since 2016. In their study, reported in the journal Science, the group used Bayesian evolutionary analysis of the mpox virus to show that its genomic history includes years of change due to human infections.
November 3, 2023 — Source
Scientists identify changes in dendritic cells during the immune response with promising implications for vaccine design
A team of scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) and Hospital de la Princesa-UAM in Madrid have discovered that dendritic cells, an important cell type in the immune response to viral and bacterial infections, are profoundly changed by their involvement in this process in ways that were previously unknown.
November 3, 2023 — Source
States reconsider religious exemptions for vaccinations in child care
More than half the children who attend Munchkin Land Daycare near Billings, Montana, have special needs or compromised immune systems. The kids, who range in age from 4 months to 9 years, have conditions that include fetal alcohol syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and Down syndrome, according to owner Sheryl Hutzenbiler.
November 3, 2023 — Source
Why do some vaccines (polio, measles) prevent diseases, while others (COVID-19, flu) only reduce their severity?
When the first vaccines for COVID-19 rolled out in December 2020, some people hoped they would be a silver bullet against the novel virus the way that polio and smallpox shots are nearly 100% effective against those diseases.
November 3, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — November 2nd, 2023
Different antibiotics' effects on gut microbes may impact hypertensive organ damage
New research in rodents indicates that altering gut microbes may affect the development of organ damage associated with hypertension. The findings will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2023, November 1--5.
November 2, 2023 — Source
First-ever observation of a virus attaching to another virus
No one had ever seen one virus latching onto another virus, until anomalous sequencing results sent a UMBC team down a rabbit hole leading to a first-of-its-kind discovery.
November 2, 2023 — Source
Gut microbiome startup Viome buys digital wellness startup Naring Health
Viome Life Sciences, the Seattle-area health tech startup that sells gut microbiome tests, acquired Naring Health, another company developing "personalized nutrition" products and services.
November 2, 2023 — Source
GLP-1 Effect: Eli Lilly and Company Smashes Q3 2023 Revenue Expectations on Weight Loss Drug Tailwind
The GLP-1 mania is in full swing now, as evidenced by Eli Lilly and Company smashing consensus expectations for its top-line and bottom-line metrics in Q3 2023, aided by the soaring demand for its Mounjaro weight loss drug.
November 2, 2023 — Source
In Kenya, emotional violence, mental health found as key obstacles to lifesaving HIV treatments for young females
In sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of death for adolescent girls and young women, antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatments are critical to saving lives and preventing the disease from spreading. Yet many HIV-positive teenage girls and young women don't stick with these life-saving treatments.
November 2, 2023 — Source
Re-engineered pseudoviruses for 3D mapping of infections open up new horizons in virus research
Pseudoviruses resemble impostors: Although harmless, they are designed in such a way that they can hardly be distinguished from their dangerous relatives. This makes them an invaluable tool in virus research. They can be used to precisely analyze infection pathways of dangerous virus variants.
November 2, 2023 — Source
Research connecting gut bacteria and oxytocin provides a new mechanism for microbiome-promoted health benefits
The gut microbiome, a community of trillions of microbes living in the human intestines, has an increasing reputation for affecting not only gut health but also the health of organs distant from the gut. For most microbes in the intestine, the details of how they can affect other organs remain unclear, but for gut resident bacteria L. reuteri the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into place.
November 2, 2023 — Source
New antibiotic approach proves promising against Lyme bacterium
Using a technique that has shown promise in targeting cancer tumors, a Duke Health team has found a way to deploy a molecular warhead that can annihilate the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.
November 2, 2023 — Source
New video game takes a shot at soothing vaccine anxiety in pediatric patients
With the chill of the season come the inevitable cold, flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory concerns such as the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), all infectious diseases that can be serious, especially for young children. As health care experts say, vaccines are our superheroes when it comes to protecting people against these highly contagious respiratory illnesses. But for some kids, shots can be as scary as a Halloween spookfest. And one bad experience at a clinic can lead to a fear of vaccines well into adulthood.
November 2, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 31st, 2023
AI may help identify potential gonorrhea vaccine proteins
Gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that affects more than 80 million people worldwide every year, has become resistant to almost all known antibiotics. That makes it notoriously difficult to treat, but left untreated, an infection could lead to serious or even fatal complications. It also increases a person's risk of contracting HIV.
October 31, 2023 — Source
Antibiotics no longer effective in treating childhood infections in large parts of the world
Drugs to treat common infections in children and babies are no longer effective in large parts of the world, due to high rates of antibiotic resistance.
October 31, 2023 — Source
Next-generation influenza B vaccines provide broad and long-lasting protection against flu viruses in preclinical tests
Recent preclinical results indicate novel next-generation vaccine candidates developed at Cleveland Clinic protect against multiple strains of influenza and last longer than vaccines currently in use.
October 31, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 30th, 2023
Chad's first dengue fever outbreak
Chad has reported its first dengue outbreak, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The country's health ministry declared an outbreak on 15 August and so far 1,342 suspected cases have been reported, 41 of them confirmed in the laboratory.
October 30, 2023 — Source
How to protect biocatalysts from oxygen
There are high hopes for hydrogen as the key to the energy transition. A specific enzyme group found in algae and in bacteria can produce molecular hydrogen simply by catalyzing protons and electrons. However, the enzyme group is so sensitive to oxygen that commercial use of the hydrogen produced by this process as a green energy source is not yet possible. Researchers have now increased the oxygen stability of a hydrogen-producing enzyme by genetically generated channel blockages.
October 30, 2023 — Source or Source
Increase in HIV PrEP provision for adolescents between 2018 and 2021
From 2018 to 2021, there was an increase in HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) provision among adolescents, especially among male and older adolescents, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in Pediatrics.
October 30, 2023 — Source
Intestinal bacteria metabolite promotes capture of antigens by dendritic cells
Researchers discover that short-chain fatty acids trigger elongation of dendrites by dendritic cells to capture intestinal pathogens
October 30, 2023 — Source
Multiple species of gut bacteria linked to increased risk of developing severe malaria
Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have identified multiple species of bacteria that, when present in the gut, are linked to an increased risk of developing severe malaria in humans and mice. Their findings, recently published in Nature Communications, could lead to the development of new approaches targeting gut bacteria to prevent severe malaria and associated deaths.
October 30, 2023 — Source
Particular subgroup of antibodies responsible for dengue's increased deadliness may lead to vaccine
Dengue fever is a viral infection with a devastating twist: those who have caught it once are more likely to develop life-threatening disease the second time around. Why our bodies not only fail to learn from prior infection but also become more vulnerable as a result is a longstanding mystery that has prevented development of a universal dengue vaccine.
October 30, 2023 — Source
Research finds the most sexually adventurous gay and bisexual men are also the most vigilant with HIV prevention
More than a third of gay and bisexual men in New Zealand report recently having group sex and the same proportion say they use drugs to enhance sexual experiences.
October 30, 2023 — Source
Resident Tregs found to remain in certain lymph nodes for a long time
The immune system is fast when it comes to fighting viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. But it also has to know when not to attack — for example, harmless substances such as pollen or house dust, which otherwise trigger allergic reactions. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the lymph nodes play a key role here, suppressing excessive or misdirected immune responses there.
October 30, 2023 — Source
Study links specific gut bacteria to increased risk of severe malaria
Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have identified multiple species of bacteria that, when present in the gut, are linked to an increased risk of developing severe malaria in humans and mice.
October 30, 2023 — Source
The wrong type of plumbing can increase the risk of Legionnaires' disease, researchers say
Pipe-in-pipe plumbing systems on the Norwegian market are tested and approved via the SINTEF Technical Approval System. However, plumbing installed in connection with so-called combi-cabinets has not been approved. The reason for this is the risk of establishing the Legionella bacterium that can cause serious lung infection, and which claims the lives of an unknown number of people each year.
October 30, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 27th, 2023
A New Era of Vaccines Leaves Old Questions About Prices Unanswered
The world is entering a new era of vaccines. Following the success of covid-19 mRNA shots, scientists have a far greater capacity to tailor shots to a virus's structure, putting a host of new vaccines on the horizon.
October 27, 2023 — Source
Broad spread and upsurge cholera outbreak in Africa
Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. A multi-country cholera outbreak has occurred in several developing countries in Africa, Asia and Oceania since mid-2021. The current multi-country cholera outbreak has spread primarily in Africa. As of February 2023, cholera cases have been reported in approximately 25 countries, 15 (60%) of which are in sub-Saharan Africa.
October 27, 2023 — Source
Don't wait to get this year's flu vaccine
Flu season is upon us again, and while case numbers in Texas remain relatively low, a physician with Texas A&M University Health Services says the best time to get vaccinated is right now.
October 27, 2023 — Source
Improved meningitis vaccine may be on the way
A new vaccine recommended by independent advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could provide more comprehensive protection from meningitis.
October 27, 2023 — Source
Vaccination coverage increased in 2022, but still below 2019 levels
The researchers found that from 2021 to 2022, worldwide coverage with one or more dose of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-containing vaccine (DTPcv1) increased from 86 to 89%, but remained below the 90% coverage achieved in 2019. There was also an increase seen in estimated DTPcv3 coverage, from 81 to 84%, which remained below the 86% coverage seen in 2019.
October 27, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 26th, 2023
Mammalian cells may consume bacteria-killing viruses to promote cellular health
Bacteriophages, also called phages, are viruses that infect and kill bacteria, their natural hosts. But from a macromolecular viewpoint, phages can be viewed as nutritionally enriched packets of nucleotides wrapped in an amino acid shell.
October 26, 2023 — Source
Viral reprogramming of cells increases risk of cancers in HIV patients, finds study
Viral infections are known to be a central cause of more than 10% of cancers worldwide. University of California researchers may have uncovered one of the key reasons why. Their findings were published today in PLOS Pathogens.
October 26, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 24th, 2023
Biofilm probiotic effective in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis in piglet model
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a debilitating and deadly condition that affects infants who were born preterm. In NEC cases, intestinal tissues become inflamed, and in severe cases there is ischemia and death of the involved intestines. Treatment for NEC often involves surgery to remove the dying tissue.
October 24, 2023 — Source
How eggs of the Zika-carrying mosquito survive desiccation
Cells are made mostly of water, and desiccation is a potentially fatal event for any organism, since the structures of many proteins and other cellular molecules are dependent on adequate hydration. While many types of microbes have evolved mechanisms to survive drying out, only a few animals have. Among them is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, the carrier of a variety of viral diseases, including, Zika, dengue, yellow fever, and Chikungunya. Originally found in North Africa, Ae. aegypti has expanded globally, and is now a threat in warm, moist regions throughout the world.
October 24, 2023 — Source
How mosquito-controlling bacteria might also enhance insect fertility
Different strains of Wolbachia bacteria naturally infect a number of different animals worldwide, such as mosquitos, butterflies, and fruit flies. Wolbachia can manipulate the fertility of their hosts through a specific biological mechanism that aids the spread of Wolbachia within host populations.
October 24, 2023 — Source
New consortium to build on breakthroughs in malaria research to develop P. vivax vaccines
Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread human malaria-causing pathogen with 2.5 billion people living at risk in Africa, South America, Oceania, and Asia. Over the next 5 years, OptiViVax, a newly created consortium across academia and industry, will build on exciting breakthroughs in malaria research to integrate state-of-the-art advances in parasite immunology, vaccine design, and innovative pre-clinical and clinical studies, to develop next-generation vaccines with increased efficacy against the P. vivax parasite.
October 24, 2023 — Source
Recombinant rabies virus vaccine with molecular adjuvant induces strong immune responses and protection in mice
This study aimed to improve the effectiveness of the rabies vaccine to help alleviate and eliminate the rabies epidemic.
October 24, 2023 — Source
Shortage of shots that protect babies against RSV prompts CDC alert
Demand for a new shot that protects babies against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has outpaced supply, prompting U.S. health officials to recommend the doses be saved for high-risk infants.
October 24, 2023 — Source
Study associates reduced activity of a key enzyme with microcephaly in Zika-infected offspring
The discovery has been patented and could serve in future as a basis for the development of a biomarker for early diagnosis of microcephaly in human babies infected with Zika during the embryonic period.
October 24, 2023 — Source
Study shows engineered gut bacteria can treat hypertension
Newly published research proves that it's possible to treat high blood pressure by using specially engineered Lactobacillus paracasei to produce a protein called ACE2 in the gut, reducing gut angiotensin II and, in turn, lowering blood pressure. The study, done in lab rats that are predisposed to hypertension and unable to naturally produce ACE2, opens new doors in the pursuit of harnessing our body's own microbiome to regulate blood pressure.
October 24, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 23rd, 2023
Enhanced mRNA Vaccine May Work Intranasally.
Researchers at MIT have developed an enhanced mRNA vaccine system that can elicit a greater immune response at lower doses. The vaccine technology is so potent that it may be useful for intranasal COVID-19 vaccines.
October 23, 2023 — Source
Genetic analysis: Dutch bluetongue virus type is unique
The bluetongue virus is rapidly spreading in the Netherlands. With the use of new techniques, including whole genome sequencing, it has quickly become clear that the Dutch virus is a different virus variant in comparison to previous outbreaks.
October 23, 2023 — Source
Expert explains parvovirus B19, a common childhood infection
Parvovirus B19 is the cause of fifth disease, a mild rash typically seen in children, although adults can contract the virus. Parvovirus B19 affects only humans. You can't contract it or transmit it to dogs or cats. However, different parvoviruses can affect pets.
October 23, 2023 — Source
Mimics human tissue, fights bacteria: new biomaterial hits the sweet spot
Scientists at UNSW Sydney have created a new material that could change the way human tissue can be grown in the lab and used in medical procedures.
October 23, 2023 — Source
New care model delivers hepatitis C treatment to most vulnerable
Breakthrough treatments introduced over the last decade have transformed hepatitis C from a chronic and potentially deadly infectious disease into one that can be cured. But these medications have often been beyond the reach of those who are most vulnerable to the virus that causes it: people who inject drugs and lack stable housing.
October 23, 2023 — Source
Pandemic didn't lower parents' trust in childhood vaccines
"We did not see a significant increase in parents who are hesitant toward routine childhood vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before," said study author Dr. David Higgins, a research fellow at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora.
October 23, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 20th, 2023
Gut microbiota-derived 7-DHC found to ameliorate circadian rhythm disorders and inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract categorized into ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Currently, aminosalicylates, glucocorticoids, immunomodulating drugs, and biological agents are common strategies for the treatment of IBD. The efficacy of these therapies is limited, however, and they are frequently associated with multiple adverse effects.
October 20, 2023 — Source
Nanocarriers study shows antibodies against polyethylene glycol in 83% of the German population
It has long been known that people can form defenses and thus antibodies against viruses. But antibodies can also develop against polyethylene glycol (PEG), a substance used in cosmetics, food and medicine. These influence the effectiveness of drugs.
October 20, 2023 — Source
New study demonstrates promise of engineering gut bacteria to treat hypertension
Scientists at The University of Toledo have proven that engineered bacteria can lower blood pressure, a finding that opens new doors in the pursuit of harnessing our body's own microbiome to treat hypertension.
October 20, 2023 — Source
Pioneering partnership supports early-stage innovation against antimicrobial resistance to save lives
Innovate UK, LifeArc, and Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) have joined forces to create PACE (Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy), a £30 million initiative supporting early-stage innovation against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to save lives. PACE has today (19 October 2023) announced its first funding call with up to £10 million available to support innovators developing new antimicrobials.
October 20, 2023 — Source
World still not fully protected from another pandemic, WHS leaders warn
At the World Health Summit (WHS) global leaders warned that the world was still not fully protected from another pandemic like COVID-19.
October 20, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 19th, 2023
Cache valley virus: Another mosquito-borne illness making inroads in US
A potentially deadly infection carried by mosquitoes may be more prevalent than once thought, U.S. health officials report.
October 19, 2023 — Source
Lactate-producing intratumoral bacteria drive resistance to radiation therapy
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that lactate-producing intratumoral bacteria drive resistance to radiation therapy, suggesting that lactic acid-producing bacteria present in various cancers may serve as novel therapeutic targets.
October 19, 2023 — Source
Lateral Flow Test for Gingivitis
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have developed a lateral flow assay that can detect bacterial toxins from Porphyromonas gingivalis, the causative bacteria for gingivitis. The technology could make it easier and faster to identify early-stage gingivitis, which can lead to periodontitis and eventual tooth loss, as well as contributing to a variety of other diseases such as stroke and heart disease
October 19, 2023 — Source
Researchers profile new drug combinations to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Antimicrobial resistance — occurring when pathogens can survive antibiotic treatment — is one of the most rapidly emerging global public health threats today. According to a 2022 study, nearly five million deaths were associated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 2019, with over a million deaths per year directly attributable to antimicrobial resistance.
October 19, 2023 — Source
Study adds two new strains to the list of potential antihypertensive probiotics
An estimated 40% of the global adult population have high blood pressure, or hypertension, which puts people at risk of cardiovascular disease and other dangerous health conditions. Recent studies suggest that probiotics may offer a protective effect, but researchers have a limited understanding of why shaping the gut microbiota can regulate blood pressure.
October 19, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 18th, 2023
Immunogenicity and safety of an E. coli-produced human papillomavirus vaccine: A phase 2 controlled trial
Premalignant and malignant lesions of the cervix and other sites related to the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection pose a significant health burden worldwide, especially in developing countries. Although prophylactic HPV vaccination is considered one of the most effective measures to prevent cervical cancer and other related diseases, accessibility to HPV vaccines, particularly the 9-valent HPV vaccine, remains a considerable challenge.
October 18, 2023 — Source
Nanoparticle vaccine could curb cancer metastasis to lungs by targeting a protein
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed an experimental vaccine that could prevent the spread of metastatic cancers to the lungs. The key ingredients of the vaccine are nanoparticles--fashioned from bacterial viruses--that have been engineered to target a protein known to play a central role in cancer growth and spread.
October 18, 2023 — Source or Source
Tick-borne diseases: Racing to defuse a 'ticking' public health time bomb
The explosive rise in tick-borne diseases in many parts of the United States over the last five decades represents a major public health threat that demands innovative solutions, warns a group of Yale scientists. In a new review article, they outline why the stakes are so high and describe some potential solutions.
October 18, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 17th, 2023
Bacteria found in desert pave the way for paint that produces oxygen whilst capturing carbon
An innovative paint that contains oxygen-producing bacteria capable of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) has been created by scientists from the University of Surrey. Researchers suggest this paint, known as a 'biocoating,' could be used in extreme environments, such as space stations.
October 17, 2023 — Source
Boosting weak immune system: Scientists find an unusual weapon against virus
Infections with cytomegalovirus (CMV) are extremely common and often pose no major threat to the vast majority of people. They can however be deadly for people whose immune system is weakened, e.g., after bone marrow transplantation. Current treatments against CMV infections are very limited and can have severe side effects. Researchers now propose a new way to protect against CMV.
October 17, 2023 — Source
Germicidal UV lights could be producing indoor air pollutants, study finds
Many efforts to reduce transmission of diseases like COVID-19 and the flu have focused on measures such as masking and isolation, but another useful approach is reducing the load of airborne pathogens through filtration or germicidal ultraviolet light. Conventional UV sources can be harmful to eyes and skin, but newer sources that emit at a different wavelength, 222 nanometers, are considered safe.
October 17, 2023 — Source
Plasma jet tech transforms microalgae into ultrathin bioactive coatings
Flinders researchers have taken a significant leap in the field of wound care using an innovative approach. By deploying an argon atmospheric plasma jet, they have successfully transformed Spirulina maxima, a blue-green microalgae, into ultrathin bioactive coatings.
October 17, 2023 — Source
Revolutionizing virus detection with AI-enhanced biosensing
Rapid and on-site diagnostic technologies for identifying and quantifying viruses are essential for planning treatment strategies for infected patients and preventing further spread of the infection. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for accurate yet decentralized diagnostic tests that do not involve complex and time-consuming processes needed for conventional laboratory-based tests.
October 17, 2023 — Source
Scientists develop deep learning-based biosensing platform to better count viral particles
Recent studies have found that Gires-Tournois (GT) biosensors, a type of nanophotonic resonator, can detect minuscule virus particles and produce colorful micrographs (images taken through a microscope) of viral loads. But they suffer from visual artifacts and non-reproducibility, limiting their utilization.
October 17, 2023 — Source
Study demonstrates antimicrobial action of polyalthic acid from copaiba oil
Polyalthic acid from copaiba oil is an effective antibacterial and should be used to develop alternative medications that can contribute to the effort to overcome antimicrobial resistance ("superbugs"), according to an article by researchers based in Brazil and the United States published in the journal Antibiotics.
October 17, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 16th, 2023
New study confirms presence of flesh-eating and illness-causing bacteria in Florida's coastal waters following Hurricane Ian
When Hurricane Ian struck southwest Florida in September 2022, it unleashed a variety of Vibrio bacteria that can cause illness and death in humans, according to a new study.
October 16, 2023 — Source
Number of chickenpox cases in children in Finland fell rapidly after the launch of the vaccination program: Study
A recent study by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reveals that a two-dose varicella vaccination program to all children under the age of 12 who had not had chickenpox reduced the number of health center appointments related to the disease significantly and fast in all age groups.
October 16, 2023 — Source
Scientists uncover key enzymes involved in bacterial pathogenicity
Gram-negative bacteria cause a variety of infectious diseases in plants and animals alike. Outbreaks of Salmonella and E. coli infections often make headlines due to their severity, and people have to resort to allopathic as well as natural remedies, increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
October 16, 2023 — Source
The deep slumber of a hospital pathogen: Why infections with Acinetobacter baumannii can flare up again and again
A research team has discovered a fundamental mechanism that helps the dreaded hospital pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii to survive. This mechanism explains why the pathogen is difficult to eradicate in hospitals and why infections flare up again and again in patients: When living conditions become too unfavorable for the bacteria, they fall into a kind of slumber. In this state, conventional diagnostic methods can no longer detect them nor is it possible to kill them off. When living conditions improve again, they awaken from this 'deep sleep'.
October 16, 2023 — Source
The new vaccines and you: Americans better armed than ever against the winter blechs
Last year's "triple-demic" marked the beginning of what may be a new normal: a confluence of respiratory infections--RSV, influenza, and COVID-19--will surge as the weather cools each year.
October 16, 2023 — Source
Two 'big gun' antibiotics may be safer for the kidneys than previously thought
Two 'big gun' antibiotics thought to cause kidney failure in ICU patients with a severe bacterial infection, especially when combined with another antibiotic, may be safer for the kidneys than previously reported, following a randomized trial led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).
October 16, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 13th, 2023
Engaged and informed communities are more likely to adapt behaviors during disease outbreaks, study finds
New research from a team led by Dr. Louise Smith and Professor James Rubin from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London, working with the UK Health Security Agency, explored society's understanding of, and attitudes toward, the 2022 mpox outbreak and people's intention to adhere to self-isolation requests and protective behaviors.
October 13, 2023 — Source
Collating data on droplet properties to trace and localize the sources of infectious particles
A team of atmospheric scientists, chemists and infectious disease specialists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, working with colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamical Systems, the University of Denver, Georg August University and St. Petersburg State University, has embarked on an effort to collate publicly available information on droplet properties, such as the way they are distributed by size, their composition, and the ways they are emitted, as a means of helping to develop mitigation strategies for fighting infectious agents.
October 13, 2023 — Source
Maryland researchers provide first statewide prevalence data on two new emerging pathogens in health care settings
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers conducted a statewide survey of all patients on breathing machines in hospitals and long-term care facilities and found that a significant percentage of them harbored two pathogens known to be life-threatening in those with compromised immune systems.
October 13, 2023 — Source
Rare 'flesh-eating' bacterium spreads North as oceans warm
Debbie King barely gave it a second thought when she scraped her right shin climbing onto her friend's pontoon for a day of boating in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 13.
October 13, 2023 — Source
The new vaccines and you: Americans better armed than ever against the winter blechs
Last year's "triple-demic" marked the beginning of what may be a new normal: a confluence of respiratory infections — RSV, influenza, and covid-19 — will surge as the weather cools each year.
October 13, 2023 — Source
There's a morning-after pill to prevent sexually transmitted infections
The CDC is getting close to recommending it to prevent STIs like chlamydia and syphilis.
October 13, 2023 — Source
Vaccines: A few minutes now could spare you misery later
Getting together with friends to cheer for your favorite teams? Halloween parties? Going to concerts or that new restaurant you want to try? Family holiday traditions? Maybe a trip somewhere warm?
October 13, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 12th, 2023
Dexamethasone no benefit in HIV-positive with tuberculous meningitis: Study
Joseph Donovan, Ph.D., from the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and colleagues conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving HIV-positive adults with tuberculous meningitis in Vietnam and Indonesia. In addition to 12 months of antituberculosis chemotherapy, participants were randomly assigned to receive a six- to eight-week tapering course of dexamethasone or placebo (263 and 257, respectively).
October 12, 2023 — Source
Does your gut microbiome play a role in therapeutic outcomes?
This study reviewed and summarized the available research on how the gut microbiome influences therapeutic drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
October 12, 2023 — Source
Fighting tuberculosis: Breakthrough analysis reveals mixed strain infections
In a recent article published in Scientific Reports, researchers applied Gaussian Mixture model (GMM) statistical approaches to determine the drug-resistant genotypes in mixed strain infection (MSI) samples of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with whole genome sequencing (WGS) data.
October 12, 2023 — Source
Engineered bacteria paint targets on tumors for cancer-killing T cells to see
For several years, researchers have been successfully using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells to target specific antigens found on blood cells as a cure for patients with leukemia and lymphoma. But solid tumors, like breast and colon cancers, have proven to be more difficult to home in on.
October 12, 2023 — Source
Feds hope to cut sepsis deaths by hitching Medicare payments to treatment stats
Sepsis, the body's extreme response to an infection, affects 1.7 million adults in the United States annually. It stems from fungal, viral, or bacterial infections. Treatment delays of even a few hours can undermine a patient's chance of survival. Yet sepsis can be difficult to diagnose because some patients don't present with common symptoms like fever, rapid heart rate, or confusion.
October 12, 2023 — Source
Q&A: Generic daily HIV prevention pill for young men who have sex with men could save lives and money
Anne Neilan, MD, a physician-scientist in the division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital is the senior author of a recently paper titled "Daily Oral HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States: Cost-Saving at Generic Drug Price."
October 12, 2023 — Source
Researchers show 'cryptic' viral peptide drives large part of immune response in influenza A virus infection
Conventional wisdom lays out two major roles for the major histocompatibility complex (MHC): Class I MHC (MHC-I) displays peptide fragments of proteins from within the cell on the cell surface and elicits a response from cytotoxic T cells (CD8 T cells), and class II MHC (MHC-II) does the same for helper T cells (CD4 T cells).
October 12, 2023 — Source
Why you and your family need a flu shot
If you haven't had the flu in a few years, there's a reason. As Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, shares, all the more reason to ensure you and your family are vaccinated this year.
October 12, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 11th, 2023
Metal-organic frameworks could someday deliver antibacterial nitric oxide
Because metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)--highly porous metal complexes--are so structurally and chemically diverse, they could be used for many applications, such as drug delivery and environmental clean-up. But researchers still need to get a better understanding of how they function, especially when embedded in polymers.
October 11, 2023 — Source
Now Is the Time for Older Adults to Get the RSV Vaccine
Recent progress in the field of immunology has given health care providers and their patients new tools to combat a potentially deadly respiratory illness that largely affects older adults. And no, it's not COVID-19.
October 11, 2023 — Source
Prevalence of malaria infections found to vary among migrant populations
The prevalence of malaria infections among migrants from sub-Saharan Africa is considerably high (8%), while Asian and Latin American migrants have a much lower prevalence, according to a study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). These findings can help inform screening strategies to combat malaria infections in migrant populations.
October 11, 2023 — Source
Preventing medical implant infections with nitric oxide generating MOF coatings
Medical implants from artificial joints to pacemakers improve quality of life for millions. However, bacteria can colonize the surface of these devices, forming resilient biofilms and sparking stubborn infections. Around half of orthopedic implants become infected within the first five years, often necessitating repeated surgery or implant removal.
October 11, 2023 — Source
Study uncovers how the gut's microbiome boosts immune development
A study is shedding new light on how the gut's microbial communities contribute to a well-functioning immune system and defend against harmful pathogens.
October 11, 2023 — Source
The intricate mechanism behind the immune system's ability to differentiate between self and non-self antigens
A new study, led by Professor Kyemyung Park and his research team in the Graduate School of Health Science and Technology and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNIST has shed light on the intricate mechanism behind the immune system's ability to differentiate between self and non-self antigens
October 11, 2023 — Source
Your immune system makes its own antiviral drug--and it's likely one of the most ancient
Antiviral drugs are generally considered to be a 20th century invention. But recent research has uncovered an unexpected facet to your immune system: It can synthesize its own antiviral molecules in response to viral infections.
October 11, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 10th, 2023
B cell response after influenza vaccine in young and older adults
Seasonal influenza contributes to a substantial disease burden, resulting in approximately 10 million hospital visits and 50 thousand deaths in a typical year in the United States. 70--85% of the mortality occurs in people over the age of 65. Influenza vaccination is the best protection against the virus, but it is less effective for the elderly, which may be in part due to differences in the quantity or type of B cells induced by vaccination.
October 10, 2023 — Source
Cambodia records second bird flu death in a week, third this year, after no cases since 2014
A 2-year-old girl is the second person in Cambodia to die of bird flu this week, and the third this year, the country's Health Ministry has announced.
October 10, 2023 — Source
Immune cells identified as 'metabolic factories' in the gut
A research team from MedUni Vienna has now demonstrated for the first time the central role of macrophages in the renewal of intestinal cells, which sheds light on the complex interplay between immune cells and tissue regeneration. In particular, it could be described that macrophages produce the metabolites spermidine and spermine in high amounts, which then benefit the other tissue cells in the organ.
October 10, 2023 — Source
New method produces highly pure mRNA vaccines with less inflammation risk
A research group from Japan has developed a method to produce highly active mRNA vaccines at high purity using a unique cap to easily separate the desired capped mRNA. This 'Purecap' technique extracted up to 100% pure Cap2-type mRNA, which showed 3-4 times better production of the protein that stimulates the immune system. These results open up the possibility of purer vaccines with a lower risk of inflammation caused by impurities.
October 10, 2023 — Source
TB vaccine discovery paves path to end top killer of people living with HIV
Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have discovered a tuberculosis (TB) vaccination strategy that could prevent the leading cause of death among people worldwide living with HIV.
October 10, 2023 — Source
UVA researchers take on antibiotic resistance crisis with $1.2 million grant
University of Virginia researchers are working to outrace two dangerous germs known for quickly developing resistance to new antibiotics — and the scientists' efforts could help us better combat antibiotic resistance more broadly.
October 10, 2023 — Source
What's in your gut could be aggravating your menopause symptoms
Over the last decade, a lot has been learned about what a person's poop says about their overall health. Factors such as frequency of defecation and stool consistency can signify a number of health problems. A new study suggests that these same factors may affect the prevalence and intensity of menopause symptoms.
October 10, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 9th, 2023
A missing piece of the puzzle in a rare life-threatening condition linked to vaccines
A team of scientists led by the University of Aberdeen has taken an important step forward in understanding the mechanisms by which adenovirus-based vaccines, including some of those used in the COVID pandemic, can cause serious adverse reactions.
October 9, 2023 — Source
Analysis of 1918 flu pandemic victims' remains contradicts belief that healthy young adults were particularly vulnerable
New analysis of the remains of victims of the 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide, contradicts the widespread belief the flu disproportionately impacted healthy young adults.
October 9, 2023 — Source or Source
Compound found to inhibit influenza virus replication by targeting host enzyme
How can the propagation of influenza viruses be stopped? For a new approach in the therapy of influenza infections, Prof. Hiroki Kato from the Institute of Cardiovascular Immunology at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 of the University of Bonn receives an Open Philanthropy grant of 2.2 million US dollars. Together with his team, he found a compound that inhibits the body's own methyltransferase MTr1 and thus prevents the replication of influenza viruses.
October 9, 2023 — Source
Dengue: Why is this sometimes fatal disease increasing around the world?
Something unusual seems to be happening with dengue, a potentially fatal mosquito-borne viral disease found across swathes of tropical Africa, Asia and the Americas. As with most infectious diseases, the number of cases tends to rise and fall over the years as epidemics come and go, but recently changes seem to be afoot in how dengue is behaving.
October 9, 2023 — Source
Q&A: We need to rethink anxiety, says psychologist
The U.S. was an anxious nation before COVID and has seen levels rise even more in the past few years, especially among young people. David H. Rosmarin, an associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and director of McLean's Spirituality and Mental Health Program, has spent decades treating the disorder.
October 9, 2023 — Source
What is croup? Its symptoms and treatment
Croup can be a scary thing for new parents to watch their babies struggle with, so here is a primer on what it is and how to best treat it.
October 9, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 6th, 2023
Can buttermilk help cure infection from flesh-eating bacteria?
In spring 2023, Egon Bech Hansen received a much-awaited small, square package from the United States. The package contained nine plastic plates with 3,456 small wells.
October 6, 2023 — Source
How bacteria can organize themselves
A new model demonstrates that chasing interactions can induce dynamical patterns in the organization of bacterial species
October 6, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 5th, 2023
Chemists make antibacterial films more effective with iron
RUDN University chemists have improved the effectiveness of antibacterial chitosan films used in medicine and the food industry, by adding iron and a new chitin derivative to chitin nanoparticles.
October 5, 2023 — Source
'Dormant' HIV has ongoing skirmishes with the body's immune system
In people on HIV drugs, the virus may still exhaust T cells, making it hard to fight back
October 5, 2023 — Source
Study explores gender differences in HIV-related stigma and social support in the Dominican Republic
For people living with HIV (PLHIV), an important barrier to receiving timely HIV care is the stigma associated with the disease. HIV-related stigma has been associated with lower rates of HIV testing, denial and lack of disclosure of HIV status, delays in HIV-related treatment, and poor antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and adherence.
October 5, 2023 — Source
Study shows prior exposure to common virus shields against birth defects and miscarriage
Researchers at Tulane University have shown for the first time that mothers are much less likely to transmit a common virus known to cause miscarriages and birth defects if they are exposed to the virus prior to becoming pregnant. The study marks a significant step toward the development of a vaccine that could protect mothers and their babies.
October 5, 2023 — Source
Tripledemic? What CDC Recommends for COVID, Flu, and RSV
As we forge ahead into fall and winter, the threat of a "tripledemic" — when cases of COVID-19, flu, and RSV surge at the same time — looms over our heads.
October 5, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 3rd, 2023
Pharmacists can play key role in boosting HPV vaccination rates
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted infection. It is also the leading cause of cervical cancer. Over 1,400 Canadian women are affected yearly, with almost 400 deaths, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. It is completely preventable with the HPV vaccine, and yet, unfortunately, many people are unvaccinated.
October 3, 2023 — Source
Research team creates wearable sensor to monitor 'last line of defense' antibiotic
Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, bacteria have evolved numerous ways to evade or outright ignore the effects of antibiotics. Thankfully, health care providers have an arsenal of infrequently used antibiotics that are still effective against otherwise resistant strains of bacteria.
October 3, 2023 — Source
Wearable sensor system can track antibiotic levels in real time
Researchers have innovatively melded microneedle technology with nanoscale sensors, devising a wearable patch for real-time monitoring of the antibiotic vancomycin, crucial in battling severe bacterial infections.
October 3, 2023 — Source or Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — October 2nd, 2023
CDC aims to recommend an antibiotic after sex to help prevent sexually transmitted infections
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is poised to recommend use of a powerful antibiotic to prevent sexually transmitted infections.
October 2, 2023 — Source
Scientists identify evolutionary gateway helping pneumonia bacteria become resistant to antibiotics
An evolutionary gateway which helps pneumonia cells become resistant to antibiotics has been discovered by scientists at the University of Sheffield.
October 2, 2023 — Source
Self-sampling proves effective in diagnosing asymptomatic mpox
An article published in Nature Communications on the pilot study carried out in Catalonia to evaluate the self-collection of biological samples reveals the high acceptability of the proposal and the key role of diagnosis in people without symptoms of mpox.
October 2, 2023 — Source
Study sheds new light on how soil viruses behave and interact with bacteria
How viruses affect ecosystems, including bacteria, is challenging to untangle because they are complex and change over time and space. But the first annual rain on Mediterranean ecosystems, such as those in California, offers a kind of reset, triggering activity that can be observed.
October 2, 2023 — Source
Study shows how 'superbacteria' were prevented from spreading in a large tertiary hospital
Rapid identification of patients contaminated by "superbacteria" known as "carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae" (CRE), with early isolation of these patients, reduces transmission in hospital emergency departments. However, keeping them in the emergency room (ER) for more than two days undermines containment because it increases the risk of infection via colonization.
October 2, 2023 — Source
Researchers discover promising treatment to combat hospital superbug
Cal State Fullerton antibiotic-resistance researcher María Soledad Ramírez and her students have discovered a promising new therapeutic to treat Acinetobacter baumannii, a superbug commonly found in hospitals and resistant to many antibiotics.
October 2, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 29th, 2023
Preparing for the next pandemic: Study offers improved method for tackling bird flu
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Vaccine Research Center have developed an improved way to test potential vaccines against bird flu.
September 29, 2023 — Source
Alcohol use not tied to sustained virologic response with hepatitis C treatment
Emily J. Cartwright, M.D., from the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and colleagues evaluated whether alcohol use at DAA treatment initiation is associated with a decreased likelihood of SVR. The analysis included 69,229 patients with chronic HCV infection who initiated DAA therapy between Jan. 1, 2014, and June 30, 2018.
September 29, 2023 — Source
Atopic dermatitis: Viruses discovered as new therapy option
Up to 15% of children and 5% of adults are affected by the chronic inflammatory skin disease atopic dermatitis. Despite advanced therapy measures, the severe itching and eczema, especially on the elbows or knees, cause great distress to the patients.
September 29, 2023 — Source
Gut inflammation found to be caused by substance secreted by microbe
The human gut—or gastrointestinal system—where food is broken down into nutrients for the body, is an ecosystem that harbors thousands of bacteria species. While some microorganisms are harmful, many are beneficial and help keep the human body in good health. Besides bacteria, the gut microbiota also consists of other types of microorganisms, including protists, yeasts, and viruses.
September 29, 2023 — Source
Women found to have higher risk for solicited reactions after flu shot
Marilou Kiely, Ph.D., from the University of Montreal, and colleagues obtained data from phase 3 randomized controlled trials to explore sex differences in adverse events following seasonal influenza vaccines. Risk ratios (RRs) comparing solicited reactions in women versus men were pooled; the risk for bias and I2 statistic for heterogeneity was assessed. The main analysis was stratified into younger and older cohorts (18 to 64 years and 65 years and older).
September 29, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 28th, 2023
Natural antibiotic thiostrepton reveals new hope for inflammatory bowel disease treatment
IBD is a chronic, relapsing condition significantly impacting life quality and necessitating innovative treatments due to the inadequacy of current therapies to maintain long-term remission. TST, a multi-functional antibiotic, presents a promising solution, demonstrating anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties, potentially modulating immunological and microbial factors in IBD.
September 28, 2023 — Source
'One Health' surveillance tool proves vital in rapid response to potentially deadly rabies outbreak in India
Scientists have revealed that the use of an animal rescue system--Hawk Data Pro--proved to be a vital "One Health" surveillance tool as part of a rapid response to a potentially deadly rabies outbreak in Pune city, India.
September 28, 2023 — Source
Scientists discover biomimetic macrophage technology to combat antibiotic resistance
Infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria, such as MDR Escherichia coli (E. coli), pose a significant challenge to health care professionals worldwide.
September 28, 2023 — Source
Study finds users prefer daily oral PrEP pill despite new options
When PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a drug that prevents HIV infection, was first approved by the FDA in 2012, it was a medical breakthrough that promised to drastically reduce HIV transmission. Traditionally, PrEP is administered via a pill that needs to be taken at the same time every day.
September 28, 2023 — Source
Study proposes a resilience approach for accurate diagnosis of HBV-related diseases through blood tests
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a significant threat to global public health, contributing to liver-related morbidity and mortality. The current diagnostic methods for HBV-related diseases, such as laboratory tests, ultrasounds, computed tomography (CT), and liver biopsies, often overlap and consume valuable medical resources.
September 28, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 27th, 2023
BSI-AST chip: A powerful tool to accelerate antimicrobial susceptibility testing for bloodstream infections
The presence of viable bacteria in the blood (bacteremia) when not controlled properly can lead to bloodstream infection (BSI) and sepsis, a syndromic inflammatory response.
September 27, 2023 — Source
Common Warning Signs That Your iPhone Might Have A Virus
It is considered extremely rare for Apple products to catch any sort of virus. That's no accident; it's entirely by design. With a Mac computer, for example, security is built-in. "To safely support internet downloading, MacOS layers additional controls," according to Apple. "First, by default in macOS 10.15 or later, all Mac apps need to be notarized by Apple to launch. This requirement helps to ensure that these apps are free of known malware, without requiring that the apps be provided through the App Store."
September 27, 2023 — Source
How climate change could make fungal diseases worse
Disease-causing fungi are likely to thrive in a warmer, stormier world.
September 27, 2023 — Source
Lethal weapon: New antimicrobial coating could revolutionize cleaning methods
We've gained a new weapon in the fight against harmful and often antibiotic-resistant pathogens with the development of a unique material engineered to limit disease spread and replace current cumbersome cleaning protocols on high-touch surfaces like door knobs and hand rails.
September 27, 2023 — Source
Mainstay malaria drug may be beginning to fail in the Horn of Africa
In eastern Africa, malaria parasites have developed resistance to artemisinins, the backbone of current treatment regimens, a development that could dramatically worsen malaria's impact if partner drugs fail in the future.
September 27, 2023 — Source
Study finds potential way to tweak immune system to help it fight tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is old--ancient even. The infectious bacterial disease that plagued Old Testament Israelites and took down pharaohs was eventually stunted by vaccinations, antibiotics, and public health measures like isolation, but it hasn't been cured yet. More than a million people around the world still die from TB every year.
September 27, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 26th, 2023
The Tata Way
In spring 1974, over a dozen smallpox outbreaks sprang up throughout the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Determined to find the source of the cases, American smallpox eradication worker Larry Brilliant and a local partner, Zaffar Hussain, launched an investigation.
September 26, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 25th, 2023
Could this new hydrogel make HIV therapy more convenient?
A new injectable solution that self-assembles into a gel under the right conditions could help manage HIV unlike any currently available methods, researchers have found.
September 25, 2023 — Source
Researchers develop new method to deliver strong antibiotic drugs more safely
Antibiotic resistant bacteria are a threat to human lives, and yet the development of new drugs to treat bacterial infections is slow. A group of proven drugs used in cancer treatment for decades could possibly be the solution. A new class of antibiotics is now being developed by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden.
September 25, 2023 — Source
Researchers find contaminated water in fast-food soda fountains
Loma Linda University (LLU) researchers found microbial contamination in common sources of drinking water in the Eastern Coachella Valley, including soda fountains at fast-food restaurants. Their findings revealed that 41% of the water samples researchers collected from these soda fountains contained total coliforms, an indicator of water contamination.
September 25, 2023 — Source
Study shows ribosome-binding antibiotics can help some bacteria survive for longer
Scientists have found a surprising effect of some antibiotics on certain bacteria--that the drugs can sometimes benefit bacteria, helping them live longer.
September 25, 2023 — Source
Study discovers a new endocytic pathway in budding yeast
Endocytosis is an important cellular process through which cells internalize substances such as water and nutrients. These substances are first transported as cargo to the initial sorting compartment (endosomes) before being degraded (endo-lysosomal pathway) or recycled (recycling pathway of the plasma membrane). The trans-Golgi network (TGN), which lies adjacent to the Golgi apparatus, is a key mediator of this intracellular transport.
September 25, 2023 — Source
Young people with sexual or gender diversity are at higher risk of stopping their HIV treatment, research finds
Ending the AIDS pandemic--particularly in eastern and southern Africa--cannot be achieved unless more resources are channeled to meet the needs of key vulnerable populations.
September 25, 2023 — Source
Your Questions About RSV, Answered
The respiratory illness can be dangerous for young children and older adults. But new immunizations are available for the first time this fall.
September 25, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 22nd, 2023
Discovery in mosquitoes could lead to new strategy against dengue fever and other mosquito-borne vectors
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have made an important finding about Aedes aegypti mosquitoes--one that could one day lead to better methods for reducing the mosquito-to-human transmission of dengue, yellow fever, Zika, and other harmful and sometimes deadly viruses.
September 22, 2023 — Source
Flu shot: Your best bet for avoiding influenza
Getting a flu shot will often protect you from a serious case of the flu. And although the flu shot doesn't always provide total protection, it's worth getting.
September 22, 2023 — Source
New research reveals gut microbiota link to colitis
A study conducted by Jun Sun's research team at the University of Illinois Chicago has revealed a new and critical role of Axin1 in regulating intestinal epithelial development and microbial homeostasis. The research, titled "Intestinal Epithelial Axin1 Deficiency Protects Against Colitis via Altered Gut Microbiota," and published in the journal Engineering, highlights the potential therapeutic strategies for human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
September 22, 2023 — Source
Omics analysis identifies new biomarkers for predicting mortality in patients with pneumonia
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major infectious disease worldwide and contributes to high mortality and massive economic burden. Hospital mortality among the severe CAP (SCAP) remains high, ranging from 25% to more than 50%.
September 22, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 21st, 2023
As U.S. Syphilis Cases Rise, Those at the Epicenter Scramble
It was just a routine checkup — or so she thought. But this time, Marnina Miller's love interest came along. The pair headed to an STD clinic in Houston, where Miller worked, to get tested for syphilis and HIV.
September 21, 2023 — Source
Nanoparticle vaccine candidate shows promise against emerging tick-borne virus in early studies
Cleveland Clinic researchers have used nanoparticles to develop a potential vaccine candidate against Dabie Bandavirus, formerly known as Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus (SFTSV), a tick-borne virus that currently has no prevention, treatment or cure.
September 21, 2023 — Source
New study on the genetic magnetization of living bacteria shows great potential for biomedicine
Magnetic bacteria possess extraordinary capabilities due to the magnetic nanoparticles, the magnetosomes, which are concatenated inside their cells. A research team at the University of Bayreuth has now transferred all of the approximately 30 genes responsible for the production of these particles to non-magnetic bacteria in a broad series of experiments.
September 21, 2023 — Source
Precision treatment for pneumonia care: Metagenomic sequencing takes the lead
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major infectious disease worldwide and contributes to high mortality and massive economic burden. Hospital mortality among the severe CAP (SCAP) remains high, ranging from 25% to more than 50%.
September 21, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 20th, 2023
A newly identified virus emerges from the deep
The Mariana Trench, the deepest place on Earth, plunges nearly 11,000 meters at its lowest point on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Life persists in the deep and cold darkness, and "wherever there's life, you can bet there are regulators at work," said marine virologist Min Wang, Ph.D, at the Ocean University of China, in Qingdao. "Viruses, in this case."
September 20, 2023 — Source
Hep C's Number Comes Up: Can Biden's 5-Year Plan Eliminate the Longtime Scourge?
Rick Jaenisch went through treatment six times before his hepatitis C was cured in 2017. Each time his doctors recommended a different combination of drugs, his insurer denied the initial request before eventually approving it. This sometimes delayed his care for months, even after he developed end-stage liver disease and was awaiting a liver transplant.
September 20, 2023 — Source
Etched Nanopillars Kill Bacteria, Fungi on Titanium Implants
In addition, many microbes are increasingly resistant to common antibiotics, highlighting the need for drug-free approaches. This new technique is inspired by the nanopillars present on dragonfly wings, which can skewer microbial cells, killing them. The researchers used a relatively simple plasma etching technique to create such nanopillars on titanium surfaces, and tested their ability to kill multi-drug resistant Candida cells, a fungal pathogen behind many medical device infections.
September 20, 2023 — Source
Nanotechnology in the fight against viruses
Newly emerging and recurrent cases of viral infections constitute a significant problem and a huge challenge to public health. Most countries prevent or control acute viral infections through widespread vaccination and improved sanitation. As a result, measles, yellow fever, and rabies cases rarely occur in developed countries.
September 20, 2023 — Source
New trial of a preventive HIV vaccine candidate begins in the United States and South Africa
A trial of a preventive HIV vaccine candidate has begun enrollment in the United States and South Africa. The Phase 1 trial will evaluate a novel vaccine known as VIR-1388 for its safety and ability to induce an HIV-specific immune response in people.
September 20, 2023 — Source
Nanotechnology-based strategies for preventing, treating, and diagnosing viral infections
Newly emerging and recurrent cases of viral infections constitute a significant problem and a huge challenge to public health. Most countries prevent or control acute viral infections through widespread vaccination and improved sanitation. As a result, measles, yellow fever, and rabies cases rarely occur in developed countries.
September 20, 2023 — Source
Research finds a hot summer leads to more malaria deaths the following year
As climate change accelerates, it is becoming increasingly important to study the impact of climate change on human health. A new thesis from the University of Gothenburg examines church records and historical weather data in the Nordic countries to show that the risk of dying from malaria was higher if the previous summer was a hot one.
September 20, 2023 — Source
Study highlights mental health toll of the pandemic on older adults with COPD
A new longitudinal study published online in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease found that older adults with COPD had a heightened risk of depression during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
September 20, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 19th, 2023
Advancing care for people with HIV and hepatitis C
A team of researchers across Yale School of Medicine (YSM) and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) has published a set of papers on innovations in patient care for those diagnosed with hepatitis C (HCV), who are also living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
September 19, 2023 — Source
Exploring durability of hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance using real-world data from electronic health records
In a study published in the journal Genes & Diseases, researchers from The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University analyzed data from an extensive dataset comprising over 70,000 HBsAg-positive individuals at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University.
September 19, 2023 — Source
Lack of clean water, sanitation, and hygienic controls in Cambodia promotes emergence of drug-resistant E. coli
A new study suggests that Escherichia coli and other disease-causing microbes are passing easily between humans and animals in Cambodia, a country where clean water, sanitation and hygienic controls are lacking in many regions. The continuous exchange, along with unregulated antibiotic use, leads to the emergence and spread of drug-resistant E. coli, the authors say.
September 19, 2023 — Source
New NIH plan outlines HSV research framework with four strategic priorities
The plan outlines an HSV research framework with four strategic priorities: improving fundamental knowledge of HSV biology, pathogenesis, and epidemiology; accelerating research to improve HSV diagnosis; improving strategies to treat HSV while seeking a curative therapeutic; and, advancing research to prevent HSV infection.
September 19, 2023 — Source
Poor water, sanitation, and hygiene in low-income countries may help fuel the emergence of deadly pathogens
A new study suggests that Escherichia coli and other disease-causing microbes are passing easily between humans and animals in Cambodia, a country where clean water, sanitation and hygienic controls are lacking in many regions. The continuous exchange, along with unregulated antibiotic use, leads to the emergence and spread of drug-resistant E. coli, the authors say.
September 19, 2023 — Source
Pre-clinical research indicates mRNA vaccine shows promise for reducing cases of Lyme disease
An experimental mRNA vaccine provides protection in preclinical animal models against infection from Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Results from these preclinical animal models suggest that the vaccine prevents the development of Lyme disease and may represent a powerful tool in reducing the number of Lyme disease cases.
September 19, 2023 — Source
Synthetic biology tool comprehensively reveals gene regulatory networks in E. coli
The intricate interplay of gene expression within living cells is akin to a well-orchestrated symphony, with each gene playing its part in perfect harmony to ensure cells function as they should. At the heart of this symphony are transcription factors (TFs), molecular maestros that regulate the expression of genes by binding to specific DNA sequences known as promoters.
September 19, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 18th, 2023
Do cyanobacteria make the neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine?
&beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), a non-protein amino acid initially discovered in Cycas in 1967, has gained attention for its potential association with neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
September 18, 2023 — Source
Q&A: Expert discusses the damage E. coli can have on the body and the treatment options available to patients
E. coli is a well-known risk factor in food preparation and hygiene, but how does it cause damage in the body and how does an outbreak have the power to send hundreds to hospital, potentially with kidney damage?
September 18, 2023 — Source
Q&A: What you need to know about the upcoming flu, COVID, and RSV season
Winter and cooler weather will soon arrive and so will the annual viruses that come with it: flu, COVID-19, and RSV. This is the first fall and winter virus season where vaccines are available for the three viruses responsible for most hospitalizations--COVID-19, RSV, and flu.
September 18, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 14th, 2023
A novel multi-epitope vaccine targeting extracellular proteins of Chlamydia pneumoniae
In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, a group of researchers designed and evaluated a multi-epitope vaccine targeting the main outer membrane protein (MOMP) protein of Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae; Cpn) using immunoinformatics.
September 14, 2023 — Source
Assessing the global impact: Floods and infectious diseases over three decades
Natural flood disasters affect more people than any other environmental hazard and hinder sustainable development. These events have far-reaching consequences, including serious health, social and economic ramifications.
September 14, 2023 — Source
Microneedle Skin Patch Measures Cancer Biomarkers
Researchers at the Harvard Wyss Institute have developed a technique that lets clinicians to characterize and monitor melanoma. The system involves using a microneedle patch that can draw deep interstitial fluid into itself through a series of penetrating hyaluronic acid needles.
September 14, 2023 — Source
Nanosheet electrocatalyst exhibits superior activity and excellent stability
A research team led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has achieved a groundbreaking advancement in nanomaterials by successfully developing a highly efficient electrocatalyst which can enhance the generation of hydrogen significantly through electrochemical water splitting.
September 14, 2023 — Source
New nano-thin superbug-slaying material could revolutionize wound healing
Researchers have invented a nano-thin superbug-slaying material that could one day be integrated into wound dressings and implants to prevent or heal bacterial infections.
September 14, 2023 — Source
India imposes curbs after two die of Nipah virus
India has curbed public gatherings and shut some schools in the southern state of Kerala after two people died of Nipah, a virus from bats or pigs that causes deadly fever, officials said Thursday.
September 14, 2023 — Source
Research team identifies 25 new viruses in Barcelona's wastewaters
A team from the University of Barcelona has identified 25 new viruses that infect bacteria in the human intestinal tract in wastewaters around the city's metropolitan area and in some towns nearby.
September 14, 2023 — Source
Reviving reservoirs: new findings shake up HIV treatment understanding
In a recent preview published in Cell Host & Microbe, researchers provide insight into the interaction between T lymphocytes and persisting reservoirs of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), with repercussions for harnessing effective, long-lasting responses to HIV eradication.
September 14, 2023 — Source
Scientists uncover surprising twist in the ways bacteria spread antibiotic-resistant genes
Scientists have found a counterintuitive wrinkle in the way bacteria spread antibiotic-resistant genes through small circular pieces of DNA called plasmids.
September 14, 2023 — Source
Singling out a bacterium from the crowd
Bacteria are nearly ubiquitous and have tremendous impacts on human and ecological health. And yet, they remain largely mysterious to us. Princeton MOL faculty Zemer Gitai, Britt Adamson and Ned Wingreen launched a joint effort to develop new tools to help us better understand bacteria.
September 14, 2023 — Source
Results from a nested randomized controlled trial for BCG vaccination against recurrent herpes labialis
In a nested randomized controlled trial (RCT) published in eClinicalMedicine, researchers examined the effect of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination on attenuating herpes labialis (cold sore) recurrences.
September 14, 2023 — Source
UKHSA's flagship SIREN study enters new phase to continue surveillance of respiratory pathogens
Established at the height of the pandemic in June 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 immunity and reinfection (SIREN) study has continually tested healthcare workers across the UK for COVID-19, providing crucial information relating to the virus. The evidence it has collected on immunity, vaccination and emerging variants played a critical role in informing the national response.
September 14, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 13th, 2023
'Dormant' HIV produces RNA and proteins during anti-retroviral therapy
HIV anti-retroviral therapy is considered a treatment and not a cure because patients usually carry a reservoir of HIV-infected cells that can re-emerge if treatment stops. These reservoirs have long been thought to be dormant, but two independent groups of researchers report that a subset of these cells spontaneously produce HIV RNA and proteins that may impact patients' HIV-specific immune responses.
September 13, 2023 — Source or Source
Bacteria resistant to antibiotics in hospital wastewater system
First study of this scale to look at wastewater and to correlate what is found with outbreaks of infection
September 13, 2023 — Source
Gut bacteria key to fighting colorectal cancer, study suggests
Metabolites produced by gut bacteria during digestion can be used to trigger an immune response against colorectal cancer cells, according to new University of Alberta research, published in Frontiers in Immunology, that points toward a potential treatment for one of the deadliest forms of cancer.
September 13, 2023 — Source
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis study finds TAF has higher risk of hypertension than TDF
Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, have found that in patients taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) use associated with higher incidents of hypertension and statin initiation compared with the alternative formulation tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), especially in those 40 years or older.
September 13, 2023 — Source
Mysterious family of microbial proteins hijack crops' cellular plumbing
Many of the bacteria that ravage crops and threaten our food supply use a common strategy to cause disease: they inject a cocktail of harmful proteins directly into the plant's cells.
September 13, 2023 — Source
Researchers Invent Superbug-Killing Nanotechnology
Researchers have invented a nano-thin superbug-slaying material that could one day be integrated into wound dressings and implants to prevent or heal bacterial infections.
September 13, 2023 — Source
The dangers of virus hunting
DEEP VZN aimed to discover viruses in wildlife that could threaten humans, but the risks weren't worth the rewards.
September 13, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 12th, 2023
A whole new order of bacteria could hold the key to improving biogas production
The newly named Darwinibacteriales is one of the most abundant taxonomic groups of microorganisms involved in anaerobic digestion, the decomposition of organic matter which creates biogas.
September 12, 2023 — Source
Bacteria at day care might raise kids' odds for asthma
Certain combinations of bacteria found in dust in children's day care settings may have an impact on their young lungs.
September 12, 2023 — Source
Gotcha! New technology speeds up bacterial testing in food
A promising technology that could potentially revolutionize the process of testing bacterial viability in food
September 12, 2023 — Source
How the respiratory tract microbiome influences the severity of bacterial pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of the lung alveoli caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. It is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, representing a clinical and economic burden and a global public health problem. The microbial ecosystem (or microbiome) of the human respiratory tract colonizes different niches.
September 12, 2023 — Source
New technology speeds up bacterial testing in food
It is said that there is waste in haste, but researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University have proven that doing things rapidly does not necessarily mean working ineffectively. A research group led by Professor Hiroshi Shiigi at the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Metropolitan University has developed a technology that can rapidly and accurately determine the number of viable bacteria in food products electrochemically, using tetrazolium salt (MTT), a water-soluble molecule.
September 12, 2023 — Source
Novel DNA Nanoball Method Could Revolutionize Pathogen Detection
Researchers at Karolinska Institute have developed a novel method using DNA Nanoballs to detect pathogens, aiming to simplify nucleic acid testing and revolutionize pathogen detection. The study's results, published in Science Advances, could pave the way for a straightforward electronic-based test capable of identifying various nucleic acids in diverse scenarios quickly and cheaply.
September 12, 2023 — Source or Source
Researcher inhibits flu viruses by blocking the enzyme that cleaves off virus particles
A flu virus could cause a pandemic, and we would be poorly armed because flu viruses are starting to become resistant to flu medications like Tamiflu. Chemist Merijn Vriends successfully worked on an improved version of such medications.
September 12, 2023 — Source
Study of bacteria in day care settings reveals links with children's lung health
Particular combinations of bacteria found in dust at day care facilities have been linked to wheezing in young children. Wheezing in young children is often an early sign of asthma. The new research offers some clues as to why attending day care can affect children's lung health that could, in turn, point to measures for lowering the risk of asthma.
September 12, 2023 — Source
Study: Reductions in sexual mixing ended mpox outbreak in England, vaccination prevented resurgences in 2023
The rapid outbreak of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) in 2022 likely resulted from high levels of sexual mixing among some gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), with the initial downturn in cases probably due to a reduction in sexual contacts among these men, according to new research led by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioral Science and Evaluation. The HPRU is a partnership between the University of Bristol and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
September 12, 2023 — Source
Ultrathin nanotech promises to help tackle antibiotic resistance
Researchers have invented a nano-thin superbug-slaying material that could one day be integrated into wound dressings and implants to prevent or heal bacterial infections. The innovation — which has undergone advanced pre-clinical trials — is effective against a broad range of drug-resistant bacterial cells, including 'golden staph', which are commonly referred to as superbugs.
September 12, 2023 — Source or Source
Zwitterionic polymeric sulfur ylides: A new generation of antifouling and bactericidal materials
Bacteria that gather into biofilms on the surfaces of implants, catheters, breathing tubes, and other medical components are a serious health hazard. In the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a research team from the Netherlands has now introduced a new material based on poly(sulfur ylides) that—when applied as coating—effectively inhibits this process known as "fouling." The coating minimizes the adhesion of bacteria to surfaces and is also a bactericide while not affecting mammalian cells.
September 12, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 11th, 2023
A new way to create germ-killing light
While it has long been known that ultraviolet (UV) light can help kill disease-causing pathogens, the COVID 19 pandemic has put a spotlight on how these technologies can rid environments of germs.
September 11, 2023 — Source
Climate change can alter the risk of succumbing to infectious diseases
A new Europe-wide study investigated the prevalence of protozoans, bacteria and viruses potentially pathogenic to humans and domestic animals in birds and bats in varying climatic conditions. The prevalence of many of these pathogens was associated with temperature or rainfall.
September 11, 2023 — Source
How microbiomes and the smells they produce help shape behavior in bugs, birds, animals and humans
Microbes are an integral part of most, if not all multi-cellular organisms. In fact, these organisms are the way they are because of the tiny partners they house within and on them. These microbes constitute the microbiome: an "invisible organ" weighing approximately 2.5 to three kilograms in an adult human and much more in larger animals.
September 11, 2023 — Source
Flu season started early in Australia--countries in the northern hemisphere took note
Influenza is a seasonal virus that emerges and peaks in winter, so with evenings shortening in the UK, it's time to think about flu again.
September 11, 2023 — Source
In good news for U.S., flu vaccine working well in South America
In a finding that should ease the minds of Americans ahead of another flu season, this year's vaccines have already cut the risk of hospitalization in half during the South American winter, health officials report.
September 11, 2023 — Source
Mature gut microbiota in early infancy may protect against wheezing and allergies
@3
September 11, 2023 — Source
Researchers create optical device that can kill pathogens on surfaces while remaining safe for humans
While it has long been known that ultraviolet (UV) light can help kill disease-causing pathogens, the COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on how these technologies can rid environments of germs. However, the excimer lamps and LEDs that can directly emit light in the required deep-UV wavelengths generally have low efficiency or suffer from short lifetimes. Moreover, UV light of the wrong wavelength can actually be harmful to human cells.
September 11, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 8th, 2023
Expert training video helps surgical teams protect patients from germs in the operating room
It's a worst-case scenario in health care: A patient undergoes life-saving surgery and is sent home to recover, only to return to hospital later with a surgical site infection.
September 8, 2023 — Source
Q&A: How we can protect our health this fall virus season
The fall season means an increased risk of respiratory illness as we spend more time indoors with groups of family and friends. We can help protect ourselves and others by getting the flu vaccine and a booster shot for COVID-19 as cases for new variants rise globally.
September 8, 2023 — Source
Scientists find new strains of influenza A virus in pigs, potentially posing a pandemic risk
Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and their collaborators have uncovered several previously unknown strains of swine flu viruses that have been circulating unnoticed in Cambodian pig populations over the past 15 years, potentially posing a pandemic risk. The strains include viruses that have been passed by humans to pigs, as well as some with genes originating from as far as North America.
September 8, 2023 — Source
Why bats carry viruses that have higher fatality rates in humans than those from other mammals
A small team of biologists and evolutionists from the University of Chicago, York University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Exeter reports why bats carry viruses that cause higher fatality rates when jumping to humans than those that come from any other mammal.
September 8, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 7th, 2023
A simple, low-cost LAMP-based device that can detect low concentrations of pathogens in patient samples
A team of microbiologists from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, the Karolinska Institutet, Yale University and Stanford University has developed a simple, low-cost LAMP-based device that can be used to detect low concentrations of pathogens in patient samples.
September 7, 2023 — Source
Broad-spectrum antibiotics linked to higher sepsis risk in neonates
Late-onset sepsis (LOS) in neonates is defined as an infection of the blood occurring seven days after birth.
September 7, 2023 — Source
CDC: Warm waters raise risk for flesh-eating bacteria
As waters warm across the United States and hurricanes and flooding season begin, the odds of being infected by flesh-eating bacteria are also rising, U.S. health officials warn.
September 7, 2023 — Source
CRISPR-Equipped Bacteria Detect Tumors
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have created a bacterial sentinel system that can alert clinicians to the presence of tumors. The technology takes advantage of the specificity of the CRISPR system and the tendency of bacteria to uptake fragments of DNA from their environment. Termed "Cellular Assay for Targeted CRISPR-discriminated Horizontal gene transfer" (CATCH), the system has been created to detect gastrointestinal tumors in its first iteration.
September 7, 2023 — Source
Difficult decisions found to lead to unequal vaccination rates
There was a significant difference in the speed with which different groups were vaccinated against COVID-19. One explanation could be that people absorb information and make decisions in different ways. A new study shows that among people with the highest cognitive ability, 80% had been vaccinated within 50 days. Among those with the lowest cognitive ability, it took 180 days to achieve the same vaccination rate.
September 7, 2023 — Source
Electronic detection of DNA nanoballs enables simple pathogen detection
Researchers at Karolinska Institute have developed a novel method using DNA Nanoballs to detect pathogens, aiming to simplify nucleic acid testing and revolutionize pathogen detection. The study's results, published in Science Advances, could pave the way for a straightforward electronic-based test capable of identifying various nucleic acids in diverse scenarios quickly and cheaply.
September 7, 2023 — Source or Source
Keeping herpes in check
Synthetic heparanase inhibitors inhibit the spread of herpes viruses in tissue
September 7, 2023 — Source
New nanocomplex unleashes the immune system on metastases
A new nanocomplex renders a tumor harmless--and, on top of that, it trains the immune system to detect and eliminate metastases.
September 7, 2023 — Source
RSV season may have already begun, CDC warns, with early activity in the Southeast
An increase in the Southeast of respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, may be an early sign of the start of the respiratory virus season.
September 7, 2023 — Source
So you got an STI, now what?
STIs happen. Here's how to deal with them.
September 7, 2023 — Source
Study sheds light on connection between metabolism and fatigue after Crimean-Congo fever
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) spreads via ticks and is on the World Health Organization's (WHO) list of priority diseases, with a high case fatality rate and no or insufficient countermeasures. A recent study published by researchers from Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Turkey, sheds light on the connection between CCHFV infection and prolonged fatigue.
September 7, 2023 — Source
Study unveils a potential solution to combat age-related immune system decline
As we age, our bodies face numerous challenges, including a decline in immune system function and an increased vulnerability to various health issues. An innovative study has recently shed light on these challenges and unveiled a potential solution that could have far-reaching implications for aging individuals.
September 7, 2023 — Source
Synthetic heparanase inhibitors: Research team develops alternative method for the treatment of herpes
Herpes is not only unpleasant but it can, in some cases, also have dangerous complications and life-threatening consequences. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a research team has now introduced a completely new approach for treating herpes. Their method is based on the inhibition of an enzyme that is needed for the release of newly formed virus particles from infected cells.
September 7, 2023 — Source
US quietly shuts down controversial wildlife virus hunting program amid safety fears
For more than a decade, the US government has been funding international programs engaged in identifying exotic wildlife viruses that might someday infect humans.
September 7, 2023 — Source
Widely used antimalarial drug affects zinc levels in a malarial parasite, could aid in fight against drug resistance
The crucial role of zinc depletion in the action of a key antimalarial drug against the deadliest malaria parasite has been uncovered by a team led by RIKEN researchers. This finding provides valuable insights for developing new drugs against the disease. Their work is published in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases.
September 7, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 6th, 2023
Beauty salon--based intervention increases trust of PrEP among Black cisgender women
Among African American and other Black cisgender women, a beauty salon--based intervention improved knowledge and awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against HIV and increased trust in it, according to a pilot study published in the September issue of The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (JANAC), the official journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.
September 6, 2023 — Source
Empowering Europe against infectious diseases: An innovative framework to tackle climate-driven health risks
Climate change is one of several drivers of recurrent outbreaks and geographical range expansion of infectious diseases in Europe.
September 6, 2023 — Source
Clovibactin — a game-changing novel antibiotic with no resistance
The 1940s to 60s were considered the golden age of antibiotic discovery. The discovery of streptomycin, vancomycin, or tetracycline enabled the practice of modern medicine.
September 6, 2023 — Source
Multidrug-resistant bacterium emerging in community settings
New "hypervirulent" strains of the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae have emerged in healthy people in community settings, prompting a National Institutes of Health research group to investigate how the human immune system defends against infection.
September 6, 2023 — Source
New intravenous lipid nutrition cuts pediatric hospitalizations and infections
A formulation for intravenous nutrition that includes four lipid sources, including fish oil, reduced hospitalizations and urinary tract infections among pediatric patients at Duke Children's Hospital.
September 6, 2023 — Source
Using ChatGPT to address vaccine hesitancy: a promising tool for guiding users to scientific information?
In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified vaccine hesitancy, intensified by misinformation on social media, as a top global health threat. This hesitancy risks undoing the strides made against vaccine-preventable diseases.
September 6, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 5th, 2023
CMFI 2023: Advancing the fight against multi-resistant pathogens
CMFI 2023 addresses pressing challenges of our time, such as the rise of multi-resistant pathogens and the roles of microbes in causing or preventing major chronic disease. Our conference will bring together experts from different disciplines such as microbiology, infectious diseases, bioinformatics, biochemistry, natural products research, and microbiome science, to name just a few.
September 5, 2023 — Source
Legionnaires' disease outbreak in southeast Poland on decline with only 1 new case reported
Just one new case of Legionnaires' disease was reported Tuesday in southeast Poland in an area close to the Ukraine border, an indication the spread of the disease has been curbed following chlorine disinfection of the water system.
September 5, 2023 — Source
New study shows effectiveness of mpox vaccine
A new international study has shown mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) infections to be less severe among those who are vaccinated or had a previous infection in 2022, underlining the importance and effectiveness of vaccination.
September 5, 2023 — Source or Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 4th, 2023
Bird flu is undergoing changes that could increase the risk of widespread human transmission
A new study from researchers in China and Nottingham has discovered that a subtype of avian flu virus, endemic in poultry farms in China, is undergoing mutational changes, which could increase the risk of the disease being passed on to humans.
September 4, 2023 — Source
How to inactivate common cold viruses and reduce risk of RSV infection
Every year, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) cause countless respiratory infections worldwide. For infants, young children and people with preexisting conditions, the virus can be life-threatening.
September 4, 2023 — Source
New study shows 1 in 3 men worldwide are infected with genital human papillomavirus
A new study has been published in The Lancet Global Health showing that almost one in three men over the age of 15 are infected with at least one genital human papillomavirus (HPV) type, and one in five are infected with one or more of what are known as high risk, or oncogenic, HPV types.
September 4, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — September 1st, 2023
Hundreds of Tough Mudder racers infected by rugged, nasty bacterium
Health officials estimated 300 outbreak cases linked to the muddy obstacle race.
September 1, 2023 — Source
West Nile virus is a growing threat this summer in California. Here's why
West Nile virus infections are on the rise this year in California after a particularly wet winter led to more mosquito reproduction, according to health experts.
September 1, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 31st, 2023
Dectin-1 stimulation promotes distinct inflammatory signature in HIV and aging: Study
A new research paper was published on the cover of Aging, titled "Dectin-1 stimulation promotes a distinct inflammatory signature in the setting of HIV-infection and aging."
August 31, 2023 — Source
Digging deeper into how vaccines work against parasitic disease
Scientists have established the effectiveness of vaccines they developed to prevent the disfiguring skin disease leishmaniasis in animal studies, and Phase 1 human trial planning is in motion for the most promising candidate.
August 31, 2023 — Source
Everything you need to know about oral chlamydia
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking oral sex is completely STI-proof.
August 31, 2023 — Source
Guatemala declares dengue health emergency
Guatemala on Thursday declared a national health emergency in the face of a dengue outbreak that has killed 22 and infected thousands so far this year.
August 31, 2023 — Source
New method uses optics and AI to find viruses faster
Researchers have developed an automated version of the viral plaque assay, the gold-standard method for detecting and quantifying viruses. The new method uses time-lapse holographic imaging and deep learning to greatly reduce detection time and eliminate staining and manual counting.
August 31, 2023 — Source
Pandemic may have altered gut microbiome of infants, study finds
Infants who spent most of their first year in the pandemic have fewer types of bacteria in their gut than infants born earlier, according to a team of developmental psychology researchers.
August 31, 2023 — Source
Sepsis — as common as cancer, as deadly as a heart attack
A research team has found that more than four percent of all hospital admissions in southern Sweden are associated with sepsis. It is a significantly under-diagnosed condition that can be likened to an epidemic.
August 31, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 30th, 2023
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria thrive when the drugs kill 'good' bacteria in the gut, study shows
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria get extra nutrients and thrive when the drugs kill 'good' bacteria in the gut.
August 30, 2023 — Source or Source or Source
Newly engineered versions of bacterial enzyme reveal how antibiotics could be more potent
Modern medicine depends on antibiotics to treat infections by disabling targets inside bacterial cells. Once inside these cells, antibiotics bind to certain sites on specific enzyme targets to stop bacterial growth. Randomly occurring changes (mutations) in the genes for these targets occur naturally, in some cases making the target harder for the antibiotic to attach to, and that bacterial version resistant to treatment.
August 30, 2023 — Source
Scientists create library of mutant bacteria to study antibiotic resistance
Modern medicine depends on antibiotics to treat infections by disabling targets inside bacterial cells. Once inside these cells, antibiotics bind to certain sites on specific enzyme targets to stop bacterial growth. Randomly occurring changes (mutations) in the genes for these targets occur naturally, in some cases making the target harder for the antibiotic to attach to and that bacterial version resistant to treatment.
August 30, 2023 — Source
Study describes suckling mouse inoculation to isolate viruses from ticks
Suckling mouse inoculation has been used for years to isolate viruses from ticks; however, this method has usually been only briefly described in the literature on a case-by-case basis upon successful isolation rather than providing extensive details.
August 30, 2023 — Source
Timing and cost of new vaccines can vary by virus and health insurance status
Yes, inevitably, it's time to think about the usual suspects--influenza and COVID-19 shots--but also the new kid in town: recently approved vaccines for RSV, short for respiratory syncytial virus.
August 30, 2023 — Source
What could cause a malaria comeback in the US — and what could stop it
Americans shouldn't take a malaria-free future for granted.
August 30, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 29th, 2023
AI-powered triage platform could aid future viral outbreak response
A team of researchers from Yale University and other institutions globally has developed an innovative patient triage platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that the researchers say is capable of predicting patient disease severity and length of hospitalization during a viral outbreak.
August 29, 2023 — Source
Almost 3,000 cases of West Nile virus reported in U.S. in 2021
In 2021, there were 3,035 reports of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) in the United States, including 2,911 caused by West Nile virus, according to research published in the August 25 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
August 29, 2023 — Source
How brucellosis — which can jump from animals to humans — impacts the brain
Brucellosis is a disease, caused by the members of bacterial Brucella family, that mainly infects cattle, goats and sheep, leading to pregnancy loss, which has caused billions of dollars in economic losses for livestock producers worldwide.
August 29, 2023 — Source
New species of marine bacteria isolated from a deep-sea cold seep
Researchers have isolated a new strain of marine bacteria with unique characteristics from the ocean seabed.
August 29, 2023 — Source or Source
Sanitized ready-to-eat salad may contain disease-causing bacteria
A study published in the journal Foods provides an overview of research on minimally processed vegetables (MPVs), with a specific focus on the Brazilian market.
August 29, 2023 — Source
Titanium micro-spikes skewer resistant superbugs
The increasing rates of drug-resistant infection has health experts globally concerned.
August 29, 2023 — Source or Source or Source
What you should know about enteroviruses and babies
Enteroviruses are a group of viruses that commonly circulate during summer and fall.
August 29, 2023 — Source or Watch Video
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 28th, 2023
A promising bacterial suicide gene against citrus Huanglongbing and canker
Huanglongbing (HLB), caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CaLas), is the No. 1 killer of citrus trees worldwide. HLB causes billions of dollars in annual economic losses to the global citrus industry.
August 28, 2023 — Source
Division of labor affects the risk of infection
Ants that leave the nest to forage are more likely to be infected by parasites than their nestmates who take care of the brood
August 28, 2023 — Source
Nigerians with HIV are stigmatized: Study shows support from family and friends is crucial to well-being
Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the regions most affected by HIV. In Nigeria alone, an estimated 1.8 million people are living with the virus.
August 28, 2023 — Source
Preventing measles outbreaks in the US through vaccination
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists India as the top country for measles outbreaks, with more than 57,500 reported cases. In the U.S., there have been 19 cases of the highly infectious virus this year.
August 28, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 25th, 2023
How a pathogenic bacterium searches for food
New smartphone-based device can quickly identify infected wounds
August 25, 2023 — Source
HPV vaccine: Who needs it, how it works
Who needs the HPV vaccine? How many doses? What about side effects? Get answers to these questions and more.
August 25, 2023 — Source
New smartphone-based device can quickly identify infected wounds
It's notoriously difficult for doctors to identify a wound that is becoming infected. Clinical signs and symptoms are imprecise and methods of identifying bacteria can be time-consuming and inaccessible, so a diagnosis can be subjective and dependent on clinician experience.
August 25, 2023 — Source
Report: US kids' HPV vaccination rate has stalled
For the first time in a decade, the rate at which American adolescents received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has not increased, new data show.
August 25, 2023 — Source
Software-In-The-Loop (SIL) Testing and Its Benefits
Software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing is a crucial methodology in the software development and verification processes. Read more about its usefulness.
August 25, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 24th, 2023
Gonorrhoea surge in England following COVID-19 restrictions lift
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions to daily life, impacting sexual health services (SHSs) in England, leading to reduced testing and a 33.5% drop in new STI diagnoses in 2020 compared to 2019.
August 24, 2023 — Source
Engineered adeno-associated virus vector yields high transduction of the brain vasculature
In the current study, Servio Ramirez, from Temple University School of Medicine, Patricia Musolino, from Massachusetts General Hospital, and Casey Maguire, from Harvard Medical School, and coauthors, characterize AAV-PR, the capsid that demonstrated high transduction of the brain vasculature.
August 24, 2023 — Source
Death toll rises to five in Poland Legionnaire's outbreak
The death toll from an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease in Rzeszow, southeast Poland, has risen to five, local authorities said Thursday as they try to detect the contamination source.
August 24, 2023 — Source
SCALAR: A microchip designed to transform the production of mRNA therapeutics and vaccines
Following the global COVID-19 pandemic, the development and rapid deployment of mRNA vaccines highlighted the critical role of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in the context of pharmaceuticals. Used as the essential delivery vehicles for fragile RNA-based therapies and vaccines, LNPs protect the RNA from degradation and ensure effective delivery within the body.
August 24, 2023 — Source
Reducing viral infection risks when sending kids off to school
It's back to school for many kids around the nation. And once they hit the classroom, you may notice more runny noses and other symptoms associated with viral and bacterial infections.
August 24, 2023 — Source
Researchers identify a type of bacteria that eats low volumes of methane
A team of chemical engineers at the University of Washington, working with a pair of colleagues from the U.S. Naval Academy, has identified a type of bacteria that eats low concentrations of methane.
August 24, 2023 — Source
Researchers on the cusp of a new vaccine modality breakthrough
Professor Bernd Rehm and Dr. Shuxiong Chen from the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery (GRIDD) and Griffith's Center for Cell Factories and Biopolymers have succeeded in developing a new vaccine modality that is a stable particulate vaccine.
August 24, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 23rd, 2023
Acne bacteria trigger cells to produce fats, oils and other lipids essential to skin health, shows new research
The skin is the largest organ of the body, and it plays a crucial role as the first line of defense against pathogens and insults from the external environment. It provides important functions like temperature regulation and moisture retention. And despite the misconception that lipids harm your skin by causing oiliness and acne, they actually play a vital role in maintaining the skin barrier.
August 23, 2023 — Source or Watch Video
Don't use Dr. Berne's and LightEyez eye drops due to bacteria, fungus, FDA says
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday advised people to avoid purchasing and immediately stop using Dr. Berne's MSM Drops 5% Solution and LightEyez MSM Eye Drops--Eye Repair because the drops may be contaminated with bacteria, fungus or both.
August 23, 2023 — Source
Learning from viruses: Molecular fibers can help to introduce genetic material into cells
Pathogenic viruses that enter the human body can dock onto cells with their tentacle-like extensions, whereupon the cell takes up the viruses. This process, which is already known and occurs in diseases such as HIV, can also be used for therapeutic approaches.
August 23, 2023 — Source
Study finds HIV stigma persists across US, South
While knowledge and treatment around HIV continues to improve, HIV stigma remains an issue surrounding the disease and the people who live with it, a forthcoming report finds.
August 23, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 16th, 2023
Bacteria found in raw shellfish linked to two Connecticut deaths also blamed for New York death
The death of a Long Island resident has been linked to a bacteria found in raw shellfish or seawater that has also been blamed for two deaths in Connecticut, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Chemical analysis brings understudied vaginal microbiome into sharper focus
Like the human gut, the female genital tract is its own complex microbial ecosystem, where billions of beneficial bacteria make their home. The way Harvard chemist Emily Balskus sees it, the vaginal microbiome is an underappreciated, understudied part of the body where critically important chemistry takes place.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Data show racism, poverty and illiteracy increase the risk of contracting and succumbing to AIDS in Brazil
The research team evaluated a cohort of 28.3 million people, representative of the low-income Brazilian population, based on data collected between 2007 and 2015. This is the largest evaluation of social determinants of health and AIDS in Brazil to date.
August 16, 2023 — Source
For a new generation of antibiotics, scientists are bringing extinct molecules back to life
"We need to think big in antibiotics research," says Cesar de la Fuente. "Over one million people die every year from drug-resistant infections, and this is predicted to reach 10 million by 2050. There hasn't been a truly new class of antibiotics in decades, and there are so few of us tackling this issue that we need to be thinking about more than just new drugs. We need new frameworks."
August 16, 2023 — Source
Fugitive "sovereign citizen" arrested for selling silver as bogus COVID cure
Gordon H. Pedersen of Utah was on the run from fraud charges for three years.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Most infants with RSV-related critical illness born at term
Most infants requiring intensive care for respiratory syncytial virus are born at term, and do not have underlying medical conditions, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in JAMA Network Open.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Pediatricians' group urges that all infants get new RSV shot
All infants should receive the new long-acting preventive monoclonal antibody for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the nation's leading pediatrics group said.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Research finds that molecules in vegetables can help to ease lung infection
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have found that molecules in vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower help to maintain a healthy barrier in the lung and ease infection.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Research informs WHO mosquito net guideline update
Dr. Timothy Barker, of the JBI Adelaide GRADE Center, located at the University of Adelaide, led a team which proved the effectiveness of a combination of insecticides when used to treat malaria-preventing mosquito nets. The university's systematic review is published in PLOS ONE.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Researchers introduce singlet oxygen battery for battling multidrug-resistant pathogens
In antibacterial photodynamic therapy, irradiation is used to produce reactive oxygen species that kill off bacteria. Because it requires external light and oxygen, this method is only suitable for surface infections.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Study shows bacterial viruses 'glue' RNA to host proteins
Until now, RNA and proteins were thought to interact only briefly during cellular processes. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg, Germany, have discovered that this is not the case. During their developmental cycle, bacterial viruses "glue" specific RNAs to host proteins.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Study uncovers impact of 1918 Spanish flu pandemic on infant health
Impaired neonatal health is an ongoing public health concern worldwide. Understanding determinants that impede normal fetal and infant development and growth is crucial for ameliorating neonatal health overall. In the new study, the researchers analyzed data on mothers and neonates from the Bern Maternity Hospital from 1880 to 1900 and from 1914 to 1922.
August 16, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 15th, 2023
Nanobodies from alpacas could steer immune attacks on influenza
While conventional flu vaccines are designed to anticipate the influenza strains projected to dominate in the next flu season, they're only partially effective. And while antiviral drugs are available to treat active flu cases, the body quickly clears them, requiring high, frequent doses.
August 15, 2023 — Source
New silicon-based "metasurfaces" can rapidly detect toxins, viruses, cancer, and other diseases
A biochip with wondrous diagnostic capabilities, seemingly ready for commercialization
August 15, 2023 — Source
Study finds most infants receiving ICU-level care for RSV had no underlying medical condition
Most infants admitted to the intensive care or high acuity unit for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections during fall 2022 were previously healthy and born at term, according to a new study reported in JAMA Network Open.
August 15, 2023 — Source
The interplay between immunity, the nervous system, and microbiota
The enteric nervous system (ENS) consists of two ganglionated neural networks within the gut wall known as the myenteric and submucosal plexuses. The myenteric plexus is present between the longitudinal and circular smooth muscle layers of the muscularis externa, whereas the submucosal plexus is located below the muscularis mucosa.
August 15, 2023 — Source
Treating back-to-school ear infections without antibiotic resistance
"Back-to-school" season means buying pens and paper, figuring out the new bus route, and ... earaches. Doctors typically treat these infections with antibiotics, but children don't always complete the full course, accelerating resistance to these medications.
August 15, 2023 — Source
Unmonitored reservoirs of influenza A virus in pigs could pose potential epidemic early warning problems
Research led by a team at Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore, has found alarmingly active swine flu reservoirs in South East Asia. Their study traced the evolutionary origin of these viruses and identified migration patterns.
August 15, 2023 — Source
Using metagenomics to identify viruses in plasma samples
A large team of medical scientists affiliated with a host of institutions in Nigeria and the U.S., has found that it is possible to use metagenomics to identify a host of viruses in real-world plasma samples. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the group describes how they used the genetic sequencing technique to identify viral infections in a large number of people living in Nigeria.
August 15, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 14th, 2023
Gut microbes--how eating well can cultivate your microbial and social self
The age-old adage "you are what you eat" holds profound truth. Nearly every molecule in your body is absorbed from what you eat and drink. Your food choices are directly linked to your physical, emotional and social health. And scientists are learning that your gut health and the microbial communities within you have a significant role to play in orchestrating these processes.
August 14, 2023 — Source
Mathematical model provides new insights into the distribution of genetic information during bacterial cell division
The precise segregation of DNA and the faithful inheritance of plasmids are crucial steps in bacterial cell division. Now, a team of researchers led by Seán Murray at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology has developed a computational simulation that explains a key mechanism of DNA segregation.
August 14, 2023 — Source
Natural or not? Scientists aid in quest to identify genetically engineered organisms
Ever since gene editing became feasible, researchers and health officials have sought tools that can quickly and reliably distinguish genetically modified organisms from those that are naturally occurring. Though scientists can make these determinations after careful genetic analysis, the research and national security communities have shared a longstanding unmet need for a streamlined screening tool.
August 14, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 11th, 2023
An old antibiotic may get new life as an STI prevention pil
The United States is set to roll out a powerful new weapon in the long fight against sexually transmitted infections: a decades-old antibiotic repurposed as a preventative pill.
August 11, 2023 — Source
Dengue outbreak in Bangladesh sparks alarm after 364 people die this year and infections rise
Bangladesh is struggling to deal with higher casualties and infections from dengue this year, with officials warning that the death toll this month could break records.
August 11, 2023 — Source
Genetic blueprint for vaccine and therapeutics production in plants
An international research project led by QUT has made a major step forward on the potential of the Australian plant, N. benthamiana, to grow therapeutic proteins and vaccines cheaply and quickly.
August 11, 2023 — Source
Mosquitoes: Fact and fiction when it comes to bite prevention
No one likes mosquitoes. Their bites can cause uncomfortable and sometimes painful reactions and put a damper on even the best summer soiree. They can also carry diseases and viruses such as Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), the most dangerous virus spread by insects in North America, and West Nile virus, the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the U.S.
August 11, 2023 — Source
New Alzheimer's drug raises hopes — along with questions
The FDA has approved Leqembi, the first disease-modifying treatment for early-stage Alzheimer's and a precursor condition, mild cognitive impairment. Medicare has said it will pay for the therapy. Medical centers across the country are scrambling to finalize policies and procedures for providing the medication to patients, possibly by summer's end or early autumn.
August 11, 2023 — Source
Scientists genetically engineer bacteria to detect cancer cells
Their lab experiments were a success, but the technology is not yet to ready for use on human patients.
August 11, 2023 — Source
Water Sensor With Graphene-Based Nanolayer for Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring
There is a global water crisis, and it is not only about the dwindling supply of clean water. Contaminated drinking water exposes hundreds of millions of people worldwide to toxins, such as bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides and coronaviruses. This contamination imperils public health and can cause serious illnesses.
August 11, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 9th, 2023
A new look inside Ebola's 'viral factories'
New research in the journal Nature Communications gives scientists an important window into how Ebola virus replicates inside host cells. The study, led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), reveals the inner workings of "viral factories," clusters of viral proteins and genomes that form in host cells.
August 9, 2023 — Source
Anti-bacterial virus treated antibiotic resistant infections with 86.6% success rate
A new international study conducted by the Israeli Phage Therapy Center (IPTC) led by Prof. Ran Nir-Paz at Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center and Prof. Ronen Hazan of the Faculty of Dental Medicine at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, using phage PASA16 on compassionate basis to treat tough Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, has shown promising results with an 86.6% success rate.
August 9, 2023 — Source
Experts discuss how changing environment alters risk for mosquito-borne diseases
Climate change and human activity are enabling the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, like dengue fever, to new places. Stanford infectious disease experts and disease ecologists discuss what we know and how communities can protect themselves from these changing disease threats.
August 9, 2023 — Source
Gut bacteria Desulfovibrio desulfuricans found to accelerate progression of atherosclerosis
In the past few years, increasing evidence has pointed towards gut microbiota's critical role in influencing human health and diseases, including atherosclerosis. This led scientists to dive deeper into studying gut microbiota-host interactions.
August 9, 2023 — Source
How to stop bug bites from itching
Itching, stinging, and swelling really take the fun out of being outdoors and opening windows in the summer. Most bug bites (usually from mosquitoes) stop itching after a day or two. Others can leave you or your child with bacterial infections, parasites, or viruses.
August 9, 2023 — Source
Researchers design a probiotic to suppress autoimmunity in the brain
Brigham researchers are working on a new approach to target autoimmunity in the brain leverages designer bacteria to make treatment safer and more effective.
August 9, 2023 — Source
RSV vaccine recommendation rates increase when people are informed about FDA approval process
A new study finds that people are more likely to recommend that a pregnant family member or friend get vaccinated to protect the infant from RSV illness if they are shown a chart outlining the rigorous process a vaccine undergoes to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
August 9, 2023 — Source
Study finds rain-driven microbial pollution persists at surfing beaches in colder months
Surfers at beaches where stormwater drainage pipes discharge into the ocean risk catching more than waves on a rainy day. Monmouth University researchers studying the influence of weather and ocean conditions on microbial pollution found that within 6--24 hours of moderate rainfall, enterococcus bacteria levels exceeded state health safety standards about half the time at these beaches.
August 9, 2023 — Source
Synthetic antibiotic could be effective against drug-resistant superbugs
A scientific journey decades in the making at Duke University has found a new antibiotic strategy to defeat gram-negative bacteria like Salmonella, Pseudomonas and E. coli, the culprits in many urinary tract infections (UTIs). The synthetic molecule works fast and is durable in animal tests.
August 9, 2023 — Source
Treatments for poxviruses--including those causing mpox and smallpox--may already exist in licensed drugs
Scientists studying how poxviruses evade natural defenses in human cells have identified a new approach to treatment that may be more durable than current treatments.
August 9, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 8th, 2023
Bacteriophages to Diagnose and Treat Bladder Infections
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a bacteriophage system to identify and treat bacterial bladder infections. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria, but these microorganisms have fallen out of favor as a treatment method for infection since antibiotics came along.
August 8, 2023 — Source
Dendritic cells found to kill CD47-deficient T cells
Researchers at Kobe University discovered an entirely new and unexpected mechanism by which the immune system can get rid of cells lacking molecules that identify them as part of the self in mice. The finding, published in PNAS, has possible implications for cancer treatment.
August 8, 2023 — Source
Florida man gets unexplained leprosy case; doctors suspect local soil
Leprosy is not very contagious, and the CDC has not issued a travel advisory.
August 8, 2023 — Source
How to increase acceptance of an RSV vaccine? Explain the FDA's vaccine approval process
A new study finds that people are more likely to recommend that a pregnant family member or friend get vaccinated to protect the infant from RSV illness if they are shown a chart outlining the rigorous process a vaccine undergoes to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
August 8, 2023 — Source
New molecule could treat shingles, herpes viruses
You've seen the commercial. The one that ominously tells you if you had chickenpox as a child, the virus that causes shingles is already inside you.
August 8, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 7th, 2023
Automated medical imaging framework revolutionizes schistosomiasis diagnosis
Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease affecting millions worldwide, poses a significant public health and economic burden, particularly in impoverished regions. To combat this disease and achieve World Health Organization (WHO) targets for control and elimination, accurate and accessible diagnostic tools are essential.
August 7, 2023 — Source
Building bacteria: Researchers use cyanobacteria to 'grow' stronger sand-based construction materials
This achievement marks a substantial contribution to the field of biodesign, which seeks to incorporate living organisms into building materials as a means of making architecture more sustainable. It is effectively a fusion of biological and architectural expertise, with the shared goal of building better.
August 7, 2023 — Source or Source
Climate influences the spread of a life-threatening zoonotic disease in the Amazon
Outbreaks of polycystic echicnococcosis, a life-threatening zoonotic disease, are driven by regional climate changes, according to a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by "la Caixa" Foundation. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provide evidence of the impact of climate on neglected tropical diseases in the Amazon region, with implications for other zoonoses.
August 7, 2023 — Source
Gene grants powerful resistance to resurging plant disease
While wrapping oneself in 100% Egyptian cotton bedsheets is a delightful luxury on a warm summer night, cotton provides much more than breathable, soft fabric. In addition to textiles, the cotton plant is grown for food, fuel, and daily-use consumer products--such as coffee filters, currency, and moisturizers.
August 7, 2023 — Source
How the herpes virus HCMV deceives its host cells
Herpes viruses are treacherous: once you are infected, you can never get rid of the virus. This is because herpes viruses lie dormant in certain host cells in the body for a lifetime. Almost every adult unknowingly carries at least one of the nine different human herpes viruses. The virus can be reactivated due to age, stress or a weakened immune system and lead to sometimes severe diseases.
August 7, 2023 — Source
New study shows how the Epstein-Barr virus transforms B cells
B cells or B lymphocytes are an important part of the body's immune system. When healthy B cells are infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), they undergo growth transformation, a process that immortalizes B cells, leading to their uncontrolled proliferation.
August 7, 2023 — Source
Researchers discover antibody that neutralizes both RSV and human metapneumovirus
Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Stanford University researchers discovered a potent, cross-neutralizing human monoclonal antibody against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV).
August 7, 2023 — Source
Researchers uncover genetic machinery responsible for EBV-induced B cell growth transformation
B cells or B lymphocytes are an important part of the body's immune system. When healthy B cells are infected with the Epstein-Barr virus, they undergo growth transformation, a process that immortalizes B cells, leading to their uncontrolled proliferation.
August 7, 2023 — Source
Sick of sports? Study shows flu deaths rise when pro sports teams move into cities
West Virginia University economists, whose research shows flu deaths increase when a city becomes home to a new professional sports team, say their data should make even the biggest fans reconsider support for taxpayer-funded stadium subsidies.
August 7, 2023 — Source
The Red Cross lifts its blood donor restrictions for men who have sex with men
The American Red Cross now bases donor eligibility on individual risk factors, which include recent sexual activity across all demographics.
August 7, 2023 — Source
UKHSA unveils world-leading Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre
The UK Health Security Agency has today unveiled its world-leading Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre, which is building on its pandemic legacy and helping develop life-saving new vaccines for the UK and worldwide.
August 7, 2023 — Source
Unbiased omics method finds in vivo host restriction factors for HIV-1
Research led by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Maryland, has confirmed previous research findings of host restriction factors that target HIV-1. In a paper, "Single-cell transcriptomics identifies prothymosin α restriction of HIV-1 in vivo," published in Science Translational Medicine, the authors detail how omics can uncover correlations in the search for cure strategies.
August 7, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 4th, 2023
A fantastical world of potential giant viruses lurks beneath the soil
Haircut. Gorgon. Turtle. These all describe shapes of newfound viruslike particles
August 4, 2023 — Source
Antibody-based therapies may be effective in fight against influenza B
With a new flu season upon us, scientists have been testing new ways of fighting the deadly disease with antibody-based therapies--and they've discovered that this approach may be effective in combating influenza B.
August 4, 2023 — Source
CDC recommends RSV shot for all infants
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday recommended that all infants under the age of 8 months be given a new antibody shot to help guard against severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
August 4, 2023 — Source
Cyprus allows human COVID-19 medications to be used against deadly virus mutation in cats
Cyprus' veterinarians association on Friday lauded a government decision to allow its stock of human coronavirus medication to be used on cats to fight a local mutation of a feline virus that has killed thousands of animals on the Mediterranean island but can't be transmitted to people.
August 4, 2023 — Source
Influenza shows no seasonality in tropics, posing challenges for health care
In temperate climates, like North America and Europe, flu season starts in the fall, peaks in the winter and ends in the spring. While public health officials have generally assumed that influenza is also seasonal in tropical climates, new research led by Penn State has found little evidence of a repeatable pattern in influenza cases in Vietnam.
August 4, 2023 — Source
New research shows the complexity of bacterial circadian clocks
Bacteria make up more than 10% of all living things but until recently we had little realization that, as in humans, soil bacteria have internal clocks that synchronize their activities with the 24-hour cycles of day and night on Earth.
August 4, 2023 — Source
New system can quickly and inexpensively detect airborne viruses
Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of British Columbia have invented a system that can quickly and inexpensively detect airborne viruses using the same technology that enables high-speed trains.
August 4, 2023 — Source
Omicron variant resembles other respiratory viruses, posing challenges for syndromic surveillance
In a recent article published in Scientific Reports, researchers describe the symptom profiles of respiratory viral infections from the Flu Watch Community and the Virus Watch cohort studies to compare the frequency of the range of symptoms experienced during influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (CoVs) infections, and infections from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) wild-type (wt) strain and variants of concerns (VOCs), including Alpha, Delta, Omicron BA1/BA2/BA5.
August 4, 2023 — Source
Promising investigational therapeutic monoclonal antibody to treat chronic hepatitis B and D infections
Affecting hundreds of millions of people, chronic hepatitis B is a widespread global health problem for which there is as yet no cure. In a preclinical study involving the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Heidelberg University Hospital, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf and the US company Vir Biotechnology, the potential of an engineered investigational human monoclonal antibody for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis D has been demonstrated. Based on the results, clinical trials with the monoclonal antibody VIR-3434 are ongoing.
August 4, 2023 — Source
Scientists discover how parasites of viruses drive superbug evolution
In a study published in Cell, scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Imperial College London have discovered a new way by which bacteria transmit their genes, enabling them to evolve much faster than previously understood.
August 4, 2023 — Source
System that uses magnetic levitation enables early airborne virus detection
Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of British Columbia have invented a system that can quickly and inexpensively detect airborne viruses using the same technology that enables high-speed trains.
August 4, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 3rd, 2023
Fauci's replacement is the person America's STI crisis needs
Jeanne Marrazzo's appointment as NIAID director raises hopes the US will take steps to address a burgeoning crisis.
August 3, 2023 — Source
Gut hormone for controlling appetite doubles as an immune regulator for the fungal microbiome, researchers find
Peptide YY, a hormone produced by gut endocrine cells that was already known to control appetite, also plays an important role in maintaining the balance of fungi in the digestive system of mammals, according to new research from the University of Chicago.
August 3, 2023 — Source
Gut contractions influence the composition of the microbiome
Spontaneous rhythmic contractions of the intestinal tract, also known as peristalsis, play an important role in enabling healthy gut function in the vast majority of living organisms. This intrinsic activity appears to be essential for the life and health of many animals, researchers suggest. It is caused by rhythmic electrical impulses generated by so-called pacemaker cells of the nervous system.
August 3, 2023 — Source
Unlocking the potential of Reg3γ: new insights into its metabolic functions and therapeutic prospects
The current therapeutic approaches for diabetes and obesity focus on leveraging the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to promote better glycemic control and sustained weight loss. Thus, the GI tract has received more scientific focus aiming to find novel treatment strategies.
August 3, 2023 — Source
Gut microbiome changes have significant effects on cocaine use and cravings
According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 4.8 million people (ages 12 and up) reported using cocaine within the previous 12 months, and 24,486 people died from an overdose involving cocaine. Because there are no FDA-approved medications for cocaine use disorder, there is an urgent need to develop therapeutic interventions.
August 3, 2023 — Source
Melting Permafrost Could Introduce Dormant Pathogens to the Environment
Using computer simulations, scientists estimate that thawed viruses, bacteria, and parasites could drastically change our pathogenic outlook.
August 3, 2023 — Source
New study explores the role of metformin in ameliorating oxidative stress in periodontitis
Periodontitis, a prevalent global health concern, results in the gradual destruction of tooth-supporting tissues and is often exacerbated by oxidative stress conditions and bacterial changes. Current treatment methodologies include mechanical debridement, anti-inflammatory drugs, and regenerative surgery.
August 3, 2023 — Source
On-off switch for enzymes
Light affects living organisms in many different ways: for example, plants orient their growth direction towards the sun, while circadian rhythms in humans are controlled by daylight. These processes always involve photoreceptors, which are proteins that can sense different colours and intensities of light.
August 3, 2023 — Source
Professor discusses barriers to cervical cancer screening in Uruguay
The recently released BGI Genomics 2023 Global State of Cervical Cancer Awareness Report highlights the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to cervical cancer screening and the human papillomavirus (HPV) on a global scale.
August 3, 2023 — Source
Seattle institute lands $18M to develop RNA vaccine for mosquito-borne disease
The Access to Advanced Health Institute will develop an RNA vaccine against the chikungunya virus with a fresh $18 million award from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
August 3, 2023 — Source
TU Graz researchers gain new insights into a light-activated protein switch
Researchers at TU Graz have gained new insights into the functioning of a protein found in bacteria, whose enzymatic activity is activated by blue light.
August 3, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — August 1st, 2023
CDC issues leprosy warning for people making Florida travel plans
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that cases of leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, are surging in Florida and should be considered by those making travel plans.
August 1, 2023 — Source
China is suddenly dealing with another public health crisis: mpox
While the scale is vastly differently than covid, the government is already repeating some of the same mistakes.
August 1, 2023 — Source
Bacterial byproducts may help stop the stink in future spacesuits
ESA is testing that pink stuff from your dirty bathtub as an antimicrobial Moon suit lining
August 1, 2023 — Source
Microneedle Patch for Antibiotic-Free Acne Treatment
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong have developed a microneedle patch for the drug-free treatment of skin infections, such as acne. Acne is often treated using antibiotics, but these have limited effectiveness over the long term and can result in drug-resistant bacteria. In an effort to develop a drug-free alternative, these researchers have created a microneedle patch that is ultrasound responsive.
August 1, 2023 — Source
New Vaccine Reduces Ticks' Ability to Carry Lyme Disease
Rather than targeting the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, these researchers targeted the bacteria's living conditions.
August 1, 2023 — Source
Scientists believe the key to battling a pathogen hides in its genome
Many of the answers for effectively responding to a pathogen lie in its genome. Understanding the genetic code of a pathogen like Ebola or the virus that causes COVID-19 allows scientists to track its movement, predict future behavior, identify the source of the outbreak and, most importantly, develop effective vaccines and treatments. This technology was critical during the pandemic, and it will be even more so with future outbreaks.
August 1, 2023 — Source
Taking an antidepressant? Mixing it with other medicines--including some cold and flu treatments--can be dangerous
In the depths of winter we are more at risk of succumbing to viral respiratory infections--from annoying sore throat, common cold and sinusitis, to the current resurgence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza and COVID.
August 1, 2023 — Source
Targeting mpox messages to at-risk groups could result in stigma, study finds
Emphasizing that men who have sex with men (MSM) are most at risk for the virus mpox has the negative effect of increasing support for restricting LGBTQ+ events, according to a new study by UAlbany Associate Professor Ashley Fox and Yongjin Choi of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
August 1, 2023 — Source
Using AI, scientists bring Neanderthal antibiotics back from extinction
Neanderthals are extinct. But their molecules are back and they just might save our lives.
August 1, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — July 28th, 2023
Climate change-driven extreme weather events impacting HIV control in Asia Pacific
Climate change-driven extreme weather events, sea level rise, changes in temperature, and air and water pollution are impacting control of HIV in the Asia Pacific region, a science gathering heard.
July 28, 2023 — Source
Investigating acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children
Since Fall 2021, an increasing number of unexplained cases of severe acute hepatitis have been reported in children. Epidemiologic investigation is ongoing, and, to date, a cause of these outbreaks has not been identified. Because adenovirus infection has been detected in some (but not all) cases, it is being investigated as one of many potential causes of the hepatitis.
July 28, 2023 — Source
Measles: It's not just London that's at risk of an outbreak--it's all of the UK
Since the start of 2023, measles has been reported in a third of countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) European region. And in the first five months of the year, there were 5,699 cases reported there--nearly seven times as many as in the whole of 2022.
July 28, 2023 — Source
Mutation accessibility fuels influenza evolution
The influenza (flu) virus is constantly undergoing a process of evolution and adaptation through acquiring new mutations. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have added a new layer of understanding to explain why and how flu viruses change.
July 28, 2023 — Source
Researchers discover how mitochondria call for help when under stress
As life propagated across Earth in the form of the widest variety of single-celled organisms, sometime between 3.5 and 1 billion years ago one such organism managed an evolutionary coup: Instead of devouring and digesting bacteria, it encapsulated its prey and used it as a source of energy.
July 28, 2023 — Source
Scientists discover a way to produce true structure of naturally-occurring anti-HIV compound
Having control over how a dish is cooked is always a good idea. Taking a hint from the kitchen, scientists appear to have discovered a way to produce a true structure of the rare but naturally-occurring anti-HIV compound Lancilactone C from start to finish.
July 28, 2023 — Source
The latest in RSV protection for kids: An antibody treatment called Beyfortus
Parents in the U.S. can breathe a sigh of relief: The FDA has approved a new drug that can protect infants and toddlers from RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) throughout the virus season.
July 28, 2023 — Source
This company keeps selling TB-tainted bone grafts, causing deadly outbreaks
In the last outbreak, at least 87 people had signs of tuberculosis after spinal surgery.
July 28, 2023 — Source
Travel-linked dengue cases in US peaked in 2019: Report
About 20 percent of the 7,528 confirmed or probable travel-associated U.S. dengue cases reported during 2010 to 2021 occurred in 2019, according to research published in the July 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
July 28, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — July 27th, 2023
A cost-effective, efficient way to assess soil health at scale
Saying soil is important is an understatement. From serving as the medium where most of our food is grown, to sequestering carbon and reducing atmospheric CO2 concentrations, to being the home for enormous quantities of biodiversity--including antibiotic-producing bacteria--soil is key to life on Earth.
July 27, 2023 — Source
Bacteria as blacksmiths — new method to assemble unconventional materials
You never know when dazzling ideas will strike you. Sometimes they emerge from the most unexpected places, like a boulder gym in Vienna.
July 27, 2023 — Source
Clinic is detecting--and treating--hepatitis C virus in infants
A pediatric infectious disease team led by University at Buffalo faculty is screening and treating hepatitis C virus (HCV)-exposed infants. The clinic's efforts are documented in a new paper based on an 11-year retrospective chart review, published this month in BMC Gastroenterology.
July 27, 2023 — Source
Making renewable, infinitely recyclable plastics using bacteria
But that's changing. In a study published in Nature Sustainability, researchers successfully engineered microbes to make biological alternatives for the starting ingredients in an infinitely recyclable plastic known as poly(diketoenamine), or PDK.
July 27, 2023 — Source
New maps show antimicrobial resistance varies within Wisconsin neighborhoods
Led by postdoctoral fellow Laurel Legenza, researchers at UW--Madison's School of Pharmacy and State Cartographer's Office worked with colleagues from three Wisconsin health systems to combine antibiotic resistance data from different locations throughout the state to gauge the effectiveness of a pair of common antibiotic treatments for Escherichia coli infections.
July 27, 2023 — Source
Recent progress in infant hepatitis B vaccination efforts in Africa
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer in the world. In a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers report advancements made toward the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HBV in the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region (AFR) between 2016 and 2021.
July 27, 2023 — Source
Report investigates willingness to receive smallpox vaccine for mpox prevention in Japan
Mpox, formerly known as "monkeypox," is a disease resulting from a viral infection. Notably, numerous cases of mpox have been reported among men having sexual intercourse with other men. Since 2022, the disease has primarily spread across Europe and the U.S., leading the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency.
July 27, 2023 — Source
Scientists use a bath of swimming bacteria to assemble unconventional materials
A hot bath is a place to relax. For scientists, it is also where molecules or tiny building blocks meet to form materials. Researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) take it to the next level and use the energy of swimming bacteria to forge materials.
July 27, 2023 — Source
'Swine flu' strain has passed from humans to swine nearly 400 times since 2009, study finds
A new study of the strain of influenza A responsible for the 2009 H1N1 pandemic--pdm09--shows that the virus has passed from humans to swine about 370 times since 2009, and subsequent circulation in swine has resulted in the evolution of pdm09 variants that then jumped from swine to humans.
July 27, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — July 25th, 2023
Artificial photosynthesis with engineering of protein crystals in bacteria
In-cell engineering can be a powerful tool for synthesizing functional protein crystals with promising catalytic properties, show researchers at Tokyo Tech. Using genetically modified bacteria as an environmentally friendly synthesis platform, the researchers produced hybrid solid catalysts for artificial photosynthesis.
July 25, 2023 — Source
Bacteria in the mouth may be a cause of Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease affects four million people worldwide. The condition causes debilitating symptoms such as chronic fatigue, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss and malnutrition. Once symptoms develop, Crohn's is a lifelong condition--and while there are ways to manage symptoms during flare-ups, there's currently no cure.
July 25, 2023 — Source
Bacterial testing in kids with sinusitis could slash antibiotic use
In children with suspected sinusitis, a nasal swab to test for three types of bacteria can tell whether antibiotics are likely to be effective or not, according to a new study.
July 25, 2023 — Source or Source
Cases of tick-borne illnesses are on the rise. Some experts believe climate change is the cause
In 2022, doctors recorded the first confirmed case of tick-borne encephalitis virus acquired in the United Kingdom.
July 25, 2023 — Source
Mpox: Characterization of post-infectious immune response
Most cases were reported outside the usual areas in which the virus circulates. Since the outbreak began, surveillance of the virus has been stepped up in Europe, with nearly 5,000 cases being reported in France.
July 25, 2023 — Source
New algorithm may fuel vaccine development
Immune system researchers have designed a computational tool to boost pandemic preparedness. Scientists can use this new algorithm to compare data from vastly different experiments and better predict how individuals may respond to disease.
July 25, 2023 — Source
New computational tool could boost pandemic preparedness
Immune system researchers have designed a computational tool to boost pandemic preparedness. Scientists can use this new algorithm to compare data from vastly different experiments and better predict how individuals may respond to disease.
July 25, 2023 — Source
New policy paper says the US needs immediate action to prepare for future pandemics
The United States has significant gaps in its pandemic and public health emergency response system leaving it unprepared for future emergencies, says the American College of Physicians (ACP) in a new policy paper. In the paper, ACP makes recommendations about what needs to be done to ensure the U.S. is in a strong position to mitigate the consequences of future pandemics.
July 25, 2023 — Source
Red algae proteins grafted into tobacco double plant growth
A Cornell researcher and her colleagues have solved one key piece of the molecular puzzle needed to dramatically improve plant productivity and increase carbon sequestration: They have successfully transferred key regions of a highly efficient red algae into a tobacco plant, using bacteria as an intermediary.
July 25, 2023 — Source
Study demonstrates ability to remove key barrier to an HIV cure
The results of a novel study presented by Emory researchers during the International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference in Brisbane, Australia, have revealed exciting findings in the pursuit of an HIV cure. The study, led by Monica Reece, a Ph.D. candidate in Emory's Microbiology and Genetics Program, and directed by Christina Gavegnano, Ph.D., demonstrates the potential of Jak inhibitors, specifically ruxolitinib, to significantly decay the viral reservoir in people with HIV, offering a novel pathway toward long-term remission or a cure.
July 25, 2023 — Source
Stress enhances antibody quantity and quality, but impairs immunological memory: Study
Researchers at Tel Aviv University demonstrated for the first time that there is a significant link between behavioral stress and the effectiveness of vaccines. They found that acute stress in mice 9-12 days after vaccination increases antibody response to the vaccine by 70% compared to the unstressed control group.
July 25, 2023 — Source
Towards artificial photosynthesis with engineering of protein crystals in bacteria
In-cell engineering can be a powerful tool for synthesizing functional protein crystals with promising catalytic properties, show researchers at Tokyo Tech. Using genetically modified bacteria as an environmentally friendly synthesis platform, the researchers produced hybrid solid catalysts for artificial photosynthesis.
July 25, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — July 21st, 2023
Detection of bacteria and viruses with fluorescent nanotubes
An interdisciplinary research team from Bochum, Duisburg and Zurich has developed a new approach to construct modular optical sensors which are capable of detecting viruses and bacteria. The researchers used fluorescent carbon nanotubes with a novel type of DNA anchors that act as molecular handles.
July 21, 2023 — Source or Source
EU drug watchdog approves first RSV infant, elderly vaccine
Europe's drug watchdog on Friday approved the world's first vaccine for infants and those over 60 against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, a major cause of hospitalization on the continent, the Amsterdam-based agency said.
July 21, 2023 — Source
Probiotic combo found to stop bacteria that cause toxic shock syndrome
The widespread, pathogenic microbe Staphylococcus aureus can colonize the skin and mucous membranes throughout the body, particularly the vagina and gastrointestinal tract. A virulent strain of the bacterium produces proteins that trigger toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a disease characterized by the quick onset of fever, a telltale rash, and, without treatment, multi-organ failure.
July 21, 2023 — Source
Revealing HIV drug-resistance mechanisms through protein structures
Salk Institute researchers, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, have discovered the molecular mechanisms by which the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) becomes resistant to Dolutegravir, one of the most effective, clinically used antiviral drugs for treating HIV.
July 21, 2023 — Source
Signaling process thought to be exclusive to eukaryotes confirmed in bacterial species C. thermocellum
Transmembrane signaling involves sensing and communicating with the extracellular environment. Part of the transmembrane signaling is a process known as autoproteolysis, which is key in different functions of a cell.
July 21, 2023 — Source
Scientists develop AI-based tracking and early-warning system for viral pandemics
Scripps Research scientists have developed a machine-learning system--a type of artificial intelligence (AI) application--that can track the detailed evolution of epidemic viruses and predict the emergence of viral variants with important new properties.
July 21, 2023 — Source or Source or Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — July 20th, 2023
Could mink farms be the source of the next flu pandemic?
Urgent action is needed to address the significant risk posed by fur farms for the emergence of future viral pandemics, Imperial scientists warn.
July 20, 2023 — Source
'Geneva patient' the latest in long-term remission from HIV
A man dubbed the "Geneva patient" is the latest person with HIV to be declared in long-term remission--however he did not receive a transplant with a virus-blocking gene mutation like previous cases, researchers said on Thursday.
July 20, 2023 — Source
Immune systems develop specific genes to fight against common bacteria, study finds
Immune systems develop specific genes to combat common bacteria such as those found in food, new research shows.
July 20, 2023 — Source
Study examines the antibacterial properties of cinnamon and eucalyptus essential oils compared with their isolated major compounds
The primary metabolite found within the C. cassia essential oil is (E)-cinnamaldehyde, whereas E. globulus primarily consists of 1,8 cineole, both of which are associated with medicinal properties. Moreover, (E)-cinnamaldehyde comprises between 70-90% of cinnamon essential oil, while the eucalyptus essential oil contains 50-84% of 1,8 cineole.
July 20, 2023 — Source
Researchers design synthetic peptide to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have designed a short peptide capable of poisoning a key enzyme in disease-causing bacteria, including some of most deadly and antibiotic-resistant species.
July 20, 2023 — Source
Researchers reprogram gene therapy viral vectors to bind specific protein targets
Scientists have engineered adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) to package and deliver gene therapies to cells in the body. But the field has struggled to develop AAVs that can efficiently target different cell types and organs such as the brain, driving scientists to look for better ways of developing new viral vectors.
July 20, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — July 19th, 2023
CRISPR-Cas13 Test Inexpensively and Rapidly Reveals HIV Viral Load
Scientists at Penn State have developed an assay that lets them to directly measure HIV viral load in a drop of blood. The technology is also faster and less expensive than current approaches. At present, RT-PCR is typically used to assess HIV levels in a patient's blood, requiring genetic material to be amplified before it can be measured.
July 19, 2023 — Source
Developing a framework to reduce infectious disease burdens among Indigenous people
Despite having an estimated two times higher risk of death than white Americans from the COVID-19 pandemic, Indigenous people in the U.S. and Canada experienced surprisingly positive outcomes----they exhibited an impressive collaborative strength.
July 19, 2023 — Source
First artificial synthesis of tanzawaic acid B may lead the way to new antibiotics
The discovery of antibiotics in 1928 was a major turning point in the history of medicine. For the first time since the dawn of human civilization, doctors had gained access to an extremely powerful and effective tool to fight against a wide variety of bacterial infections.
July 19, 2023 — Source
Florida county reports its 7th case of locally contracted malaria
A southwest Florida county has document a seventh case of malaria, state authorities said.
July 19, 2023 — Source
Gut bacteria may play a role in cognitive decline
Two additional studies define specific gut bacteria that are associated with increased dementia risk, as well as gut bacteria that may be neuroprotective. Previous research has connected the health and makeup of the gut microbiome, which is the community of microorganisms that live in our digestive tracts, with a number of other vital body functions.
July 19, 2023 — Source
Hepatitis cases and heart valve infection deaths tied to early OxyContin marketing
Decades after Purdue Pharma began to push physicians to prescribe addictive pain pills, the opioid crisis has been a slow-motion disaster, with overdoses destroying lives and families across the country.
July 19, 2023 — Source
Mosquito-friendly gene drive may lead to a malaria-free future
Research led by the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, has developed a gene drive solution for mitigating malaria transmission from mosquitoes.
July 19, 2023 — Source
New community partnership model boosts inclusion of participants into HIV cure-directed research
Scientists have long used community advisory boards to engage communities and provide feedback on studies, but this model has limitations. Now, researchers from The Wistar Institute are sharing how a more inclusive model for community engagement can lead to deeper insights and greater community participation in HIV research.
July 19, 2023 — Source
Researchers uncover novel bacterial communication system to combat antimicrobial resistance
Researchers have discovered a new stress signaling system that enables bacteria cells to adapt and protect themselves against the immune system and certain antibiotics.
July 19, 2023 — Source
The FDA approved a new preventive shot for RSV, the leading cause of US infant hospitalization
What to know about the new RSV antibody shot.
July 19, 2023 — Source
Health — Bacteria & Viruses — July 14th, 2023
A pneumonia-causing bug disappeared during the pandemic, but a surge may come this winter
After pandemic restrictions eased, cases of respiratory infections surged worldwide. There were record numbers of people infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu and even strep A.
July 14, 2023 — Source
Atypical infections in chronic sinusitis: Thinking outside the box
A new research perspective was published in Oncoscience, titled "Think outside the box--atypical infections in chronic sinusitis."
July 14, 2023 — Source
Don't take chances: Why doxycycline is a great bet against STIs
If taken within 72 hours of condomless sex, the common antibiotic doxycycline drastically reduces the risk of gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia among transwomen and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, a recent study shows.
July 14, 2023 — Source
Fintetuning for antibodies
The strength of the immune reaction triggered by antibodies can be regulated
July 14, 2023 — Source
Gender, race and socioeconomic status are associated with comorbidity in people with HIV who smoke
High rates of smoking among people with HIV are associated with high rates of comorbid health problems--which are associated with characteristics including gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, according to a study in the July issue of The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.
July 14, 2023 — Source
Research team reveals hidden particle interactions at the cell surface
Is it possible that in most measurements in the field of life sciences, important interactions remain hidden inside the cell or at the cell surface? This question has puzzled the team of laser- and bio-physicist Prof. Dr. Alexander Rohrbach from the University of Freiburg for years.
July 14, 2023 — Source
Researchers solve structure of immune-evading HIV protein complex
The HIV-1 virus can neutralize cellular defenses with its viral infectivity factor (Vif). OIST researchers Prof. Matthias Wolf and Dr. Takahide Kouno together with an international team of colleagues have now determined the atomic structure of the APOBEC3G-Vif complex using cryo-electron microscopy.
July 14, 2023 — Source
Single-visit sample collection recommended for hepatitis C testing
Use of strategies that require multiple visits to collect blood for hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing should be discontinued and replaced by single-visit sample collection, according to research published in the July 14 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
July 14, 2023 — Source
Study suggests need for more fluid policy on RSV prophylactic availability to children
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) surges in young children occurred outside the usual November to March season, when immune-based prophylactic is available to protect children at high risk for severe illness.
July 14, 2023 — Source
The hidden factors of resistance: how pathogen diversity drives antibiotic response
In a recent study published in Nature Communications, researchers employed evolutionary approaches to understand the role of within-host microbial diversity on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) evolution in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) and receiving antibiotic treatment.
July 14, 2023 — Source
UK officials warn low measles immunization rates could lead to tens of thousands of cases in London
Britain's Health Security Agency said on Friday that measles vaccination rates in parts of London have dropped so low that the capital could see tens of thousands of cases of the rash-causing disease unless immunization coverage is quickly boosted.
July 14, 2023 — Source
Bacteria — Infections — Viruses — Tuberculosis — Resources
17 Questions and Answers
Confused About Tuberculosis Headlines? Get the Facts
Provides Information — Source
Flu Shot Tip Sheet
Flu season is here. Get the flu shot facts with this timely tipsheet.
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Flu.gov
The official U.S. government Web site for information on pandemic flu and avian influenza.
Provides a Service — Source
StopGerms.org
the ultimately resource to guide you to creating and maintaining a healthy home.
Provides Information — Source