All Infection Prevention & Control articles – Page 2
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NewsCertain nasal bacteria may boost the risk for COVID-19 infection, study finds
Certain types of nasal bacteria can affect the levels of key proteins the Covid-19 virus needs to enter human cells, offering new insight into why some people are more vulnerable to the disease than others.
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NewsMulti-virus wastewater surveillance shows promise at smaller, site-specific scales
In a new study, wastewater surveillance for multiple pathogens at five different sites identified local trends that were not captured in larger surveillance programs, and some sites used the data to inform efforts to prevent disease spread.
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NewsParasite avoidance study could shed new light on social distancing’s role in disease prevention
New research could shed light on just how important the simple but understudied strategy of social distancing for avoiding disease might be. The work will look at how organisms evolve to avoid parasites.
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NewsHantavirus in Madagascar linked to black rats in agricultural areas
A new study reveals that the black rat is likely responsible for transmitting deadly hantaviruses in rural Madagascar, where forested landscapes have been converted to agriculture and settlements.
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NewsDiscovery of bacteria’s defence against viruses becomes piece of the puzzle against resistance
A new study shows that the emergence of resistance can be understood in the mechanism of how bacteria build up defences against being infected by viruses.
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NewsAlternative approach to Lyme disease vaccine development shows promise in pre-clinical models
An international research team finds genetically engineered Lyme bacterial proteins could offer long-standing protection against infection while requiring fewer vaccinations.
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NewsHow a small number of mutations can fuel outbreaks of western equine encephalitis virus
New research shows how small shifts in the molecular makeup of a virus can profoundly alter its fate. These shifts could turn a deadly pathogen into a harmless bug or supercharge a relatively benign virus, influencing its ability to infect humans.
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NewsResearch uncovers hidden spread of one of the most common hospital-associated infections
By tracking Clostridium difficile through the hospital environment, rather than on patients alone, scientists have uncovered previously undetected movement of bacteria through hospital settings.
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NewsAn intelligent device for detecting infections using the temperature of the skin
Based on a flexible, self-sustaining thermoelectric system, scientists created an intelligent temperature-sensing device to detect inflammations and infections, which can assist clinical decisions upon monitoring wounds and lesions.
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NewsNew carrier birds brought avian flu to Europe, Americas
Unexpected wild species, from pelicans to peregrine falcons, are transporting the virus from poultry farms to new places around the world and changing where the risk of outbreaks is highest.
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NewsSurgical fixation for infected sites in pyogenic spondylodiscitis inhibits bone destruction and promotes healing
Pyogenic spondylodiscitis is caused by bacterial infections of the spine and intervertebral discs. Researchers investigated how osterior fixation, in which the normal spine is fixed with pedicle screws and rods to stabilize the infected site, suppresses infection.
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NewsOnly few disinfectants are capable of inactivating hepatitis A virus
Researchers tested nine different surface disinfectants against Hepatitis A virus. According to their findings, only two aldehyde-based products proved effective at inactivating HAV.
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News‘It’s a shot, not a vaccine like MMR’: New skepticism prompts call for action
This ‘vaccine is not a vaccine’ is a new, previously unreported type of vaccine-specific scepticism, and it arose only during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it might, according to the researchers, also apply to the flu vaccine.
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NewsBfR organises three-day conference on food microbiology
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, the German Society for Microbiology and Hygiene (DGHM) and the Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM) are inviting researchers to the 19th Food Microbiology Conference in Berlin from 1 to 3 April.
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NewsCanada is slowest in reporting bird flu – but COVID shows we can do better
A global study was conducted to measure the reporting speed of pandemic-causing bird flu H5N1 in different countries, among which Canada surprisingly came in last, addressing the need for improvements in the current monitoring procedures.
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NewsHepatitis B: new rapid diagnostic test to halt mother-to-child transmission
Scientists have assessed a new rapid diagnostic test to identify pregnant women at elevated risk of transmitting hepatitis B to their babies. This diagnostic tool could help eliminate hepatitis B by preventing mother-to-child transmission during childbirth.
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NewsMeasles elimination versus eradication: The difference explained
As of March 13, the CDC has confirmed 301 cases of measles as well as the death of a child in Texas. Amira Roess, an epidemiologist and professor of global health, clarifies the benefits of vaccinating children and adolescents against measles.
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NewsTadpoles try to flee dangerous virus in their pond by growing much faster than normal
A new study shows that larvae of wood frogs respond to the presence of a deadly ranavirus by growing and maturing precociously. In response to ranavirus, tadpoles change their growth, development, and resource allocation, which may help them tolerate the energetic demands of infection or escape risky environments to avoid infection.
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NewsC. diff uses toxic compound to fuel growth advantage
The pathogen C. diff — the most common cause of health care-associated infectious diarrhea — can use a compound that kills the human gut’s resident microbes to survive and grow, giving it a competitive advantage in the infected gut.
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NewsSusceptibility to bovine TB in cattle traced to key genes
A new study identifying genetic factors contributing to bovine tuberculosis (bTB) susceptibility has found several key genes and pathways involved in the bovine response to Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of the disease in cattle.