All Infection Prevention & Control articles – Page 7
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NewsRapid genomic test identifies fungal bloodstream infections
Researchers have developed a rapid genomic method that can identify fungal bloodstream infections at the species level in about seven hours. By combining host DNA depletion, whole-genome amplification and real-time nanopore sequencing, the approach could help clinicians select appropriate antifungal treatment much earlier.
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NewsChiba University and Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research partnership targets next-generation vaccines
Chiba University and the University of Ghana’s Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research have launched a new research partnership aimed at advancing next-generation vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. The collaboration will connect expertise in Japan and Ghana to strengthen infectious disease research, researcher training and global health innovation.
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NewsEven brief e-cigarette use can cause lasting lung damage and weaken defenses against respiratory viruses
Just days of e-cigarette vapor exposure can injure the lungs’ most delicate tissue and leave it more vulnerable to viral infection, according to a study. Prior vaping exposure also increased SARS-CoV-2 viral burden and suppressed several antiviral genes following infection.
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NewsBlue light could cut food poisoning from raw chicken
A low-power blue light could be the key to significantly reducing food poisoning caused by raw chicken in the UK, scientists have found.They tested violet-blue photodynamic inactivation (VB-PDI) against 64 different strains of Campylobacter - every strain was killed by the treatment, regardless of species or antibiotic resistance profile.
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NewsModel traces C. diff spread in hospital oncology units
In a new study, researchers modeled the transmission of Clostridioides difficile infections among patients in hospital cancer units. They found that most new infections were introduced by patients who were infected but not symptomatic at the time of admission, rather than by patients who were infected and symptomatic.
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NewsWarmer oceans and increasing disease put coral reefs at risk
Disease and heat pose a deadly combination for coral reefs, according to a new study. Previous research has shown that heat stress can increase disease and kill coral. But the new paper found that corals with preexisting disease conditions were particularly vulnerable.
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NewsHow cells fight back after bacterial toxins break through
Understanding how epithelial cells rapidly repair toxin-induced membrane injuries is important for understanding how tissues withstand bacterial attacks. Researchers have uncovered a lipid signaling pathway that helps epithelial cells respond to membrane injury.
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NewsEven modest post-infection complications can make expanded vaccine coverage cost effective: New modelling
New modelling could help public health officials better factor in the long-term impacts of infectious disease when determining optimum vaccine coverage rates. Even small post-infection costs can tip the scales and make the case for vaccine-driven elimination, the study shows.
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NewsStudy examines political differences in perceptions of vaccine safety and effectiveness
Vaccine perceptions can influence acceptance and uptake, according to a new study. Respondents perceived the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine as the safest and most effective and the COVID-19 vaccine as the least safe and effective.
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NewsNew genetic platform could pave the way for better HPV vaccines
Scientists have developed a new genetic platform that could pave the way for more stable, efficient and widely available HPV vaccines, helping address persistent global shortages. The approach allows researchers to generate and select promising virus variants with traits that could improve future vaccine production and storage.
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NewsEye-eating amoeba resists treatment — understanding its biochemistry could help
Acanthamoeba causes infections in the eye or brain that can lead to blindness or death. New research into the amoeba’s mitochondrial metabolism could lead to safer, more effective treatments.
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NewsCOVID-19 immunity may help protect against other bat coronaviruses
Scientists have found that bat coronaviruses most likely to infect a wide range of animal species are those most closely related to SARS-CoV-2 and most likely to be recognised by immunity generated through COVID-19 infection.
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NewsStaphylococcus aureus is highly resistant and virulent in milk
Staphylococcus aureus is frequently found in human and veterinary infections. Its ability to withstand antibiotic treatment makes it a major clinical challenge. To better understand the factors underlying this resistance, the scientists investigated the growth of the bacterium in two environments relevant to infection: milk and serum.
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NewsStudent earns competitive fellowship for research on corn’s defense against bacteria
New funding has been awarded for research focused on understanding how plants protect themselves against pathogens. Peyton Sorensen looks specifically at corn and two of its bacterial pathogens: Xanthomonas and Clavibacter, which cause bacterial leaf streak and Goss’s bacterial wilt and blight, respectively.
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NewsHeel-prick blood samples from newborns could provide important insights into protection against serious infection
Heel-prick blood samples from newborns can be used to measure antibodies against Group B Streptococcus, according to a new study. In the longer term, the method could contribute to the development of vaccines designed to protect infants against serious infections.
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NewsA deadly fungus may not live to see the last of us
The battle lines have finally shifted in the war against a deadly fungal disease. The fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus has long been known to cause a severe, rapid respiratory infection, and it has become harder to fight. Researchers successfully killed the pathogen in animal studies by identifying how it resists current therapeutic methods.
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NewsResearch uncovers how bacteria fight viruses, opening the door to better virus-based antibiotics
New research has revealed that bacteria detect viruses when a viral enzyme cuts an important sensor molecule in the bacterium, kicking off the immune response. The discovery paves the way for development of better phage therapies that can evade the bacterial immune system.
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NewsGel and water reveal bacteria’s hidden world
What if the answer to seeing beyond the limits of a microscope was simply to make the bacteria bigger? Scientists have used gel and water to physically expand tiny cells, revealing structures that conventional optics struggle to resolve. The technique gave researchers a clearer view of Chlamydia and new insight into how its DNA is organised.
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News‘Molecular movie’ fills in blanks of how non-enveloped viruses infect cells
Researchers have answered a longstanding question about how certain non-enveloped viruses punch through the cell membrane to deliver their genetic material. The findings deepen understanding of virology and could aid the biotech industry’s search for ways to deliver relatively large therapeutic agents into cells to treat or prevent disease.
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NewsNew treatment aims to achieve lasting cure for persistent bacterial vaginosis
Researchers and clinicians are trialing new combinations of antibiotics to treat persistent bacterial vaginosis (BV), following their landmark discovery that the condition is sexually transmissible. A new study reveals why some women continue to experience a repeat diagnosis of BV even when their male partners are treated concurrently.