All King’s College London articles
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NewsWidespread Covid death underreporting around the world raises broader questions about the reliability of official information
A new study finds that widespread underreporting of Covid-19 deaths cannot be explained simply by differences in countries’ ability to count and record deaths. Across 134 countries and territories, an estimated 45%–55% of governments misreported Covid mortality, with underreporting far more common than overreporting.
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NewsMember Q&A: Harta Wedari on how AMI has opened up new opportunities and communities
Dr Ni Luh Putu Harta Wedari, a medical doctor and Clinical Microbiology Specialist from Bali, Indonesia reveals how engaging with AMI has expanded her international network and unveiled new opportunities.
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NewsPlant diversity: Does it really matter for gut health? (BTW, dark chocolate counts)
New research shows that eating a more diverse range of plants - including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices - on a weekly basis may be associated with better gut and metabolic health.
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NewsFirst immune pathway discovered that stops a normally harmless fungus spreading through the body and causing deadly disease
An immune pathway has been discovered which prevents a normally harmless fungus developing into a fatal infection.
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NewsResearch forecasts global antimicrobial resistance threats for the next two decades
New research has analysed antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on a global scale to predict how resistance patterns could evolve by the year 2050, identifying around 210 resistance traits that could pose the greatest future risk.
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NewsFasting-mimicking diet reduces gum disease inflammation
A new study highlights how lifestyle modifications could be important alongside plaque control in managing gum disease. While fasting has been linked to reduced inflammation around the body, this is the first to establish a relationship with gum disease too.
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NewsNew antibiotic design could help treat drug-resistant infections
A new study has shown that antibiotics can be chemically redesigned so they are less easily removed by efflux pumps. This allows the antibiotic to remain inside the bacterial cell at higher concentrations, restoring its ability to kill bacteria even when resistance mechanisms are present.
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NewsDetailed map of life-threatening Vibrio bacteria reveals new target for treatment
Scientists have mapped in unprecedented detail the structure of Vibrio bacteria, which can cause life-threatening infections linked to antibiotic resistance. The team behind the study say the finding could provide new targets for life-saving treatment.
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NewsNew single‑cell technique reveals how tuberculosis‑like bacteria alter human cells
Researchers have developed a new technique to measure the content of individual human cells infected with bacteria that model tuberculosis – and it is already revealing biological changes that conventional analysis would miss.
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NewsStay or stray? Scientists discover why some gut microbes persist after fecal transplants
Scientists have identified why some gut microbes successfully stay in the gut after faecal transplants, whilst others are much more transient. They tracked key genetic features of gut bacteria in 86 healthy adults over the course of a year.
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NewsPeople’s gut bacteria worse in areas with higher social deprivation
Living in a poorer neighbourhood in the UK could impact the make-up of your gut microbiome, potentially leading to worse health. New research found that people living in areas of higher social deprivation have a less diverse range of bacteria in their gut.
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NewsAltered microbiome: Oral bacteria play a role in chronic liver disease
A new study shows that identical bacterial strains occur in both the mouth and gut of patients with advanced chronic liver disease and also reveals a mechanism by which oral bacteria affect gut health. The researchers also found that this process coincides with worsening liver health.
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NewsResearch reveals hidden diversity of E. coli driving diabetic foot infections
New research has shed light on the diversity and characteristics of E. coli strains that drive diabetic foot infections, providing the first comprehensive genomic characterisation of E. coli strains isolated directly from diabetic foot ulcers across multiple continents.
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NewsInside the gut: What our poo could tell us about our diet, gut microbes and health
Researchers have found that molecules in stool samples can accurately reflect what people eat and how their gut microbiome responds, offering a potential new tool to study nutrition and its impact on health.
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NewsResearchers rescue antibiotics from resistance using phototherapy
Researchers have used phototherapy to inhibit a protein in E. coli bacteria that makes them resistant to antibiotics. This new method, if proven safe and effective in living organisms, holds promise for rescuing the effectiveness of antibiotics that bacteria have become resistant to.
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News‘Rotten egg’ gas could be the answer to treating nail infections, say scientists
Hydrogen sulphide, the volcanic gas that smells of rotten eggs, could be used in a new treatment for tricky nail infections that acts faster but with fewer side effects, according to scientists.
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NewsMediterranean diet could reduce gum disease, study shows
People living in the UK and following a diet close to the Mediterranean diet are more likely to have better gum health, with potentially lower amounts of gum disease and inflammation. A new study suggests that people not following a Mediterranean-style diet tended to have more severe gum disease, especially if they consumed red meat frequently.
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NewsVitamin D deficiency increases risk of COVID-19 hospitalization
Experts say it’s not just booster shots that could offer protection against Covid-19 – healthy levels of vitamin D may also play a role. Researchers found a clear link between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk of being hospitalised by the virus.
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NewsScientists target ‘molecular machine’ in the war against antimicrobial resistance
The ‘molecular machine’ flagellum is essential for bacteria to cause infection, allowing bacteria to ‘swim’ around the bloodstream until finding something to infect. But it could also be a target for antibiotics.
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NewsScientists discover protein key to bacteria’s survival in extreme environments
A new discovery sheds light on how certain bacteria – including strains that cause food poisoning and anthrax – form spores for survival.