Clean water
UNICEF estimates that over 2.2 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water. Micro-organisms are responsible for a host of waterborne diseases, but simultaneously offer solutions in purifying water and improving sanitation. Biofertilizers offer promising solutions for reduced nutrient runoff and wastewater recycling. As well as applying microbes to combat the problem, applied microbiologists can use their knowledge of health and disease to reduce cases of waterborne disease.
News
Cholera vaccine completes phase 1 trial
A clinical trial shows promising results for PanChol, a single-dose oral vaccine aimed at the up to 4 million annual cholera cases worldwide.
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NewsSub-lethal water disinfection may accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance
A new study reveals that environmental stressors do not merely kill bacteria; they can also prime surviving cells to take up resistance genes more efficiently, raising concerns about how antibiotic-resistant bacteria may spread in aquatic environments.
NewsFrom sediment to surface: How invisible plumes trigger harmful algal blooms
A new study shows that algal blooms can begin days earlier than previously recognized, originating from chlorophyll-rich plumes rising from lake sediments before any surface discoloration appears.
NewsViruses in wastewater: Silent drivers of pollution removal and antibiotic resistance
New findings suggest that current monitoring strategies, which rely heavily on bacterial indicators alone, may miss critical viral-driven risks and opportunities for safer wastewater reuse.
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How the parasite that ‘gave up sex’ found more hosts – and why its victory won’t last
A study has revealed a genetic shortcut that may help Giardia duodenalis and many other parasites jump to new hosts at the cost of long-term survival. The findings may also help explain how parasites evolve drug resistance.
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NewsMicrobes that break down antibiotics help protect ecosystems under drug pollution
A new study shows that certain microbes can act as community protectors by breaking down antibiotics and stabilizing entire microbial ecosystems, offering a new way to rethink environmental risk assessment and pollution management.
NewsFifteen-year cattle manure application reshapes phoD- and gcd-harboring microbiomes, enhancing vegetable yields
A new study demonstrates that combined manure and chemical fertilizer (M+CF) in an open-field lettuce cropping system enhanced both diversity (+45.3%) and abundance (+290%) of gcd-harboring bacteria.
NewsTurning crop waste into precision weapons against waterborne pathogens
Researchers have developed a novel class of biomass-derived carbon dots that selectively eradicate Staphylococcus aureus in water, using corn straw to synthesize amine-modified nanomaterials that act as oxidase mimics, enabling targeted bacterial inactivation without harming beneficial microorganisms.
NewsAntibiotic resistance is ancient, ecological, and deeply connected to human activity, new review shows
Antibiotic resistance genes are often portrayed as a modern medical problem driven by the overuse of antibiotics in hospitals and farms. A new comprehensive review published in Biocontaminant reveals a much deeper and more complex story. Antibiotic resistance is an ancient feature of microbial life, shaped by millions of years ...
NewsThe antibiotic delafloxacin emerges as a potential therapeutic alternative against Legionella
A study shows, in an experimental laboratory model, that delafloxacin inhibits the intracellular replication of Legionella more effectively than one of the current standard treatments.
NewsMicroalgal–Bacterial granules show resilience to estrogen pollution but face structural collapse at high contamination levels
A study reveals both the adaptive biodegradation potential and the vulnerability of MBGS under estrogenic stress, offering new insights for developing robust, biologically based wastewater treatment technologies.
NewsEnvironmental traces of antibiotics found to boost gene transfer among bacteria
Using models of vertical inheritance and horizontal transfer, researchers have found that low doses of tetracycline, ampicillin, kanamycin, and streptomycin stabilize resistance and promote gene transfer across species.
NewsResearchers develop novel tracking method to reveal spread of antibiotic resistance across Hong Kong’s environment
Researchers have harnessed citywide genetic data and developed a novel genome-resolved tracking method to uncover precisely how antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their resistance genes move across Hong Kong’s environment.
NewsScientists discover fungus that kills toxic algae threatening human health
A team of researchers have discovered a previously unknown species of marine fungus that can kill harmful, bloom-forming algae. The new species, Algophthora mediterranea, is a form of microscopic chytrid fungus that can occupy a broad range of hosts.
NewsMoss and symbionts offer a promising solution for removing metals from mining and forestry-impacted waters
New findings shed light on the mechanisms behind a natural purification process and identify the key microbial “teammates” that enable mosses to remove metals from water. The new study reveals that mosses do not remove metals alone. The key is the cooperation between the moss and its microbial symbionts.
NewsUnseen allies: symbiotic bacteria help clean wastewater, but there is a catch
Scientists have identified new species of denitrifying endosymbionts in wastewater, highlighting their global prevalence – with an unexpected climate implication.
NewsHidden viruses in wastewater treatment may shape public health risks, study finds
A new study reveals that viral communities in wastewater treatment plants are far more complex and influential than previously recognized, with implications for water safety, antibiotic resistance, and how treatment performance is monitored.
NewsNew method means contaminated bathing water easier to detect
A new method can provide both faster and more complete answers on whether the water is safe for swimming or not. The innovation has been successfully tested in Helsingborg, where the response time has been reduced from several days to just a few hours.
NewsPersistent antibiotic resistance of cholera-causing bacteria in Africa revealed
In 2024, representatives from 14 African countries came together for a five-day intensive workshop on a whole-genome sequencing method called Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) aimed at strengthening cholera surveillance capabilities across the continent.
NewsNew review reveals how microbial communities accelerate the global spread of antibiotic resistance
A new scientific review has uncovered how complex microbial communities, including those in the human gut and the natural environment, act as powerful engines that drive the evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance.
NewsStudy suggests that chlorine treatment may impact the risk of legionnaires’ disease
Preliminary results of a nationwide study suggest that the disinfectant used to treat water before it is distributed through pipes may impact the incidence of Legionnaire’s disease in certain parts of the country.
NewsPreviously unrecognized pathway in plants and phytoplankton offers mercury-detox powers
Primary producers—including phytoplankton—possess a previously overlooked ability to internally break down and detoxify methylmercury. The demethylation pathway rapidly converts methylmercury into less toxic inorganic mercury, which is subsequently reduced to gaseous Hg⁰.
CareersAMR in aquatic ecosystems: A One Health investigation in an irrigation dam in Thailand
Dr Kwanrawee Joy Sirikanchana outlines how her team has launched a major project to address an overlooked question: How much does aquaculture contribute to AMR in shared water systems, and what does this mean for people, animals, and wildlife living around them?