Communicable diseases remain one of the major causes of mortality worldwide. There are disparities in the numbers of individuals affected by disease between low-and-middle-income countries and those in developed nations. Microbes will play in important role in drug discovery: producing anticancer drugs and antimicrobials. Applying One Health principles, to understand the interaction of pathogens and the human host, development of diagnostics, treatments, and disease prevention, applied microbiologists can shape global health and wellbeing outcomes.
Investigators have unearthed the biological process by which mRNA-based vaccines for COVID-19 can cause heart damage in some young men and adolescents — and they’ve shown a possible route to reducing its likelihood.
Read storyOlder people with a history of chronic kidney disease or conditions affecting blood flow to the brain such as stroke face about double the risk for developing neuroinvasive disease that can lead to paralysis and death following infection with West Nile virus, new research finds.
Scientists have found the lungs’ own microbial community, or microbiome, appears to influence how pneumonia evolves, who responds well to treatment and whether a patient will recover successfully or continue to deteriorate.
New research from the University of Georgia suggests that opioid use could make patients more vulnerable to infections. The meta-analysis examined four studies of almost 120,000 patients. The researchers found that about 31% of patients who were prescribed and taking opioids caught C. diff, compared to 17% of patients who weren’t using them.
Clove essential oil (CEO) derived from Syzygium aromaticum and miswak (Salvadora persica) contains bioactive compounds with antimicrobial properties. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of CEO, miswak, and their combination against key peri-implantitis pathogens.
Researchers have uncovered how the body’s bile acids bind to block C. diff’s most dangerous toxin. The research has informed the development of a new compound that can protect against C. diff in preclinical models, offering hope for safer, more effective treatments.
Why does RSV affect babies more severely? To better understand the cellular reasons behind this age-related difference, researchers compared infant and adult human nose organoids, also called mini-noses, regarding their susceptibility and response to infection.
Researchers have developed a simple and efficient system for understanding the functions of specific norovirus genes, providing new avenues for developing antivirals and vaccines.
A new study shows that the mammary glands of several other production animals besides cows – including pigs, sheep, goats, beef cattle and alpacas – are biologically suitable to harbor avian influenza, due to high levels of sialic acids.
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.
High BMI and poor physical fitness during later adolescence increase the risk of both contracting and dying from sepsis and other severe bacterial infections in adulthood, according to a study.
New findings suggest that polyphenol-rich diets can serve as a simple, safe, and effective nutritional strategy to counteract inflammation and support healthy aging.
Scientists are developing what could become the world’s first mRNA vaccine against severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS)—a tick-borne viral disease associated with this condition.
A new study reveals how targeting the CLEC4E receptor and reshaping the gut metabolite axis offers a promising therapeutic avenue for inflammatory bowel disease.
Lucy Ella Malvern reports back on her AMI-sponsored summer studentship which investigated microbiome assembly in mosquitoes across developmental stages.
CARB-X has awarded Exhalon US$1M in seed funding to evaluate whether exhaled breath can be used as a non-invasive sample type to aid in the rapid and accurate diagnosis of lower-respiratory tract infections (LRTIs).
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.
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.
When attacked by bacteria from a different species, Pseudomonas rapidly assembles the type VI secretion system (T6SS) – to inject its aggressor with a toxic cocktail. A new study probes how Pseudomonas can strike back when it has already been hit by a deadly cocktail itself.
Postnatal growth retardation (PGR) has a high incidence during early postnatal development of piglets and humans. Researchers have found that hindgut-enriched Methanobrevibacter smithii compromises the weight gain in the pig PGR model.
Researchers have developed a promising new substance for targeting bacteria that cause tuberculosis. The team have produced a compound that inhibits the pathogens’ ability to produce energy and causes them to die.
SARS‑CoV‑2 continues to mutate, with some newer strains becoming less responsive to current antiviral treatments like Paxlovid. Now, researchers have identified several promising molecules that could lead to new medications capable of combating these resistant variants.
New US national guidance calls for full-time infection prevention staff; more training, support and vaccination for all staff; and partnerships with hospitals and public health agencies.