One health
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.
News
Gut bacteria-derived metabolite contributes to host lifespan extension
Researchers use genetically engineered Escherichia coli to reveal how gut bacteria-derived polyamines extend the lifespan of fruit flies.
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NewsA new mechanism of action against an old enemy
Researchers identified corramycin as a promising candidate against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In the laboratory, the natural compound is effective against various forms of the tuberculosis pathogen, including strains from clinical samples that are already resistant to common antibiotics.
NewsHow human impacts increase risk of emerging infectious disease outbreaks
Global fragmentation of ecosystems and changing patterns of rainfall have increased the risk of diseases spreading to humans from animals, mosquitoes and ticks, finds a study.
NewsResearchers uncover what could make some bacteria-killing viruses more effective than others
Bacteriophages — or phages, for short — are viruses that kill bacteria, and scientists have been studying them for decades as a possible solution to antibiotic-resistant infections. But phages are notoriously picky eaters — a phage that can eradicate one bacterial strain is often powerless against others, even if the ...
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News
Researchers reveal snapshots of a key molecular machine in tropical parasites
A study reveals, with near-atomic precision, the three-dimensional structure and function of a gigantic molecular machine essential to the survival of trypanosomatid parasites, which cause serious diseases in humans, animals and plants.
NewsResearchers use computational design to engineer immune cells to fight cancer and viruses
Researchers have used advanced computational design methods to enhance the ability of genetically engineered immune cells to recognize and attack cancer and viral targets.
NewsA shorter, better-tolerated treatment for chagas disease is possible
A 30-day course of benznidazole taken once a day could offer people with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection a safer and more practical option than the current standard treatment, taken twice a day for 60 days.
NewsTarget identified in treatment of neuroHIV
NeuroHIV occurs when HIV infection affects the function and structural integrity of the brain and, to some extent, the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. New research has identified a brain protein driving this damage, pointing toward a possible treatment.
NewsCould these pills help people with anorexia? A new study aims to find out
A new clinical trial is recruiting people diagnosed with anorexia nervosa as researchers hope to discover if fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) capsules could help better manage this eating disorder.
NewsDirect rescue of segmented negative-sense RNA viruses from complementary DNA in monkey kidney Vero cells
This technology enables the direct rescue of segmented negative-sense RNA viruses from complementary DNA in monkey kidney Vero cells, facilitating safer and more efficient live-attenuated vaccine production.
NewsSimple cleaning reduced bacteria on single-use medical devices
Three simple cleaning methods reduced bacterial levels on used single-use medical devices, according to a study. The findings could prove useful as a last-resort measure during severe shortages of medical supplies in a crisis or war.
NewsRainwater tanks may be harbouring hidden health risks
Rainwater tanks are a popular way for Australians to save water, but new research has found they can also harbour potentially harmful bacteria and metals that could pose health concerns.
NewsEfficacy of commercial disinfectants Virkon®S and Microchem Plus against poliovirus
The WHO 4th Global Action Plan for Poliovirus Containment (GAPIV) mandates poliovirus-essential facilities (PEFs) to validate on-site decontamination protocols for non-enveloped poliovirus, a pathogen resistant to many routine disinfectants. A study assessed two commercial biosecurity disinfectants.
NewsHospital expands newborn screening to identify virus that can lead to hearing loss and developmental delays
Researchers have developed a new screening program for congenital cytomegalovirus, the most common infection passed from mothers to babies during pregnancy. While many babies with congenital cytomegalovirus have no obvious symptoms, some can develop hearing loss, developmental delays or other medical complications as they grow.
NewsResearch could lead to better prevention for a common cause of newborn meningitis
A new research project will investigate how Strep B bacteria attach to the vaginal tract and the mechanisms they use to stay there. In newborns, Strep B infections can kill and the study will look at how Streptococcus agalactiae comes to colonize the birth canal in the first place, which may lead to improved preventative measures.
News€8 million Horizon Europe grant to launch next-generation initiative to detect, assess and respond to pandemics
Led by the University of Oxford in partnership with the WHO and an international consortium the three-year PANDAI project will develop and deploy advanced AI models to transform the detection, assessment, prediction and response to global disease threats.
NewsNabsys announces first publication showcasing CRISPR/Cas9 mediated approach to expand the capabilities of electronic genome mapping
This study is the first to demonstrate the potential of combining Electronic Genome Mapping (EGM) with CRISPR/Cas9 to both characterize CRISPR/Cas9 activity and enhance the capabilities of genome mapping.
NewsScientists uncover genetic changes in the bacteria causing severe Kent meningococcal disease outbreak
Scientists have used bacterial genome sequencing to understand why the meningococcal disease outbreak in Kent earlier this year was so severe. The outbreak bacteria had picked up genetic material from other, less harmful bacteria found naturally in the throats of many healthy people.
NewsNew standardised, contemporary strain panels address a long-standing barrier in AMR research
PACE and the UK Health Security Agency have released five new contemporary antimicrobial resistance (AMR) strain panels, giving innovators worldwide a resource to test novel therapeutics and diagnostics against today’s resistance patterns.
NewsGut microbiome development may help predict type 1 diabetes in children at high risk
A new prospective study found that children at high genetic risk of type 1 diabetes whose gut microbiome development plateaued early had about three times the risk of developing the disease compared with children whose microbiomes continued to mature.
NewsHow a single viral protein hijacks immune cells to supercharge COVID-19 infection
A new discovery reveals how a SARS-CoV-2 protein reprograms immune cells to accelerate viral spread—and points to a new strategy for therapeutic intervention.
NewsBoosted BCG vaccine strategy significantly reduces tuberculosis relapse
A new study reveals that combining an immunotherapy with the traditional Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine drastically lowers the risk of TB relapse in preclinical models.
NewsA tiny bacterium with a huge impact
Researchers have discovered that gut bacteria and the compounds they produce trigger biological processes that the human body on its own can only activate with difficulty. They help suppress inflammation and may also have beneficial effects on fatty liver disease.