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
Researchers discover how to turn one germ’s drug resistance into an Achilles’ heel
As Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutates to protect itself from rifampicin, it also creates new weak points that other therapies could exploit. A new study shows that the most common rifampicin-resistance mutation slows bacterial RNA polymerase, creating vulnerabilities that future combination therapies may be able to target.
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NewsThe brain, emotions, and the gut: How culture, stress, and social life shape gut health
A new study indicates that gastrointestinal health is influenced not only by genes, diet, and gut bacteria, but also by culture, social relationships, economic status, and the way individuals function within society.
NewsGladstone launches Center for PhAIge Therapy to harness AI in the fight against drug-resistant infections
Gladstone Institutes has received funding to establish the Center for PhAIge Therapy, a research center that will develop new phage-based treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The five-year grant makes Gladstone one of three institutions across the country selected to lead this coordinated effort.
NewsT cells may be key to stopping measles virus—and its deadly relatives
Scientists have discovered how T cells target paramyxoviruses, a viral family that includes measles virus and Nipah virus. Instead of vaccinating against one virus at a time, the researchers found that activating “cross-reactive” T cells may protect against the wider paramyxovirus family.
More One Health
News
Scientists recreate enterovirus infection in a new model of the human intestine
A miniaturized, biomimetic model of the human intestine successfully reproduced long-term enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) infection, report researchers. Using this innovative platform, they shed light on how this virus grows in the intestine without triggering a strong immune response.
NewsPopular GLP-1 drug may slow down biological aging in people with HIV
A new study provides the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical evidence that semaglutide, a widely used GLP-1 drug, slows down the accumulation of biological aging markers in the DNA of adults with HIV.
NewsBiomaterial made from jackfruit latex is a promising treatment for periodontitis
Researchers have developed a biomaterial containing jackfruit latex, pomegranate peel extract, and simvastatin that shows promising efficacy in treating periodontitis. This chronic inflammatory disease of infectious origin leads to the progressive destruction of the tissues supporting the teeth, resulting in bone resorption and loss of attachment.
NewsStudy identifies serious infection risks linked to targeted cancer therapies
A major real-world study has found serious blood-related side effects associated with antibody-drug conjugates, an increasingly important class of targeted cancer therapies. Some ADCs were associated with substantial rates of severe neutropenia – dangerously low levels of infection-fighting white blood cells – and related complications.
NewsPhase 1 clinical trial set to begin on first leishmaniasis vaccine
A phase 1 clinical trial testing the safety of a leishmaniasis vaccine is set to begin in the coming months. The live vaccine, found to be safe in animals, is expected to be tested in humans later this year.
NewsResearchers evaluate NASA medication storage protocols
Researchers evaluated NASA’s medication handling practices, which currently call for removing medications from their original packaging and storing them in resealable plastic bags. The investigation found that active pharmaceutical ingredients degrade at a higher rate when stored in bags.
NewsNew study identifies key warning signs for infection after ankle fracture surgery in older patients
A new study of which patients are most at risk of a fracture-related infection post ankle surgery finds that low protein levels in the blood is the single strongest patient-related risk factor, making infection nearly 18 times more likely. Chronic alcohol abuse and failure to follow post-operative instructions each raise the risk more than fivefold.
NewsZinc deficiency promotes fluconazole-resistant Candida auris virulence
Researchers identified key nutritional and genetic factors that drive the virulence of fluconazole-resistant Candida auris. Under zinc-deficient conditions, these drug-resistant strains gain a fitness advantage, exhibiting increased pathogenicity and resistance to macrophage-mediated killing.
News‘Accidental’ discovery lays foundation for novel flu treatment strategies
Scientists investigating how influenza viruses replicate within cells “accidentally” discovered that different flu viruses use distinct strategies to infiltrate cells in the first place. They also found that it is possible to target specific molecules to prevent the viruses from entering new cells, thereby stopping their replication.
NewsEU project aims to make climate-neutral plastics and cosmetics using bacteria
A European research team is aiming to revolutionize the chemical industry: as part of the CarboNcare project, scientists are developing bacteria that can produce important chemical base materials from sustainable methanol – thereby replacing fossil resources.
NewsEngineered gut bacteria therapy emerges as scalable potential alternative to fecal microbiota transplants following clinical trial
Researchers have developed a new manufacturing platform for producing targeted mixtures of beneficial gut bacteria, an approach that could help expand access to microbiome-based therapies for patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection.
NewsReal-time brain monitor detects infections earlier
A research team has created a new monitoring system to save lives and significantly reduce health-care costs in brain-injury cases through the early detection of infections in intensive care units. NeuroSense connects to drainage lines to detect biomarkers of infection.
NewsAsian scientists unveil 10-year roadmap for building synthetic cells
Scientists from six Asian countries have launched an ambitious 10-year effort to build synthetic cells from non-living molecules, marking the region’s first coordinated push to create an artificial single-celled biological system.
NewsPan-European One Health Network established to bolster infectious disease response
iiCON: the Infection Innovation Consortium has successfully secured funding from COST to establish a unique pan-European COST Action network with over 70 collaborators from 21 countries and international organisations to harmonise the European response to infectious disease threats.
NewsWhat is the link between HIV and chronic pain?
A mouse study reveals a mechanism linking HIV to chronic pain. Targeting each of the molecular players in this mechanism alleviates pain and may hold treatment promise for HIV-associated pain, though more work is needed.
NewsNew fluorescent nanosensor enables first-of-its-kind detection of key gut health biomarker
Researchers have developed a novel fluorescent nanosensor capable of rapidly detecting indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), an emerging biomarker linked to gut health and disease. The sensor produces a rapid optical readout within minutes, offering a significantly faster and more accessible alternative to conventional analytical techniques.
NewsOne simple trick makes zebrafish a better model for microbiome research
A new advance in animal husbandry involving a popular aquarium fish should speed the pace of discovery in laboratory studies of host-microbe interactions, researchers report.
NewsBehind the diagnosis: How laboratory testing guided a complex histoplasmosis case
A diagnosis of histoplasmosis forced a teenager with juvenile arthritis onto an uncertain path, one defined by months of treatment, recovery, and a long-term course of antifungal therapy expected to last up to three years. Histoplasma capsulatum, a dimorphic fungus that causes histoplasmosis, found its way into her lungs.
NewsPost-discharge antibiotics may offer limited benefit after pediatric appendicitis
Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies among children, and complicated acute appendicitis (CAA), including perforated or gangrenous disease, carries a higher risk of infection and longer hospitalization. While intravenous antibiotics during hospitalization are standard practice, the role of oral home antibiotics (OHA) after discharge remains controversial.