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
From pest to useful tool: How wax moth larvae can help reduce animal testing in research
A new study indicates greater wax moth larvae show great potential as a robust and ethically acceptable in vivo model for studying pathogenic bacteria.
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NewsWhat dental calculus can tell us about the oral microbiomes of ancient Japan
Microbe DNA from ancient dental calculus offers insights into the past oral microbiomes of the Japanese people, including the phylogeny of the periodontal disease-associated archaeon, Methanobrevibacter oralis.
NewsShiga-producing E. coli infections are becoming more resistant to antibiotics
A new study indicates resistance to antimicrobial agents is rising among human infections with Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli bacteria.
NewsTesting AI against public health’s existing tools
A new study found that AI chatbots made vaccine-hesitant parents more likely to say they would vaccinate their children against HPV, but did not outperform materials from government health agencies, whose effects also lasted longer.
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News
Accelerating chikungunya vaccine development in Africa: Launch of the ACT-CHIK Project
Funded by the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, a new €15.3 million project coordinated by Institut Pasteur brings together seven partners across four continents to advance clinical trials and prepare for the manufacturing of a chikungunya vaccine in Africa.
NewsResearch team awarded NIH grant to study early immune determinants of human tuberculosis infection
A research team was awarded a 5-year, $3.8 million grant to study early immune responses in the lung and how they influence tuberculosis infection outcomes. The program focuses on how lung immune cells called macrophages influence the earliest stages of tuberculosis infection.
NewsNew noninvasive tool may allow early detection of dangerous intestinal disease in premature babies
A first-in-human study shows that a handheld probe placed gently on the belly of most fragile infants can reliably identify early stages of necrotizing enterocolitis.
NewsMost cases of HIV persistence in blood following treatment explained by defective copies of the virus
A study based on blood samples strongly suggests that most persistent cases of viral detection, despite ideal HIV drug therapy, are not due to virus transmission or a rebound of active disease.
NewsScientists probe links between green space exposure, mental health and the nasal microbiome
Researchers recently studied associations among green space exposure, mental well-being, and the nasal microbiome—the microbes in a person’s nose. The analysis showed correlations among microbial signatures, time spent outdoors and positive mental well-being.
NewsFood insecurity linked to gut microbiome changes in children
A new study shows that food insecurity may leave a measurable impact on the gut microbiome of children. Children in food-insecure households had different gut microbiome profiles, including higher levels of Sutterella, which has been linked to poor dietary quality and intestinal inflammation.
NewsNew study highlights maternal-fetal TORCH infection risk
Researchers have assessed long-term trends in TORCH infections in India, a region where reliable data have been lacking. TORCH includes pathogens that cause toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus and other infections.
NewsDrug-resistant bacteria found in homes from sewage overflow
A new study shows that sewage overflows in homes can expose people to bacteria that can make them sick, including antibiotic-resistant and multidrug resistant bacteria which can make infections difficult to treat.
NewsInfections are major ‘health hazard’ for people with diabetes
Infections should be considered a “health hazard” in people living with diabetes, with experts warning that current clinical guidelines fail to reflect a substantial but under-recognised burden of illness, hospitalisation and death. People living with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and prediabetes face higher risks of infection compared to those without diabetes.
NewsNew tool quickly sequences hantavirus genome
The genetic diversity of hantavirus and the low levels of virus typically found in patient samples make sequencing its genome particularly challenging. Researchers have developed a new, effective, and low-cost way to carry out whole genome sequencing for hantaviruses.
NewsDentistry researchers testing oral bacteria transplants to cure bad breath
To rebalance the oral microbiome and cure chronic halitosis, researchers are embarking on a first-of-its-kind experiment. These clinical trials transplant bacteria and other microbes from healthy donors into patients with halitosis. If successful, the healthy microbiota will crowd out the bad and patients’ bad breath will improve.
NewsMaternal RSV vaccine cuts infant hospitalizations by 70%
A study has found that vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during pregnancy reduced the risk of hospitalization in young infants by nearly 70%. It provides early real-world evidence from U.S. clinical care, showing that administering one dose of the maternal RSV vaccine (RSVpreF vaccine) reduces hospitalization related to RSV in young infants.
NewsFlu drugs show promise against cognitive decline
A class of flu drugs may reduce cognitive decline and premature aging in people living with chronic viral infection. Scientists identified a new biological culprit: the degradation of protective sugar molecules in our bodies, known as glycans, that normally help keep inflammation in check.
NewsData from patients hospitalised with COVID-19 made available to the scientific community
The DIVINE study database has been published. The cohort includes clinical information from 5,813 patients hospitalised with COVID-19 during four waves of the pandemic, between March 2020 and August 2021, across five hospitals in the southern metropolitan area of Barcelona.
NewsFever and chills can make respiratory diseases more contagious
A new study reveals that when the difference between body temperature and the ambient temperature is greater, the clouds of particles generated by coughing or sneezing disperse more and maintain a higher concentration.
NewsResearchers combine bacteria and viruses to demonstrate a new way to fight cancer
Researchers have designed non-toxic Salmonella bacteria to deliver viruses that are safe to humans but potent against liver and pancreatic cancer tumors. Animal models treated with this combination of bacteria and viruses saw almost all their tumors eliminated and lived significantly longer.
NewsNew model could help track deadly viruses back to their source
A new predictive model could help scientists more efficiently identify the reservoirs of emerging zoonotic viruses and dangerous pathogens like Ebola that can spill over from animals into humans. It relies on detailed information collected on suspected reservoir species to identify key windows.
NewsThe road to better health requires a map of the microbes in your mouth
Different parts of your mouth have entirely different bacterial communities, reveals a new microbial map. Researchers believe mapping these microbial niches will provide a census of the good bacteria present in the mouth and help to develop targeted therapies, such as probiotics, to maintain oral health and prevent disease.
NewsResearcher investigates how a bioengineered peptide can break through harmful bacterial ‘fortresses’ and curb severe infections
A researcher is refining a powerful therapy for drug-resistant bacteria that pierces the gooey coating that anchors and protects such germs from the drugs we take to kill them. She has found that an antimicrobial peptide naturally found in cows weakens the biofilm defenses of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria and destroys it.