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
Case study: Fatal rabies in a child
Ontario’s first case of fatal rabies since 1967 provides critical guidance to help prevent death from rabies in future instances. The parents agreed to share their son’s case to help raise awareness of rabies.
Read story
NewsA 'copper economy' helps fungi and bacteria build better biofilms
Scientists have discovered that two common human pathogens can work together by managing copper in their shared environment - a finding that could open new ways to break down stubborn mixed biofilms.
NewsHantavirus in the South Atlantic: A one health and microbiome wake‑up call
The hantavirus pulmonary syndrome outbreak on MV Hondius shows how global travel and environmental change are reshaping how zoonotic viruses emerge. In a new commentary, Professor Lu proposes four initiatives aligned with Microbiome and One Health.
NewsMount Sinai scientists develop first fully human monoclonal antibody cocktail that protects against Nipah and Hendra viruses
New preclinical study demonstrates that a novel monoclonal antibody cocktail provides complete protection against lethal Nipah and Hendra virus infection.
More One Health
News
Probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus alleviates diabetic nephropathy in rat models
A recent study demonstrates that the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus exerts significant renoprotective effects rat models of diabetic nephropathy.
NewsSea anemone flips a human antiviral strategy on its head
A new study has uncovered a previously unknown antiviral defense mechanism in sea anemones, revealing that animals may have evolved more than one way to fight viral infections.
NewsNew research makes critical discovery for the global fight against antibiotic resistance
A study has found that an unusual pairing of two commonly used antibiotics can kill and stop the spread of resistance in a highly drug-resistant bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
NewsClimate change could reshape flu seasons across the Americas
Researchers find that weather and climate patterns can help predict the timing and severity of flu outbreaks across diverse regions.
NewsGut microbiome could hold important clues as to how IBD develops and progresses
The gut microbiome could hold important clues as to how IBD develops and progresses – and which treatment is best suited to individual patients.
NewsGlobal burden of viral skin diseases rises 36% since 1990: Children and elderly bear the brunt
Global analysis of viral skin diseases underscores the need for equitable policies: while high-income countries have made progress via vaccination and better healthcare, low-resource regions lag behind.
NewsReview unmasks hidden role of gut microbes in colorectal cancer
A new review systematically dissects how the gut microbiota and host cells talk to each other across four molecular layers – genome, transcriptome, epigenome, and metabolome – and highlights the computational innovations that make such multi‑omics integration possible.
NewsHow YouTube shapes public understanding of avian influenza
A new study analyzing more than 11,000 YouTube videos and comments found that online narratives surrounding avian influenza evolved alongside major outbreak developments, including increasing reports of infections in mammals, sporadic human cases, and economic consequences.
NewsBlack box: Using AI to tackle global superbug crisis
The development of new antibiotics could be sped up thanks to a new tool that tests the reliability of AI. Researchers designed a framework to address the global threat of antimicrobial resistance, testing whether AI can provide reliable reasoning during antibiotic development.
NewsCascading disaster: While U.S. HIV infections have fallen, they are rising among Latinos
From 2010 to 2022, new HIV infections in the United States declined 19% overall but among Latinos, they rose 12%. In 2023, new HIV diagnoses among Latinos jumped 8% in a single year — the largest increase of any racial or ethnic group in the country.
NewsPersistent herpes zoster-associated pain: New review uncovers mechanisms and supports earlier intervention
For millions, herpes zoster pain does not end when the rash fades. Postherpetic neuralgia can last for years, devastating quality of life. A comprehensive review has mapped the full cascade of mechanisms driving this persistent pain, providing support for earlier, more aggressive treatment.
NewsEnvironmental fungi found to alter vaginal mycobiome and cervical disease progression during dysbiosis
Scientists have demonstrated for the first time that environmental fungi actively interact with the vaginal bacteriome and mycobiome with likely implications for cervical disease progression.
NewsNatural compound may help boost vaccine responses
A team of researchers has found that the naturally occurring compound spermidine can help boost vaccine response in older adults by reducing molecular markers of immune system ageing.
NewsLong-term hepatitis control efforts dramatically reduce HBV and HCV burden in Japan
Researchers have estimated that the number of HBV infections in Japan could decline gradually down to around 200,000 cases by 2050, down from an estimate of 923,000 to 940,000 cases in 2020. HCV is estimated to decline to less than 20,000 cases.
NewsLandmark study reveals ‘megacluster’ of bacterial genes behind arsenal of potent antibiotics
A newly discovered “megacluster” of genes in Streptomyces bacteria produces four new natural product antibiotics that work together to stop rival bacteria.
NewsBiofilm “scaffolds” protect bacterium responsible for food poisoning from antibiotics
Bacillus cereus, which is responsible for human infections and food poisoning, builds organized communities that act as a ‘shield’ against antibiotics, a new study reveals.
NewsFree webinar: The mystery of the missing microbes - and the answers that can be found in the Amazon
An intriguing free webinar this July will explore what happens when key members of the human gut microbiome are lost, and what we can learn from populations where this loss has not occurred.
NewsHealthy infant microbiomes appear to protect against malaria
A small preliminary study shows that 6-week-old infants with healthy gut microbiomes are less likely to contract malaria in their first year of life, suggesting the intriguing possibility that treatments such as probiotics could be protective against malaria.
NewsMicrobes rewrite the rules of cancer immunotherapy by triggering immunogenic cell death
A new study reveals that microbiota and their metabolites can effectively reprogram immunogenic cell death (ICD), a unique form of cell death that activates the body‘s immune system against tumors, transforming immunologically “cold” therapy-resistant tumors into “hot” responsive ones.