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
The fart factor: researchers get wind of hydrogen’s role in the gut
Scientists have revealed how hydrogen is made and used in the human gut. Though infamous for making farts ignite, hydrogen also has a positive role supporting gut health.
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NewsNew study links gut microbes to common heart disease - suggesting ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ action
Researchers studying gut microbes recently identified 15 bacterial species associated with coronary artery disease. The analysis reveals multiple pathways linked to disease severity, including increased inflammation and metabolic imbalance.
NewsCOVID-19 vaccination linked to reduced infections in children with eczema
Children with atopic dermatitis (AD), commonly known as eczema, may experience fewer infections and allergic complications if they receive the COVID-19 vaccine, according to new research.
NewsUrban fungi are showing signs of thermal adaptation
A new study finds that common fungal species may be adapting to higher temperatures in warmer sites within cities compared to cooler sites in the same city. The findings could signify that urban fungi could one day evolve into disease-causing pathogens.
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News
Scientists unlock how viruses punch above their weight
A news study reveals how rabies virus manipulates so many cellular processes despite being armed with only a few proteins. Researchers believe other dangerous viruses like Nipah and Ebola may also work the same way.
NewsScientists uncover tuberculosis bacterium’s ’heartbeat’, opening door to new treatments
Scientists have identified a molecular system inside Mycobacterium tuberculosis that functions like the organism’s heart or lungs, keeping it alive. The system, known as PrrAB, helps the bacterium generate energy and breathe. When researchers used a gene-silencing tool, the bacterium died.
NewsAncient viral DNA shapes modern human placentas
Researchers have uncovered how ancient viral DNA controls a gene linked to placenta development and pre-eclampsia, a life-threatening pregnancy disorder. The research could help identify pre-eclampsia risk much earlier.
NewsNot just a common cold: studies show RSV’s severity and impact on long-term health
Often confused for a common cold, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can in fact be serious and should be studied more closely. Researchers found that the illness could be of comparable severity to other more well-known respiratory viral infections (RVIs) – such as influenza and COVID-19.
NewsEarly-stage clinical trial demonstrates promise of intranasal influenza vaccine in generating broad immunity
Researchers report encouraging results from an early phase clinical trial that found an experimental intranasal vaccine triggered a broad immune response against multiple strains of H5N1 ’bird flu’, highlighting the potential of mucosal immunization strategies.
NewsAI can speed antibody design to thwart novel viruses: study
Artificial intelligence (AI) and “protein language” models can speed the design of monoclonal antibodies that prevent or reduce the severity of potentially life-threatening viral infections, according to a multi-institutional study
NewsNew study finds targets for a new tuberculosis vaccine
A large-scale screen of tuberculosis proteins has revealed several possible antigens that could be developed as a new vaccine for TB, the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
NewsResearchers capture first high-res images of deadly yellow fever virus
Researchers have captured the first high-resolution images of the yellow fever virus (YFV), a potentially deadly viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes that affects the liver.
NewsAccessible imaging technique can predict cardiac risks in patients with Chagas disease
A simple imaging exam capable of assessing myocardial deformation during contraction has emerged as a promising tool for predicting the risk of cardiac complications in patients with chronic Chagas disease.
NewsPlasma strategy boosts antibacterial efficacy of silica-based materials
Scientists have developed a novel two-step plasma strategy to modify mesoporous silica-supported silver nanoparticles, enabling them to achieve strong antibacterial activity and accelerated wound healing.
NewsNew insights on gut microbes that prevent formation of cancer-causing compounds
Gut microbes metabolize dietary nitrates and nitrites and prevent the formation of cancer-causing compounds called nitrosamines. New research sheds light on these processes and pinpoints which types of bacteria are most important.
NewsResearch finds higher rare risk of heart complications in children after COVID-19 infection than after vaccination
A whole-population study showed that although these conditions were rare, children and young people were more likely to experience heart, vascular or inflammatory problems after a COVID-19 infection than after having the vaccine — and the risks after infection lasted much longer.
NewsDemographic shifts could boost drug-resistant infections across Europe
The rates of bloodstream infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria will increase substantially across Europe in the next five years, driven largely by aging populations, according to a new paper.
News‘Rotten egg’ gas could be the answer to treating nail infections, say scientists
Hydrogen sulphide, the volcanic gas that smells of rotten eggs, could be used in a new treatment for tricky nail infections that acts faster but with fewer side effects, according to scientists.
NewsHIV significantly affects sleep, with many living in a state akin to chronic jet lag
A new study describes how people living with HIV experience higher rates of sleep issues even when virally suppressed, which has been associated with a higher risk for heart disease, depression and cognitive decline.
NewsStudy reveals critical impact of universal cCMV screening on early detection of hearing loss in newborns
A comprehensive eight-year study reveals that approximately one-third of congenital cytomegalovirus-related hearing loss develops after the newborn period—cases that would be missed without universal screening programs.
NewsMyths about rapid spread of the Black Death influenced by single ‘literary tale’, experts show
Modern portrayals of the Black Death quickly moving across Asia, ravaging Silk Route communities, following the course of traders, have been incorrect because of centuries of misinterpretation of a rhyming fourteenth-century literary tale, experts have found.
NewsNew study reveals not all bats carry equal viral risk
A groundbreaking study sheds new light on the relationship between bats and dangerous viruses, showing that contrary to widespread assumptions, not all bats carry viruses with high epidemic potential, only specific groups of species.
NewsAdvanced disease modelling shows some gut bacteria can spread as rapidly as viruses
Escherichia coli (E. coli), a type of bacteria commonly found in the human gut, could spread as quickly as swine flu, new research suggests. For the first time, researchers are able to predict the rate at which one person could transmit gut bacteria to those around them.