All Middle East & Africa articles – Page 4
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CareersConnecting with microbiologists and presenting research: Oluwole Owoyemi reports back from ASM 2024
Medical microbiologist Oluwole Owoyemi of Achievers University Owo and Federal University of Technology, Akure, reports back from ASM MICROBE 2024 after being awarded a Scientific Event Travel Grant by Applied Microbiology International.
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NewsMobile phone data helps track pathogen spread and evolution of superbugs
Combining genomic data and human travel patterns over a 14-year period in South Africa reveals key insights into the spread, evolution and resistance patterns of a major bacterium behind pneumonia and meningitis globally.
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NewsInvasive brown widow spiders host novel bacteria related to chlamydia
Invasive brown widow spiders across three continents were highly infected with a single strain of Rhabdochlamydia, a bacterium that is related to major pathogens of humans and animals, including chlamydia.
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NewsNew lab test to detect persistent HIV strains in Africa may aid search for cure
A multinational team has developed a test that will help measure the persistence of HIV in people affected by viral strains found predominantly in Africa—a vital tool in the search for an HIV cure that will benefit patients around the world.
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NewsTreatment with a mixture of antimicrobial peptides can impede antibiotic resistance
A common infection-causing bacteria was much less likely to evolve antibiotic resistance when treated with a mixture of antimicrobial peptides rather than a single peptide, making these mixtures a viable strategy for new antibiotic treatments.
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NewsFertilizer strategies can shape microbial communities in the rhizosphere
Fertilizer strategies can play a key role in the diversity of microbial communities in the crop rhizosphere, according to a new study.
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NewsEdited BCG offers potential vaccine to prevent tuberculosis in people of all ages
TB remains the leading cause of death by infectious disease globally, with South Africa having one of the highest incidence rates in the world. Source: Y tambe Apparatus for BCG vaccination - Kuchiki’s needle While the BCG vaccine used to prevent TB is widely available for infants, ...
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NewsCold climate wheat varieties could provide answers to blast threat
New research unexpectedly reveals that wheat varieties with resistance to another pathogen, powdery mildew, also confer protection against wheat blast.
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NewsLow birth weight linked to placental malaria in first-time mothers
A new study aimed to determine the prevalence of placental malaria infection, risk factors, types of Plasmodium causing malaria during pregnancy, and its relationship with neonatal birth weight among primigravidae.
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NewsOverlooked pathway could be game-changer for ecosystem climate services
The potential for permanent carbon storage in ecosystems that use the oxalate-carbonate pathway (OCP) could be greater than previously estimated, according to a new study.
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NewsChad eliminates human African trypanosomiasis as a public health problem
Chad is the 51st country to be recognized by WHO for eliminating a neglected tropical disease, surpassing the halfway mark towards the 100-country target set for 2030.
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NewsLightning, hippos and a spotted hyena: a memorable Functional Metagenomics 2024 meeting
Nearly 70 scientists from 14 countries gathered at Kruger National Park in South Africa to share the latest research in metagenomics, as AMI Healthy Land Scientific Advisory Group member Professor Don Cowan explains.
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NewsScientists unravel drivers of the global zinc cycle in our oceans
The important role of the Southern Ocean in global biological processes and the carbon cycle has been confirmed by a study that, for the first time based on field evidence, reveals the underappreciated role of inorganic zinc particles in these cycles.
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NewsNovel lipopeptide produced by bacterium proves lethal against Staphylococcus aureus
A novel antibacterial lipopeptide produced by the bacterium Serratia marcescens has been shown to be highly effective in killing Staphylococcus aureus – one of the most important pathogens occurring in humans.
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NewsResearchers turn to AI to help combat malaria in Africa
The project is an international effort that will establish a new research center in Africa to advance malaria research and deploy advanced smart traps for real-time identification of mosquitoes carrying the malaria parasite.
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News$1.3m funding will help scientists to contribute to the eradication of polio
Scientists have received a $1.3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop and validate a novel and safe approach for measuring immune responses to polioviruses.
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NewsAFROSCREEN meets all its objectives, developing effective genomic surveillance to tackle epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa
The AFROSCREEN project, financed to the tune of €10 million by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), has been working since 2021 to set up or strengthen sequencing platforms and build an operational network for monitoring emerging pathogens in West and Central Africa and Madagascar. Source: NASA/ GSFC, MODIS ...
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NewsSqueaks the cat makes full recovery after personalized phage therapy heals resistant wounds
A new study highlights the potential of phage therapy as an effective solution for antibiotic-resistant infections in veterinary practice, resulting in the complete healing of a persistent surgical wound after fourteen weeks.
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NewsBiobased building materials less sustainable than concrete in South Africa, experts find
Scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered that mycelium composites, biobased materials made from fungi and agricultural residues, can have a greater environmental impact than conventional fossil-fuel-based materials due to the high amount of electricity involved in their production. Source: Karana et al. Mycelium based composite in ...
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NewsThe effect of combinations of antibiotics and natural products on antimicrobial resistance
Thymol, rosemary oil, curcumin, capsicum, and moringa seed extract showed the highest synergistic activity with tested antibiotics against two key pathogens, a new study shows.
