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
Scientists discover why shingles pain can last after virus is gone
Researchers have discovered that small particles in the blood called exosomes are the likely culprit behind why some people with shingles experience lingering pain long after virus has cleared their body.The study investigated the cause of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) in patients infected with the varicella zoster virus.
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NewsDogs and cats carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria also found in people, study finds
Pets may carry strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae — a potentially serious bacterium that can cause infections that are also found in humans. The study is the first to map the global genetic makeup of K.pneumoniae carried by domestic dogs and cats, and to compare it on a large scale with the same bacteria in people.
NewsFecal microbiota transplantation may improve immunotherapy-related colitis
Targeting the gut microbiome with fecal microbiota transplantation may help cancer patients with immunotherapy-related colitis avoid the need for steroids and other immune-suppressing treatments, according to researchers.
NewsWidespread Covid death underreporting around the world raises broader questions about the reliability of official information
A new study finds that widespread underreporting of Covid-19 deaths cannot be explained simply by differences in countries’ ability to count and record deaths. Across 134 countries and territories, an estimated 45%–55% of governments misreported Covid mortality, with underreporting far more common than overreporting.
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News
Fewer infections, more azithromycin use seen among emergency c-section patients following publication of clinical trial results
Researchers investigated if azithromycin use and postpartum infection rates changed after publication of trial evidence in 2016 among US pregnant women who underwent an unscheduled cesarean delivery.
NewsImmunization to prevent RSV in infants reduced ICU admissions by 97 per cent
A new immunization, offered free to all infants through universal programs in two Canadian provinces, provided strong protection against respiratory syncytial virus, commonly referred to as RSV, sharply reducing hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in infants.
NewsThe usefulness of labelled white blood cells in diagnosing necrotizing external otitis
Using radiopharmaceutical technology, researchers can reliably and conveniently diagnose and monitor necrotizing external otitis, a rare disease of the skull base.
NewsStudy uncovers how mRNA vaccination may broaden flu antibody responses
A new study finds that mRNA vaccination sustained influenza-specific germinal-center activity for up to six months in some participants.
NewsDangerous strings of bacteria use flow to spread colonies
Researchers have identified how certain dangerous bacteria are spread. They studied chain-like adherence pattern (CLAP) varieties of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), finding that single bacteria attach to a surface and elongate before dividing, producing chains without ever separating.
NewsMajor investment to unlock the potential of protist research
A new collaboration will tackle major technical challenges currently limiting protist genomics, helping to unlock the potential of protist research for biomanufacturing, sustainable agriculture and environmental applications.
NewsResearchers discover first PLP-dependent enzyme that influences bacterial protein production
Researchers discovered aminovaleramididine synthetase (AvaS), the first pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme involved in tRNA modification, expanding scientific understanding of how RNA shapes the reading of genetic information. The discovery reveals a previously unknown mechanism that bacteria use to regulate protein production.
NewsWhat low vaccination rates in the US could mean for flu season 2026
Experts reveal what to expect this flu season, when to get the flu shot, how to recognize flu symptoms, how to treat it, and what the newly approved mRNA flu vaccine means for the public.
NewsWhen antiviral defense and autoimmunity collide: New insights into lupus genetics
Researchers have found that a common lupus-associated genetic variant may strengthen antiviral immune responses while increasing the risk of autoimmunity.
NewsThe Wistar Institute wins $15M+ NIH investment to advance HIV cure research strategies
The Wistar Institute has announced the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded two major grants totaling more than $15M to Luis J. Montaner, D.V.M., D.Phil., director of Wistar’s HIV Cure and Viral Diseases Center.
NewsPaper reveals huge enthusiasm for Caribbean microbiome hub at inaugural symposium
Turnout at a recent symposium has confirmed the appetite for a new microbiome hub in Puerto Rico, reveals Puerto Rico AMI Global Ambassador Dr. Filipa Godoy-Vitorino.
NewsProfessor Jack Gilbert leaves a lasting legacy of collaboration and global engagement at AMI
As Professor Jack Gilbert steps down as President of Applied Microbiology International, he leaves a legacy of collaboration, generosity and an unwavering commitment to strengthening our global community.
NewsThese bacteria can change their diet to survive inside the body
The team have found that Staphylococcus aureus can adjust its diet depending on what sources remain available. The bacterium can adjust its inner workings in response to any one of a number of different sulfur-containing compounds — like cysteine, glutathione or thiosulfate.
NewsResearchers discover highly potent compound that blocks Ebola virus entry
A research team has discovered a highly potent small molecule that blocks Ebola virus entry by stabilizing the virus’s entry protein and provides strong protection when given orally in a preclinical model. It is more than 100 times more potent than previously reported Ebola entry inhibitors.
NewsC. diff coordinates threat response to survive in gut
Researchers have discovered a unique system C. diff uses to simultaneously sense and respond to two different threats: host-mediated nutrient deprivation and a microbiota-produced antibiotic compound, suggesting new therapeutic options for preventing and treating C. diff infections.
NewsEngineering bacterial surfaces with glucan nanofilms creates a potent vaccine platform against invasive fungal infections
A research team has developed a synthetic bacterium-based vaccine platform that uses engineered bacterial surfaces to assemble glucan nanofilms for enhanced antifungal immunity against pathogens such as Candida albicans.
NewsGut, airway and tumor microbes emerge as promising predictors of immunotherapy response in lung cancer
A comprehensive review systematically evaluates the microbiome’s role in lung cancer immunotherapy. Authors synthesized evidence covering microbial communities in the oral cavity, airways, lung tumors and gut, and their connections to treatment efficacy and immune‑related adverse events.
NewsThousands of new findings contribute to a global virus map
An extensive study has mapped RNA viruses in a large number of cities around the world. The researchers identified nearly 55,000 different types of virus, the vast majority of which had never been observed before. The virus atlas could be useful in both biological risk assessment and crime scene investigations.
NewsFusobacterium nucleatum drives immunosuppression and metastasis in TNBC
A new study identifies Fusobacterium nucleatum, a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium associated with several cancers, as a key driver of tryptophan metabolic reprogramming, immunosuppression and lung metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer.