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
Immune system: the farm effect is clearer than ever thanks to bacteria
An international research team has identified for the first time which bacteria in barn air are responsible for the ‘farm effect’ that can protect against allergies, asthma, and hay fever.
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NewsClimate change is redrawing the malaria map in Africa, study finds
A study quantifying climate change’s historical and future impact in sub-Saharan Africa’s children finds that climate change has slightly increased malaria overall. Rising temperatures could increase the malaria risk in southern and East Africa while reducing it where it is most rampant today.
NewsResearch study investigates how maternal viral infections shape lifelong immune health in offspring
A $2.4 million grant will support research that aims to uncover how viral infections during pregnancy reprogram the developing immune system of the fetus, influencing susceptibility to infectious diseases throughout life.
NewsBiofilm clue opens route to anti-infection treatments of the future
A multidisciplinary study has uncovered a critical component in the formation of biofilms, the complex structures used by bacteria to colonise surfaces. The research may have implications for future infection treatments, including for people with cystic fibrosis.
More One Health
News
The hepatitis E virus cannot infect mice - and here’s why
It has long been known that the hepatitis E virus cannot establish an infection in mice, but the reasons were unknown. Scientists have therefore systematically examined the replication cycle of the virus in liver cell cultures of mice.
NewsResearchers propose PIEM concept to reshape microbiome research
A new review introduces a new concept—Persistent Intracellular Extraintestinal Microbes (PIEMs)—that extends microbiome research from body surfaces into internal tissues.
NewsNIH grants $2.8M to develop tools for study of mosquito-microbe interactions
Researchers will use the funding to develop new tools to investigate the genetics underpinning the relationships between mosquitoes and various microbes.
NewsDeadly superbug CR-hvKP: new framework says ‘watch virulence, not just resistance genes’
Carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-hvKP) represents one of the most alarming evolutionary developments in modern infectious diseases—a “superbug” that combines high-level antibiotic resistance with enhanced virulence.
NewsNew antimicrobials could help tackle deadly drug-resistant infections
Scientists have developed a promising new way to create safer and more effective treatments for life-threatening fungal infections. Using genome mining, they identified bacterial species capable of producing new, undiscovered antifungals.
NewsTire microplastics may accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance in cities
A new perspective article suggests that tire microplastics could create environmental hotspots that help antibiotic resistance genes persist, move between bacteria, and spread through cities.
NewsYour gut can get jet lag too
Researchers say post-travel symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, low energy levels, and digestive issues may be caused by more than just classic jet lag. Evidence suggests that time zone changes also affect the trillions of bacteria living in our intestines.
NewsTissue-resident immune cells defend human lungs from viral, bacterial, and fungal infections
A study shows that human lung tissue serves as a “reservoir” for a large number of tissue-resident memory T cells.. These cells stand ready to combat a surprising range of viruses, bacteria, and even deadly fungal pathogens.
NewsStudy shows targeted school closures can improve pandemic response
New research shows that school closures during a pandemic outbreak are most effective when they are carefully targeted. The study demonstrates that the right strategy depends on which age groups are driving transmission at different stages of an outbreak.
NewsNew discoveries on genes involved in lysine biosynthesis and fungal virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans
A new study suggests that disrupting the lysine biosynthesis pathway represents a promising avenue for drug development against Cryptococcus neoformans, a fatal fungal meningitis pathogen.
NewsRemdesivir for COVID-19 linked to better outcomes for adult kidney transplant recipients
Adults with kidney transplants who were treated for COVID-19 with the antiviral remdesivir within a week of diagnosis were less likely than kidney transplant recipients who did not receive the antiviral to experience cardiovascular or kidney problems up to a year later.
NewsNew blood test for tuberculosis could reduce the spread of this top global infectious-disease killer
A new study found that a simple blood test could accurately identify tuberculosis (TB) — a leading cause of death worldwide — among patients with varying degrees of exposure to the disease.
NewsDespite progress towards eliminating hepatitis in Europe, gaps in prevention measures keep 2030 targets out of reach
Viral hepatitis remains a significant public health challenge across Europe but childhood vaccination against hepatitis B and provision of harm reduction services show results.
NewsNew antibiotic mechanism triggers hope for new treatments in fight against resistance
A team studied the bacterium Coxiella burnetii to investigate why it is so sensitive to doxycycline. They found antibiotic molecules stack upon each other to block the ribosome exit channel, revealing a new mechanism for how doxycycline disarms the bacterium.
NewsUniversity licenses indigenous Thai probiotic technology to Greater Pharma for commercialization
Chulalongkorn University, through the CU Innovation Hub, has signed a licensing agreement with Greater Pharma Manufacturing Co., Ltd. to transfer probiotic technology developed from indigenous Thai microbial strains.
NewsBugs as drugs: Engineered gut bacteria show promise against pancreatic cancer
Cancer immunotherapies have transformed treatment for many cancers, but pancreatic cancer remains especially difficult to treat. One major reason is that pancreatic tumors often create a “cold” tumor microenvironment, where the tumor prevents immune cells from mounting a strong attack.
NewsResearch on foul odors and open wounds targets flesh-eating screwworm
Scientists are studying foul-smelling substances to figure out what attracts the New World screwworm to its favorite meal – open wounds – to develop better lures for trapping this serious threat to the livestock industry.
NewsAI and robotics accelerate search for better gut microbiome therapies
Biomedical engineers have demonstrated a method for systematically developing novel, complex combinations of probiotics and prebiotics to more effectively maintain gut health and treat various gastrointestinal diseases.
NewsStudy reveals dengue virus can infect immune cells meant to fight disease
Researchers have discovered that dengue virus can infect and replicate inside memory B cells, immune cells traditionally understood to help protect the body from infection. It’s a previously unrecognized way the virus may evade immune defenses.