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
New antimalarial drug candidate shows potential for fighting resistance and reducing malaria transmission
Researchers have developed a new antimalarial drug candidate designed to address the growing challenge of drug resistance and potentially reduce malaria transmission.
Read story
NewsThe gut bacteria that put the brakes on weight gain in mice
Research has identified a specific type of gut bacteria, called Turicibacter, that improves metabolic health and reduces weight gain in mice on a high-fat diet. People with obesity tend to have less Turicibacter, suggesting that the microbe may promote healthy weight in humans as well.
NewsHarnessing the positive health benefits of microbes
A new article introduces the ‘Database of Salutogenic Potential’, a world-first prototype open-access repository that catalogues microbes and natural compounds linked to positive health outcomes.
NewsA ‘one-pot’ assay of or rapid portable identification of genotypes I and II African swine fever viruses
Researchers in search of an African swine fever virus genotyping method developed an isothermal ‘one-pot’ CRISPR-Cas12i3/Cas13d-based assay, designated OBServe.v2, to detect two amplified targets from multiplex recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) in a single tube.
More One Health
News
For certain life-essential proteins in E. coli, repair is more likely
A new study shows that E. coli proteins containing a specific structure are more likely to misfold and, if they are required the bacteria’s survival, more likely to be repaired.
NewsStudy reveals high stakes of early immune development—and a potential probiotic fix
Scientists find that certain gut bacteria are essential for building immune defenses during infancy, pointing to new strategies for protecting children’s health. They have identified a way to preserve healthy immune development even when infants need antibiotic treatment.
NewsCan an electronic nose detect indoor mold?
Researchers have developed an electronic nose that can reliably sense and identify mold, which causes various health issues for humans and animals, as well as damage to homes and other buildings and structures.
NewsCancer-fighting bacterial product ‘cocktails’ may offer personalized treatment
Bacteria may be the next frontier in cancer treatment, according to researchers who devised a new approach of creating bacteria-derived mixtures — or cocktails — to help fight bladder cancer. They found that the cocktails significantly boost the immune system’s ability to fight cancer.
NewsCOVID-19 leaves a lasting mark on the human brain
COVID-19 does not just affect the respiratory system, but also significantly alters the brain in people who have fully recovered from the infectious disease, highlighting the long-term neurological impact of the virus.
NewsSoil bacteria and fungi emerge as a top predictor of childhood allergic disease
The unique blend of fungi and bacteria in a region’s soil may be the strongest factor explaining its rates of childhood allergic disease, with certain assemblages of soil critters appearing linked with better health outcomes, according to new research.
NewsNew one-two punch could knock out drug-resistant TB
Researchers found that pairing the antibiotic rifampicin with a second compound turned multidrug resistance into a weakness—providing proof of concept for using basic science to design life-saving dual-drug strategies.
NewsA new way to diagnose deadly lung infections and save lives
Researchers have found a way to identify lung infections in critically ill patients by pairing a generative AI analysis of medical records with a biomarker of lower respiratory infections.
NewsCan certain bacteria regulate aging of the immune system and its related alterations?
Researchers have discovered a strain of Lentilactobacillus capable of preventing and even reversing aging-related immune alterations. Feeding aged mice with heat-inactivated YRC2606 resulted in lowered levels of inflammatory cytokines and signaling proteins.
NewsNew method accelerates resistance testing in urinary tract infections
Researchers have developed two methods that allow urine samples to be tested directly for antibiotic susceptibility. Because the procedures do not require standardized bacterial suspensions, the time to result is reduced by up to 24 hours compared to conventional testing.
CareersCBCTA 2024 oral presentation winners: Isabella and Lia take home the honours
Letters in Applied Microbiology sponsored the best oral presentation award at the 29th Brazilian Congress of Food Science and Technology (CBCTA 2024). Winner Isabella Bassoto Xavier and runner-up Lia Mariano Aquino take a dive into their research.
NewsUnseen allies: symbiotic bacteria help clean wastewater, but there is a catch
Scientists have identified new species of denitrifying endosymbionts in wastewater, highlighting their global prevalence – with an unexpected climate implication.
NewsGut bacteria from amphibians and reptiles achieve complete tumor elimination
Researchers have discovered that the bacterium Ewingella americana, isolated from the intestines of Japanese tree frogs (Dryophytes japonicus), possesses remarkably potent anticancer activity.
NewsHidden viruses in wastewater treatment may shape public health risks, study finds
A new study reveals that viral communities in wastewater treatment plants are far more complex and influential than previously recognized, with implications for water safety, antibiotic resistance, and how treatment performance is monitored.
NewsWho is more likely to get long COVID?
Scientists have identified the key genetic drivers behind long COVID, revealing why some people continue to experience debilitating symptoms long after their initial infection.
NewsStudy uncovers new drug target for huge class of viruses
A study reveals how enteroviruses—including pathogens that cause polio, encephalitis, myocarditis, and the common cold—initiate replication by hijacking host-cell machinery.
NewsA fatal mix-up: How certain gut bacteria drive multiple sclerosis
If gut bacteria are too similar to the protective layer of nerves, they can misdirect the immune system and cause it to attack its own nervous system. This mechanism can accelerate the progression of multiple sclerosis.
NewsOroya fever: Elucidation of disease mechanism opens possibility for novel therapy
An international research team has generated and analyzed more than 1,700 genetic variants of the pathogen that causes Oroya fever, identifying two proteins that Bartonella requires for the destruction of red blood cells.
NewsNew method means contaminated bathing water easier to detect
A new method can provide both faster and more complete answers on whether the water is safe for swimming or not. The innovation has been successfully tested in Helsingborg, where the response time has been reduced from several days to just a few hours.