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
Oral spray neutralizes smelly dog breath with plant extracts
An oral spray derived from molasses, a by-product of sugar cane refining, reduced bad smells, odor-producing compounds and harmful bacteria from 10 dogs’ mouths.
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NewsClimate change and emerging diseases pose challenges for physicians
Climate change is affecting the local ecology in Canada, contributing to emerging tick- and mosquito-borne diseases and infections in humans, argue scientists.
NewsNew molecules can offer breakthrough in fight against antibiotic resistance
Researchers have shown how TriPcides can target the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, including antibiotic‑resistant strains such as MRSA. The compounds disrupt the bacteria’s ability to cause infection and can also kill dormant bacterial cells, which are often difficult to treat with existing antibiotics.
NewsSweeping up dust to detect emerging viruses
Gathering dust from buildings may hold promise as a more efficient way to track viral outbreaks in indoor settings, according to a new study. After collecting nearly 30 vacuumed dust samples from different buildings, researchers simultaneously identified the presence of 54 distinct viruses.
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Optical method concentrates microscopic targets for faster, more sensitive detection
Researchers have developed a light-driven technique that quickly amasses thousands of bacteria into a single spot, boosting detection speed and sensitivity. Their approach paves the way for earlier diagnosis of disease.
NewsHidden small RNA determines if cholera bacterium can infect humans
Scientists have uncovered what gives Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, the ability to colonize the human gut. They found that a small RNA embedded within another gene controls where cholera thrives, a discovery that could improve prediction and prevention strategies.
NewsAntibiotic proves ineffective in treating wheezing in young children in the emergency room
A study has shown that giving the antibiotic azithromycin did not help preschool children seen in the hospital emergency room with bouts of severe wheezing. It provides more definitive answers to longstanding questions and inconclusive studies about the role of some types of bacteria in wheezing and asthma.
NewsProtein engineering and testing condensed to a single day
Engineered proteins must be created in the real world and tested for performance - a labor-intensive process that involves constructing the DNA instructions for each protein in yeast or bacteria and growing individual clones for protein production and testing. Researchers say they have condensed the time-intensive protein building and testing process to just 24 hours.
NewsOne-fifth of pregnant women aren’t properly screened for syphilis
A new study found that 1 in 5 pregnant women in Ontario did not receive timely syphilis screening, which is critical for preventing syphilis infection in newborns. Sociodemographic and behavioural risk factors associated with being screened late may be related to an increased likelihood of inadequate prenatal care access.
NewsAgricultural azoles drive clinical azole resistance in Candida tropicalis via inducing aneuploidy
To define the causal role of agricultural azole fungicides in driving clinical azole resistance in the major human opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida tropicalis, researchers conducted a systematic study integrating experimental evolution, genomic characterization, and transcriptomic profiling.
NewsEstablishing a regulatory framework for phage therapy in China
A new study summarizes the current regulatory frameworks for phage therapy in Western countries and China, and proposes a pathway for establishing a regulatory framework that enables safe and effective clinical application of phage therapy in China.
NewsParaprobiotic counteracts damage to male fertility from BPA in plastic
BPA has been shown to impair sperm function, in part through increased generation of reactive oxygen species. Researchers investigated whether a paraprobiotic material derived from the lactic acid bacterium Enterococcus faecalis (known as FK‑23) protects against the sperm toxicity caused by BPA.
NewsMpox study reveals hidden infections may fuel spread
A study shows that in mid- to late 2024, mpox was far more common among men who have sex with men than previously thought. Individuals without symptoms accounted for most infections and likely played a prominent role in transmission, contrary to prior assumptions that people had to be symptomatic to spread the disease.
NewsTargeted therapeutics show promise in fighting off drug-resistant bacteria
A new study shows that when under attack, the body’s immune cells activate a cellular process called ‘mitochondrial fission’ to kill invading bacteria. Researchers found an experimental treatment called an HDAC6 inhibitor can re-activate the mitochondrial fission process in immune cells to fight invading bacteria.
NewsImmune system overreaction linked to deadly flu in pregnancy
Researchers have discovered why influenza can lead to life-threatening complications during pregnancy. In most people, influenza stays in the upper respiratory tract and clears without spreading further. But during pregnancy, the virus can extend into the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of severe complications for mothers and babies.
NewsResearchers link human molecular, microbial diversity with geography, ethnicity
Researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine have found that ethnicity and geography may influence human molecular makeup — from metabolism and immunity to gut microbiota and biological aging.
NewsReview highlights antimicrobial peptides as cross-seeding modulators at the neurodegenerative–infectious interface
In a comprehensive review, researchers synthesize emerging evidence that antimicrobial peptides and disease-related amyloids can influence one another through heterotypic cross-seeding interactions.
NewsAI and supercomputer simulations reveal how a bacterial energy-converting enzyme pumps sodium ions
The Na+-NQR enzyme is vital for energy production in pathogenic bacteria, making it a highly promising target for new antibiotics. Researchers combined modified artificial intelligence techniques with extensive supercomputer simulations to visualize the hidden, dynamic movements of this enzyme during sodium transport.
NewsUnderstanding and exploiting tuberculosis superspreading
A new perspective piece introduces the idea of “superspreading niches”, specific parts of community contact networks where highly infectious individuals intersect with highly susceptible contacts, as a key framework for understanding TB superspreading and designing new TB control interventions.
NewsStudy is first to detect and track multiple cancer-causing viruses in wastewater
A study is the first comprehensive approach to detect all known cancer-causing or oncogenic viruses concurrently by analyzing viral genomes in wastewater. The work shows that it is feasible to monitor the presence and levels of cancer-causing viruses, enabling the possibility of public health interventions in the future.
NewsImplantable living materials autonomously deliver therapeutics using contained engineered bacteria
Researchers have introduced an implantable “living material” that contains bacteria that sense infections. It can release these therapeutic molecules on demand, while keeping them physically separated from the surrounding tissue.
NewsNew report charts path for climate-disease preparedness
Changing patterns of temperature and precipitation, along with sea level rise and more extreme weather events, are impacting the ecology, evolution, distribution and prevalence of infectious disease reservoirs, hosts, vectors and pathogens. As a result, new diseases are emerging, and others are reappearing in regions where they were once uncommon.