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
Hidden mpox exposure detected in healthy Nigerian adults, revealing under-recognized transmission
The mpox virus appears to be circulating silently in parts of Nigeria, in many cases without the symptoms typically associated with the disease, according to new research.
Read story
NewsHuman nasal passages defend against the common cold and help determine how sick we get
Researchers demonstrate how the cells in our noses work together to defend us from the common cold and suggest that our body’s defense to rhinovirus—not the virus itself—typically predicts whether or not we catch a cold, as well as how bad our symptoms will be.
NewsGolden Gate method enables rapid, fully-synthetic engineering of therapeutically relevant bacteriophages
Researchers have described the first fully synthetic bacteriophage engineering system for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this method, researchers engineer bacteriophages synthetically using sequence data rather than bacteriophage isolates.
NewsEngineered yeast delivers record levels of animal-free chondroitin sulfate
A new study establishes a robust yeast-based platform that overcomes the long-standing trade-off between yield and sulfation, enabling sustainable, high-level production of high-quality chondroitin sulfate without reliance on animal sources.
More One Health
News
Shingles vaccine linked to slower biological aging in older adults
Shingles vaccination not only protects against the disease but may also contribute to slower biological aging in older adults, according to a new study.
News58% of patients affected by 2022 mpox outbreak report lasting physical symptoms
A cohort study found that more than half of those diagnosed with mpox during the 2022 outbreak still had lingering physical effects 11 to 18 months later.
NewsAltered microbiome: Oral bacteria play a role in chronic liver disease
A new study shows that identical bacterial strains occur in both the mouth and gut of patients with advanced chronic liver disease and also reveals a mechanism by which oral bacteria affect gut health. The researchers also found that this process coincides with worsening liver health.
NewsScientists find new way to disarm antibiotic-resistant bacteria and restore healing in chronic wounds
Scientists have discovered a new way that could speed up the healing of chronic wounds infected by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The study shows how a common bacterium, Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), actively prevents wound healing.
NewsPregnant women hospitalized for COVID-19, and their newborns, have higher complication risk
When hospitalized for COVID-19, pregnant women — and their eventual newborn children — have a higher risk of complications. Research revealed that pregnant women were nearly 3.5 times more likely than non-pregnant women to require respiratory support when hospitalized for COVID-19.
NewsResearchers discover how a respiratory bacterium obtains essential lipids from the human body and targets fat-rich tissues
A multidisciplinary team has uncovered a key mechanism that allows the human bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae—responsible for atypical pneumonia and other respiratory infections—to obtain cholesterol and other essential lipids directly from the human body.
NewsBat virome evolution reveals cross-species origins of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and regional surveillance gaps
A study has unveiled the Indochina Peninsula’s bat virome diversity, offering key insights into the origins of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and critical surveillance priorities.
NewsBacterial energy model reveals how antimicrobial resistance (AMR) spreads in environment
Researchers analyzed how bacteria in aquatic environments distribute energy across diverse functions such as growth, biofilm formation, conjugative transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes and heavy‑metal tolerance, to clarify bacterial energy investment strategies.
NewsProject to combat childhood diarrhea receives over 5 million euros
A new project will use probiotics, improved education in hygiene and advanced mathematical models to prevent children from dying of diarrhea in low and middle-income countries.
NewsLiquorice root could be effective against upper respiratory tract infections - while protecting ‘good’ microbes
Lozenges supplemented with liquorice root extract could be an effective remedy against upper respiratory tract infections while protecting microbes that are beneficial to the body, reveals a study presented at MLS Future Forum, which is supported by Applied Microbiology International.
NewsCommercial water dispenser machines may contain more contamination than tap water
Water dispenser machines in commercial spaces may contain higher levels of microbial contamination if they aren’t cleaned regularly compared to the tap water sources supplying them that contain residual chlorine, according to a new study.
NewsInfant gut bacteria may be the key to preventing asthma and allergies
A study shows that children are less likely to develop allergies and asthma if, as infants, they are colonized with certain bifidobacteria that produce a substance in the gut - a so-called metabolite - that dampens immune responses to allergens.
NewsA bacterial toxin can counteract colorectal cancer growth
A toxin secreted by cholera bacteria can inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer without causing any measurable damage to the body. Systemic administration of the purified bacterial substance changes the immune microenvironment in tumours.
NewsShould younger and older people receive different treatments for the same infection?
Scientists find the mechanisms young mice use to fight sepsis become disadvantageous in older age, suggesting age-specific treatments may be necessary in ongoing antibiotic resistance crisis.
NewsGut bacteria molecule boosts lung cancer treatment response
Researchers have discovered a small compound produced naturally by gut bacteria that doubled the response to lung cancer immunotherapy treatment in mice and can now be made into a drug for testing in humans.
NewsPlant discovery could lead to new ways of producing medicines
Scientists studying a plant called Flueggea suffruticosa, which produces a particularly powerful alkaloid known as securinine, investigated how this chemical is made - and discovered that the process is driven by a gene that looks more like it comes from bacteria than from a plant.
NewsNew study explores therapeutic potential of CRISPRCas3 genome-editing system
Scientists working on the genetic disease transthyretin amyloidosis evaluated the efficacy of the CRISPR–Cas3 system in safely achieving a permanent reduction of transthyretin (TTR) production through genome editing of the TTR gene.
NewsSame moves, different terrain: How bacteria navigate complex environments without changing their playbook
New research shows that a diverse group of bacteria has learned how to use the same basic movements to move through a wide range of environments no matter how complex, from unconstrained fluids to densely packed soil and tissues.
NewsMaternal microbiome compound may hold key to preventing liver disease
Children born to mothers who consume a high-fat, high-sugar diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding face a higher risk of developing fatty liver disease later in life. New research suggests that risk may be reduced by supplementing with a naturally occurring compound produced by healthy gut bacteria.