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
Strategic changes in water treatment could prevent disease outbreaks
A breakthrough new study shows how strategic changes in water treatment effectively treated a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease. For the first time, the study provides evidence of an outbreak being stopped by introducing disinfection to previously untreated groundwater.
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NewsChildren with sleep apnea face higher risk of flu and COVID-19, new study finds
A five-year study has revealed that children with sleep apnea are twice as likely to contract the flu or COVID-19, regardless of their age or weight. Even after undergoing surgery to remove tonsils or adenoids, this increased vulnerability persists due to long-term changes in the immune system.
NewsNew antibody–drug conjugate strategy to block HIV infection
New antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) combine a CD4 mimic with neutralizing antibodies for enhanced suppression of HIV infection. By targeting the gp120 on the viral envelope via a two-step mechanism, the ADCs effectively block viral entry.
NewsNew clinical guidelines to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infection
Central line-associated bloodstream infections remain a major challenge in ICUs. A team of clinicians has proposed updated guidelines to standardize the clinical practices addressing CLABSI, aiming to reduce infection rates and improve outcomes for critically ill patients.
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News
Global commitment on display as countries negotiate key annex to the Pandemic Agreement
Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded a weeklong round of negotiations on draft annex for Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) – a key component of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
NewsNew biosensor offers early warning system for disease
Researchers have developed a tissue-adhesive sensor for real-time oral health monitoring to combat long-term issues such as gum disease and tooth loss.
NewsBacteria frozen in ancient underground ice cave found to be resistant against 10 modern antibiotics
Researchers tested antibiotic resistance profiles of a bacterial strain that until recently was hidden in a 5,000-year-old layer of ice of an underground ice cave – and found it could be an opportunity for developing new strategies to prevent the rise of antibiotic resistance.
NewsA yeast enzyme helps human cells overcome mitochondrial defects
An international team has experimentally uncoupled nucleotide synthesis from mitochondrial activity using ScURA, a yeast-derived genetic tool now available to the research community that will enable new explorations of cellular metabolism.
NewsRhododendron-derived drugs now made by bacteria
Bioengineered E. coli bacteria can now produce a group of compounds with anticancer, anti-HIV, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. The compounds, orsellinic acid-derived meroterpenoids, are produced by Rhododendron species.
NewsGut microbiome may be the link to gluten sensitivity without celiac disease
Researchers found that after antibiotic treatment, mice exposed to gluten had changes in the bacteria living in the gut. These shifts in bacteria types altered how they processed carbohydrates, fats and sugars which may influence how these nutrients are recognized by the immune system.
NewsLactobacillus rhamnosus L34: Native probiotic that reduces inflammation in patients with chronic kidney disease
Researchers in Thailand have discovered a native probiotic strain, Lactobacillus rhamnosus L34, that helps reduce uremic toxins and inflammation-related cytokines in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) before dialysis.
NewsMpox: recombinant virus with genomic elements of clades Ib and IIb
Recombination of monkeypox virus (MPXV) strains has been documented in recent months, with two cases of a recombinant strain comprising clade Ib and IIb MPXV reported, the World Health Organization says.
NewsValneva provides update on recommendations for use of IXCHIQ® in UK
Valneva SE has announced that following a review of the benefits and risks of the Company’s single-dose chikungunya vaccine, IXCHIQ® , the United Kingdom’s (UK) Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) has updated its recommendations for use of the vaccine.
NewsImmunity against common virus leveraged against pancreatic cancer
Researchers have discovered a promising new treatment approach for pancreatic cancer. The approach leverages the body’s natural immune response to cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common but typically harmless virus that most people are infected with at some point in their lives.
NewsSilent enemies, smart weapons - switching off phage contamination using nanoparticles
Bacteriophages represent a serious threat to laboratories and industries that rely on bacterial cultures for production. Researchers have demonstrated an innovative solution that enables targeting the surface of bacteriophage through electrostatic interactions.
NewsRich medieval Danes bought graves ‘closer to God’ despite leprosy stigma, archaeologists find
Researchers used gravesites to investigate social exclusion based on illness, by studying whether people with leprosy or tuberculosis were kept out of the higher-status areas. Unexpectedly, they found that people who were ill with stigmatized diseases were buried just as prominently as their peers.
NewsNo association between mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and autism in children, new research shows
The mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is not associated with autism or other neurodevelopmental problems in children whose mothers received the vaccine immediately before or during pregnancy, according to new research.
NewsLiving material makes harmful UV light visible – Functional coating made from proteins and bacteria
Researchers have developed a T-shirt coating - using proteins and bacteria - that reliably detects contact with UV-A radiation, is bio‑based, and could open the door to a wide range of new materials that draw on the biological functions of cells.
NewsFire-footed rope squirrels identified as a natural reservoir for monkeypox virus
A cross-species transmission event documented in Côte d’Ivoire provides new insights into the spread of mpox in the wild.
NewsOne strategy to block both drug-resistant bacteria and influenza: new broad-spectrum infection prevention approach validated
A new paper moves beyond traditional infection control strategies reliant on antibiotics and vaccines by introducing a new approach that primes the immune system before infection occurs.
NewsProposals for exploring viruses and skin as the next experimental quantum frontiers share US$30,000 science award
Viruses exist at the boundary between living and non-living matter, while skin is a living interface between physics and biology, making them perfect—but until now overlooked—arenas for testing the interplay between quantum physics, biology and life.
NewsHIV antibody opens up new approaches for vaccine development and combination therapies
An international research team has identified a novel HIV antibody that targets the virus at a particularly vulnerable site and overcomes previous limitations of known antibodies. The study opens up new perspectives for the development of vaccines and therapeutics against HIV-1.
NewsEleven genetic variants affect the gut microbiome
In two new studies on 28,000 individuals, researchers are able to show that genetic variants in 11 regions of the human genome have a clear influence on which bacteria are in the gut and what they do there. Only two genetic regions were previously known.