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
Engineered dual-bacterial sensors turn chemical signals into electricity
Most bacterial information transmission is done via electricity. While electricity-emitting bacteria exist, manipulating them into useful sensors has been quite challenging. Researchers recently developed a flexible bioelectrical sensor system called electroactive co-culture sensing system.
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NewsSleep deprivation disrupts gut microbiota, worsening colorectal cancer outcomes
Researchers have found that the gut microbiota drives changes to the immune system caused by chronic sleep loss. These changes promote cancer progression, disrupt circadian rhythm and weaken the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
NewsAntibiotic resistance genes found in newborns within hours of birth, study shows
Antibiotic resistance genes can be present in newborns within the first hours of life. The study analysed meconium samples from 105 infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within the first 72 hours of life between July 2024 and July 2025.
NewsThe cold virus ‘hides’ and multiplies in the tonsils and adenoids, even in people without symptoms
A study reveals that tissues such as the tonsils and adenoids can serve as hiding places for the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold. The pathogen can persist in these tissues for long periods, be transmitted unexpectedly, and trigger new outbreaks of the disease.
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News
To thwart pathogens, researchers are giving beneficial microbes what they really want
Researchers have developed a new method that allows precise modification of any microbiome with prebiotics, helping beneficial organisms outcompete dangerous pathogens.
NewsImproving oral care more than halves hospital-acquired pneumonia risk, major trial finds
A landmark trial presented at ESCMID Global 2026 shows that improving oral hygiene for hospital patients can reduce the risk of non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) by 60%.
NewsResearchers uncover a ‘treasure trove’ of bioactive molecules in coral reefs
Researchers have found that coral reefs are home to a vast array of previously unknown bioactive metabolites — small biomolecules that have the biotechnological potential to provide the basis for new drugs, and a host of other products.
NewsMaternal RSV vaccination cuts infant hospitalization risk by over 80%, major study finds
The largest real-world study of its kind shows that maternal vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) reduces the risk of hospitalisation in young infants by over 80% when given at least two weeks before birth.
NewsThree European countries reach 90% HPV vaccination target as Europe steps up action on cancer prevention
All EU/EEA countries now recommend HPV vaccination for adolescent girls and boys as part of their immunisation programmes, marking a major step forward in Europe’s’ cancer prevention efforts. Iceland, Portugal and Norway have reached the target of 90% HPV vaccination coverage among girls by the age of 15.
NewsStandard-dose antibiotic the ‘preferred choice’ of treatment for uncomplicated acute sinusitis
A study of patients with acute sinusitis found no major differences in measured outcomes between adults who received standard amoxicillin and amoxicillin‑clavulanate. Patients treated with amoxicillin‑clavulanate were at slightly higher risk of contracting secondary infections.
NewsMeasles vaccine gaps persist among ER patients
A study has found critical gaps in knowledge, vaccination status, and acceptance of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine among patients visiting emergency departments across the United States. It examines how misinformation and access barriers may contribute to declining vaccination rates.
NewsStudy finds blood pressure drug effective for treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria
A new study reports that a drug used to lower blood pressure could also be the basis of a promising new treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Candesartan cilexetil not only killed MRSA bacteria at different growth stages, but also reduced the formation of biofilms.
NewsModeling premature aging in yeast reveals key effects of progerin on cellular lifespan
Researchers developed a yeast-based model to study premature aging by expressing Progerin, the toxic protein responsible for Hutchinson–Gilford Progeria Syndrome. Using genetically engineered yeast cells, they compared the effects of Progerin with its normal counterpart, Lamin A.
NewsScientists explore the bidirectional skin-brain axis: Mental health, dermatology-related quality of life, and the role of probiotics
Researchers investigating associations between mental health, dermatology-related quality of life (DLQI), and probiotic intake in 305 Brazilian adults found that women had significantly higher scores for anxiety, depression, and stress compared to men.
NewsLong-term cure rates for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis much better than expected
A new national cohort study from Latvia provides important insights into the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The study shows that long-term disease-free survival rates are significantly higher than previous standard indicators suggest.
FeaturesClinical considerations for the next pandemic: challenges facing Japan and strategic preparedness
Multiple global pandemics over the past century – the Spanish influenza (1918), Asian influenza (1957), Hong Kong influenza (1968), H1N1 influenza (2009), and COVID‑19 (since 2019) – have increasingly underscored the necessity for healthcare systems worldwide to be resilient, rapidly responsive, and forward‑facing.
NewsHow gut bacteria and acute stress are linked
Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that, in healthy adults, the diversity of gut bacteria and their capacity to produce certain metabolites are associated with the acute stress response - particularly stress reactivity.
NewsAncient viruses serving as gene delivery couriers to help bacteria resist antibiotics
Research has shed important new light on the enemies-turned-allies that allow bacteria to exchange genes, including those linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
NewsDon’t build the engine, grow it: biohybrid miniature robots using living organisms
By fusing living organisms like bacteria, algae, and insects with synthetic payloads, researchers are creating living biohybrid miniature robots that self-fuel, self-repair, and navigate environments that would paralyze a rigid silicon chip.
NewsFoxes and birds could be ‘early warning system’ to survey spread of antibiotic resistance into ecosystems
Wildlife monitoring could alert us to the spread of highly antibiotic resistant bacteria into unexposed ecosystems, highlighting a potential public health strategy.
NewsColor test ‘sniffs out’ dangerous staph strains fast
Researchers have developed a rapid colour-changing test that can distinguish between different strains of golden staph, including those likely to be virulent and antibiotic resistant.
NewsAncient tooth reveals the bacterium responsible for scarlet fever was not introduced to the Americas by Europeans
A research team has identified the Streptococcus pyogenes bacterium in a pre-Columbian Bolivian mummy and, for the first time, reconstructed the genome of this centuries-old pathogen.
NewsNovel research reveals the active role that skin cells play in rabies infection
A new study provides direct evidence that keratinocytes can support viral replication and transmit the rabies virus to neurons. The investigators offer a mechanistic explanation for how superficial skin exposures from scratches or minor bites by dogs and bats can lead to neuroinvasion.