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.
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These bacteria can change their diet to survive inside the body
The team have found that Staphylococcus aureus can adjust its diet depending on what sources remain available. The bacterium can adjust its inner workings in response to any one of a number of different sulfur-containing compounds — like cysteine, glutathione or thiosulfate.
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NewsResearchers discover highly potent compound that blocks Ebola virus entry
A research team has discovered a highly potent small molecule that blocks Ebola virus entry by stabilizing the virus’s entry protein and provides strong protection when given orally in a preclinical model. It is more than 100 times more potent than previously reported Ebola entry inhibitors.
NewsC. diff coordinates threat response to survive in gut
Researchers have discovered a unique system C. diff uses to simultaneously sense and respond to two different threats: host-mediated nutrient deprivation and a microbiota-produced antibiotic compound, suggesting new therapeutic options for preventing and treating C. diff infections.
NewsEngineering bacterial surfaces with glucan nanofilms creates a potent vaccine platform against invasive fungal infections
A research team has developed a synthetic bacterium-based vaccine platform that uses engineered bacterial surfaces to assemble glucan nanofilms for enhanced antifungal immunity against pathogens such as Candida albicans.
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Gut, airway and tumor microbes emerge as promising predictors of immunotherapy response in lung cancer
A comprehensive review systematically evaluates the microbiome’s role in lung cancer immunotherapy. Authors synthesized evidence covering microbial communities in the oral cavity, airways, lung tumors and gut, and their connections to treatment efficacy and immune‑related adverse events.
NewsThousands of new findings contribute to a global virus map
An extensive study has mapped RNA viruses in a large number of cities around the world. The researchers identified nearly 55,000 different types of virus, the vast majority of which had never been observed before. The virus atlas could be useful in both biological risk assessment and crime scene investigations.
NewsFusobacterium nucleatum drives immunosuppression and metastasis in TNBC
A new study identifies Fusobacterium nucleatum, a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium associated with several cancers, as a key driver of tryptophan metabolic reprogramming, immunosuppression and lung metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer.
NewsA pan-sRNome analysis identifies novel regulatory small RNAs involved in Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence
A characterization of nine newly discovered sRNAs reveals their regulatory networks in quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and interbacterial competition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
NewsExpert consensus outlines 12 recommendations to prevent secondary mucormycosis after respiratory viral infections
The recommendations focus on defined high-risk patients, early viral testing and treatment, hospital infection control, and practical measures for resource-limited settings.
NewsNew study details the finding of the first known live kissing bug in Europe
Students taking a Medical Entomology class donned their detective hats and helped investigate what appears to be the first documented live kissing bug in Europe.
NewsNew research offers avenue to explore relationship between Alzheimer’s and HIV
Researchers have created an animal model that helps resolve questions about the relationship between HIV and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The virus that drives the root cause of AD initiates a complex chain that, with other disease partners, drives nerve cell injury and cognitive impairments for AD pathology.
NewsSymposium commemorating the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Hantaan virus successfully held
A symposium commemorating the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Hantaan virus celebrated the historical achievement of the late Dr. Lee Ho-wang and reviewed the historical significance of Hantaan virus research, its results, and future infectious disease response strategies.
NewsHeatwaves inhibit antibiotic resistance in soils - but at a price
Heatwaves temporarily reduce the amount of resistance genes in the soil, but heat and droughts are also causing significant damage to soils and ecosystems. The temporary dip in resistance therefore does not mean that the health risks from antibiotic resistance disappear.
NewsProbiotic use surges - but microbiome-supportive food consumption stagnates
New research finds that probiotic supplement use has surged in the United States, while the consumption of microbiome-supportive foods has remained virtually unchanged.
NewsToxic tail: Biologists find a hidden weak spot in how bacteria build the tails they use to move
New research has uncovered a previously unknown vulnerability in how bacteria build the whip-like tails they use to move. Building these tails can put stress on the protective wall surrounding a bacterial cell, and uncovered systems bacteria use to keep that stress from becoming destructive.
NewsHelicobacter pylori exposure may be linked to more than 1 in 5 bowel cancer cases worldwide
Exposure to the stomach microbe Helicobacter pylori may be associated with more than 1 in 5 cases of bowel cancer worldwide, suggests an exploratory risk attribution study - and those born in more recent decades may be more at risk of the disease after exposure.
NewsBacterial trial fails to demonstrate early asthma prevention - prompting rethink of 'hygiene hypothesis'
A national clinical trial has found that treating young children with an oral bacterial extract did not reduce the risk of severe wheezing and respiratory illnesses that can precede asthma, potentially prompting researchers to rethink aspects of the hygiene hypothesis.
NewsVaccine protects against multiple fungal infections without hurting the gut
A vaccine created to battle multiple life-threatening fungal infections is successful in achieving protective immunity in pre-clinical animal models while also maintaining the biodiversity of the gut microbiome, according to a new study.
NewsFaster diagnostics, deeper insights: Researchers strengthen response to Ebola outbreaks
Two studies provide important insights into the challenges of responding to outbreaks - one demonstrates how diagnostic tests can be evaluated rapidly during an outbreak; the other investigates the biological properties of the 2026 BDBV strain and whether an existing Ebola vaccine could offer cross-protection.
NewsCommonly used cancer drugs boost MRSA antibiotics – new research
Scientists tested five anti-cancer drugs and revealed that four of them helped penicillin-type antibiotics to kill MRSA. These drugs interfere with the bacteria’s ability to make DNA, making the bacteria more vulnerable to the antibiotics.
NewsResearch explores why strep throat can linger, even after treatment with antibiotics
Streptococcal sore throat can linger even after treatment, turning otherwise healthy children into carriers. Using whole genome sequencing, researchers hope to discover why.
NewsMpox outbreak in 2022 caused by less severe form of the virus
The strain of Mpox behind the 2022 outbreak was a weakened form of the virus, which may have helped to spread it faster, a new study reports. The findings show that the virus acquired mutations before it spread globally.