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 bacteria deliver cancer drug directly inside tumors in mice
New research suggests that Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) may be engineered with anticancer agents to treat cancerous tumors in mice. Researchers used EcN as a base for synthesizing Romidepsin (FK228), an FDA-approved drug with anti-tumor agents.
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NewsTrace levels of food pathogen do not always translate to health risk, says study
Ultra-sensitive food safety tests may drive food waste and unavailability with limited public health benefit, according to a study. These food safety measures and ultra-sensitive tests may drive edible food being thrown away, excessive packaging, and extra costs for consumers.
NewsInappropriate antibiotic use for COVID-19 is linked to resistance
Taking azithromycin for as little as one day triggers antibiotic resistance in the respiratory tract, according to a first-of-its kind look by scientists at the changes that occur in the microbiome of hospitalized patients who were treated for COVID-19.
NewsNew single‑cell technique reveals how tuberculosis‑like bacteria alter human cells
Researchers have developed a new technique to measure the content of individual human cells infected with bacteria that model tuberculosis – and it is already revealing biological changes that conventional analysis would miss.
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Study maps how tuberculosis bacteria power themselves
A new study provides the first detailed 3D structure of a protein called EtfD, which the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis uses to extract energy from lipids (fats), along with the first laboratory test capable of directly measuring its activity.
NewsHeart disease risk tied to certain molecules made by gut microbes
In a study involving data from thousands of people, the risk of a new coronary heart disease diagnosis was statistically associated with bloodstream levels of nine specific molecules that are produced by gut microbes.
NewsNew study fills research gap in food safety to better protect pregnant women from Listeria
Researchers developed new biologically plausible dose-response models — one for maternal infection and one for stillbirth — built on data from guinea pigs and gerbils, which share key biological traits with humans relevant to listeria pathogenesis.
NewsClimate change is fueling disease outbreaks
Researchers analyzed the connection between a cyclone in Peru and a massive outbreak of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease that can cause fever, rash, and life-threatening symptoms like hemorrhage and shock. Their findings reveal that warmer, wetter weather linked to climate change is making disease epidemics more likely.
NewsLemongrass essential oil may target bacteria even more effectively than conventional antibiotics, research suggests
Lemongrass essential oil can be even more effective than traditional antibiotics against some Streptococcus bacteria under certain conditions, new research to be presented at MLSFF26 has found.
NewsPlastic bottles transformed into Parkinson’s drug using bacteria
A drug to treat Parkinson’s disease can be made from waste plastic bottles using a pioneering method. The approach harnesses the power of bacteria to transform post-consumer plastic into L-DOPA, a frontline medication for the neurological disorder.
NewsHigh-fat diets cause gut bacteria to enter brain, study finds
A new study, performed using mouse models, establishes that live bacteria from an imbalanced gut microbiome can enter the brain via the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve connects the brainstem to the heart, lungs, and major abdominal organs, including the stomach, intestines, liver and more.
NewsWhat factors influence likelihood and severity of Ebola outbreaks?
Two new papers looked at factors that contribute to how Ebola outbreaks begin and how severe they become. This Q&A looks at how the results could inform public health interventions to prevent pathogen emergence or slow the spread of Ebola and other infectious diseases.
NewsSurface treatment of wood may keep harmful bacteria at bay
A recent study suggests that bacteria thrive more readily on untreated than treated wood surfaces. The finding has implications for hygiene in both homes and public spaces.
NewsTargeting two flu proteins sharply reduces airborne spread
A study in ferrets — which have remarkably similar respiratory systems to humans — suggests that immunity to two proteins in the H1N1 influenza virus sharply reduces transmission.
NewsPenicillin–streptomycin influences macrophage mechanical properties and microenvironment mechano-sensation
A foundational finding in mechanobiology reveals that penicillin-streptomycin (pen-strep), the antibiotic mixture universally added to mammalian cell culture media, is not a biologically inert antimicrobial agent.
CareersLife is a rollercoaster: AMI Global Ambassador Chris Greening opens up on his ADHD journey
It can be the quiet moments that give you time to pause, ponder and sort through your tangled thoughts. For Professor Chris Greening, that moment came during a long bike ride last August that led to a ‘classic ADHD moment’.
NewsTrial finds vitamin D supplements don’t reduce Covid severity but could reduce long COVID risk
In a large, randomized trial, researchers have found that high-dose vitamin D3 did not reduce COVID-19 infection severity, but may impact long COVID outcomes.
NewsMothers' exposure to microbes protect their newborn babies against infection
A study dives into new depths to explore why only some babies develop severe infection to common bacteria. The research revealed that the babies that became most severely ill from E. coli infections also had markedly lower levels of germ-fighting antibodies transferred from their mothers.
NewsMedicinal plants with anti-entamoeba histolytica activity: phytochemistry, efficacy, and clinical potential
Reported adverse effects associated with the current first-line treatment for amoebiasis, coupled with the evolution of resistance to it, call for the need to search for plant-based alternatives. This study systematically reviews medicinal plants with activity against Entamoeba histolytica.
NewsScientists reveal how deadly Marburg virus enters human cells, identify therapeutic vulnerability
Researchers found that the Marburg virus, one of the world’s deadliest pathogens, is unusually efficient at getting inside human cells. They also showed that the virus’s entry protein contains structural features that explain this efficiency and point to a strategy for blocking infection.
NewsEveryday foods could hide fungal risks for mothers and children
A collaborative, multi-institutional project will examine how exposure to zearalenone – a mycoestrogen produced by mold with estrogen-like activity – may affect pregnancy outcomes and children’s growth.
NewsThe gut can drive age-associated memory loss
Scientists have discovered that the aging gastrointestinal tract produces specific molecules that blunt the activity of a key gut-brain neuronal pathway, leading to age-related cognitive decline in mice.
NewsResearch guides response to unprecedented 2023 E. coli outbreak affecting Calgary kids
Protocols developed by scientists informed care when hundreds of children were sick due to a severe strain of E. coli. Overall, 40 children were hospitalized, 21 developed HUS and nine required dialysis. The number of children who developed HUS was less than half of what would typically occur in an outbreak of this size.