Bacteria News and Research

RSS

Deep learning identifies novel compounds against antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea

With tens of millions of annual cases, gonorrhea is the second most frequently reported sexually transmitted infection (STI). Alone in the U.S., over 600,000 cases are reported each year.

17 Jun 2026

WashU study identifies shared target for a new diarrhea vaccine

The bacteria enterotoxigenic E. coli and Shigella together cause hundreds of millions of infections each year and are among the leading causes of diarrheal death, especially in children.

17 Jun 2026

Houston Methodist study reveals how strep bacterium causes infection

A fast-rising strep bacterium has become increasingly notorious for causing serious infections in humans, including complications that can lead to muscle damage and patient death. New Houston Methodist research appearing in The American Journal of Pathology, published by Elsevier, sheds light on how Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE) causes disease and may provide important insights to aid in vaccine development.

17 Jun 2026

New pico-calorimeter detects antibiotic resistance via direct heat traces

When living cells grow, divide, or respond to drugs, they give off tiny amounts of heat that offer information about what the cells are doing. But since these heat signals are so vanishingly small, they have been traditionally impossible to measure directly.

17 Jun 2026

Synthetic biology platform unmasks hidden bacterial targets of bacteriophages

An interdisciplinary team of Rice University researchers has uncovered previously unknown relationships between bacteriophages - viruses that infect bacteria - and their bacterial hosts, offering a powerful new tool for next-generation microbiome engineering.

17 Jun 2026

Gut bacteria may help explain why fatigue appears before illness

A small study of healthy Japanese adults found that fatigue was associated with distinct gut microbiome, microbial gene, and fecal metabolite patterns. The findings suggest fatigue may track with altered microbial energy metabolism and oxidative stress-related functional potential, but larger longitudinal studies are needed to test causality and clinical value.

16 Jun 2026

Maternal weight shifts microbiota signaling in the fetal environment

A study conducted at the University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital suggests that factors related to maternal weight are reflected in signaling particles produced by the maternal microbiota not only in the gut but also in amniotic fluid.

15 Jun 2026

Gut microbiome may determine bone loss severity in primary hyperparathyroidism

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a common endocrine disorder characterized by excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH).

12 Jun 2026

Ancient unicellular organism offers clues to animal origins

A recent study by Ruibao Li and Jennah Dharamshi published in Nature may help us understand the beginnings of animal evolution billions of years ago.

12 Jun 2026

Engineered phages use molecular anchors to enter human cells

The study identified phage surface proteins acting as molecular anchors. These proteins confer phages ith the ability to attach to human cells.

12 Jun 2026

Researchers urge one health approach to control raccoon-borne water contamination

The emerging infectious bacterium Escherichia albertii has caused outbreaks of severe food poisoning and hospitalized people through contaminated water and foods, such as salad ingredients. Now, a new study from Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) has gathered evidence from river, animal and genetic samples that suggest a pathway by which invasive raccoons (Procyon lotor) transmit infections to humans.

12 Jun 2026

Researchers discover 45 new toxins produced by Salmonella bacteria

Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have discovered 45 new toxins produced by Salmonella bacteria, some of which are associated with foodborne infections.

11 Jun 2026

Gut bacterial molecule reduces intestinal inflammation by slowing cell energy

Enterobactin, a molecule produced by gut bacteria, may hold a surprising key to reducing intestinal inflammation. Not by attacking the immune system directly, but by temporarily slowing down the cell's own energy production.

11 Jun 2026

Key proteins enable louse-borne relapsing fever pathogen to evade immunity

Louse-borne relapsing fever is caused by the spirochete bacterium Borrelia recurrentis, which is transmitted by body lice (not head lice).

10 Jun 2026

Short-term fasting may reduce inflammation linked to gum disease

People who follow a short-term low-calorie diet may have reduced markers of inflammation associated with gum disease.

10 Jun 2026

Mycoplasma genitalium unlikely to drive recurrent preterm deliveries

A new study from UTHealth Houston found that the common sexually transmitted infection, Mycoplasma genitalium, also known as MGen, does not appear to increase the risk of recurrent preterm birth.

9 Jun 2026

New antibiotic from soil bacteria targets drug-resistant superbugs

Scientists at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered a new antibiotic that may be a bulwark in the fight against drug-resistant superbugs, according to new research published in Nature.

9 Jun 2026

How Programmable Nanobiology Could Drive the Fifth Industrial Revolution

Professor Heddle's insights on nanobiology and AI highlight their potential to innovate drug delivery and vaccine development, addressing critical health needs.

9 Jun 2026

Study: Antibiotic resistance is increasing in Shiga toxin-producing E. coli

Resistance to antimicrobial agents is rising among human infections with Escherichia coli bacteria that produce the Shiga toxin, according to a study analyzing data from nearly 2,000 infections in the United States between 2010 and 2021.

8 Jun 2026

WHO's new estimates of foodborne diseases may improve global prevention

Researchers from DTU have contributed to the international scientific work behind the WHO's new estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases, providing countries with a stronger evidence base for preventing illness and prioritising action.

8 Jun 2026