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Study may suggest new therapeutic approaches to control immune responses

Researchers have provided new insight on the role of cyclic AMP (cAMP) in regulating the immune response.

5 Feb 2020

Princeton researchers find link between microbes and cancers in threatened California foxes

Can staph microbes lead to cancer? Microbes are known to affect digestion, mood and overall health, and now Princeton researchers have shown that a shift in the microbiome is linked to cancer -- at least in a threatened subspecies of foxes found only on one island off the California coast.

4 Feb 2020

Gut microbes in wasps help overcome pesticides

An intriguing study published in February 2020 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe reports that when wasps are exposed to atrazine, a commonly used pesticide, the gut microbiome undergoes changes that help them overcome the ill-effects of the exposure. In addition, the changes are passed on to the offspring, which means that the next generation will also inherit atrazine resistance even without being exposed to the chemical.

4 Feb 2020

Making it all work: brain-dependent immune activation in embryos

How does the immune system develop its functionality? This has been an ongoing area of research for biologists. Now, a new study published in the journal NPJ Regenerative Medicine in February 2020 shows that in very early fetal life the brain must signal directions to the developing immune system to help it defend the body from infectious agents. This signaling markedly improves the capability of the embryo to survive when faced with bacterial infection.

4 Feb 2020

UH professor examines life cycle of drug-resistant persister cells in recurrent infections

A University of Houston engineering professor is examining the life cycle of stubborn, drug-resistant persister cells in recurrent infections to find a way to destroy them.

4 Feb 2020

Coronavirus could spread explosively, tight control needed

The coronavirus may be taking a higher toll of life than we thought, say scientists, in a new study published on January 30, 2020, in The Lancet. But another startling new study based on mathematical modeling, published in the same journal, predicts that almost 76,000 people may have acquired the infection in Wuhan city, and that multiple epidemics in major connected cities inside and outside China may already be brewing. Yet the death rate is markedly low, in this case.

3 Feb 2020

New vaccine designs could reduce rates of dangerous bacterial disease

New research has found that rates of disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae could be substantially reduced by changing our approach to vaccination.

3 Feb 2020

Researchers receive $1 million grant to study effects of bacteria on the brain

With a $1 million grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation, neuroscience researchers at Washington State University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst will explore whether variations in brain levels of bacterial fragments can account for life's sleep/wake and 24-hour cycles, known as circadian rhythms.

3 Feb 2020

Sperm microbiome revealed with RNA sequencing

A new study reports the first-ever detailed description of the human sperm microbiome, using newer RNA sequencing techniques that are capable of discriminating between sperm RNA and that of bacterial contamination or colonization.

2 Feb 2020

Sugary diet can promote periodontal diseases

Sweet soft drinks and lots of sugar increase the risk of both dental cavities and inflammation of the gums - known as periodontal diseases - and if this is the case, then healthy eating habits should be prioritised even more. This is the conclusion of a research result from Aarhus University.

30 Jan 2020

Do masks protect from Coronavirus?

As the new Wuhan coronavirus, designated 2019-nCoV, spreads around the world, people are increasingly turning to face masks for protection. The question is, are masks really needed?

30 Jan 2020

Turning stink into therapy for atherosclerosis

In an amusing but amazing turnaround, it seems the most foul-smelling compound on earth, called putrescine, could help relieve chronic inflammation, most importantly in the arterial thickening called atherosclerosis. This discovery is reported in the journal Cell Metabolism in January 2020.

30 Jan 2020

Study maps immune responses to tuberculosis across 3 species

Tuberculosis is one of the world's most vexing public health problems. About 1.5 million people died from this bacterial lung infection in 2018, and the World Health Organization estimates that one-quarter of the world's population -- some 2 billion people, mostly in developing countries -- are infected with the bacteria that causes TB.

30 Jan 2020

Global funding for neglected disease research reaches a record high

For the first time, global funding for neglected disease R&D grew for three consecutive years, reaching a record high of more than US$4.05 billion in 2018.

30 Jan 2020

Group A streptococcus strains that are less susceptible to commonly used antibiotics identified

Infectious disease scientists identified strains of group A streptococcus that are less susceptible to commonly used antibiotics, a sign that the germ causing strep throat and flesh-eating disease may be moving closer to resistance to penicillin and other related antibiotics known as beta-lactams.

30 Jan 2020

Study: 25% of pathogenic bacteria can spread antibiotic resistance directly to peers

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated that at least 25 percent of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria found in clinical settings are capable of spreading their resistance directly to other bacteria.

29 Jan 2020

Study finds antibiotic-resistance in Tanzania as an environmental problem

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are prevalent in people, wildlife and the water in northeastern Tanzania, but it's not antibiotic use alone driving resistance. Instead, researchers at Washington State University found transmission of bacteria in the environment is the most important factor.

29 Jan 2020

Bandages sense infections, change color, treat infection

In what reads like science fiction, a new study published in the journal ACS Central Science reports the development of bandages that detect the presence of bacteria in wounds and change color, depending on whether they are drug-sensitive or drug-resistant. This is an important step in helping patients recover better.

29 Jan 2020

New insecticide compounds from plant used for traditional Chinese medicine

For hundreds of years, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have used an herb called Stemona sessilifolia as a remedy for parasitic infections, such as those caused by pinworms and lice.

29 Jan 2020

One-quarter of hospitalized children are prescribed antibiotics incorrectly

The overuse of antibiotics poses an increasing threat to children who develop -- or already have -- drug-resistant infections that are difficult or impossible to treat, and can cause extended hospitalization, disability and even death.

29 Jan 2020