Microbiology News and Research

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ILCs play central role in defense of human body against infective agents

The innate immune system recognizes infectious agents such as viruses and bacteria. A group of lymphocytes known as "innate lymphoid cells" or ILCs plays a central role in the defense of the human body against infective agents.

26 May 2014

Researchers identify small molecule that prevents bacteria from forming into infectious biofilms

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified a small molecule that prevents bacteria from forming into biofilms, a frequent cause of infections.

23 May 2014

Separating sperm and eggs from somatic cells preserves genetic building blocks

We have hundreds of types of cells in our bodies - everything from red blood cells to hair follicles to neurons. But why can't most of them create offspring for us?

23 May 2014

Researchers identify existing drugs that could be "repurposed" to fight MERS-CoV

A team led by a University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) researcher, working as a grantee from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has identified a number of existing drugs that could be "repurposed" to fight outbreaks of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV).

22 May 2014

Researchers show how bacteria responsible for strep throat can be used to fight colon cancer

Researchers at Western University (London, Canada) have shown how the bacteria primarily responsible for causing strep throat can be used to fight colon cancer. By engineering a streptococcal bacterial toxin to attach itself to tumour cells, they are forcing the immune system to recognize and attack the cancer.

21 May 2014

69% of healthy American adults are infected with 109 strains of human papillomavirus

In what is believed to be the largest and most detailed genetic analysis of its kind, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and elsewhere have concluded that 69 percent of healthy American adults are infected with one or more of 109 strains of human papillomavirus (HPV).

21 May 2014

New method for identifying bacteria in patient specimens leads to 92% cost reduction

Researchers at UNC Health Care have found that using a new method for identifying bacteria and fungi in patient specimens led to a 92 percent cost reduction in the reagents needed to run clinical microbiology tests.

21 May 2014

New drug offers promising possibility for treating adults with periodontitis

Nearly half of all adults in the United States suffer from the gum disease periodontitis, and 8.5 percent have a severe form that can raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and pregnancy complications.

21 May 2014

Disease-causing bacteria can linger in airplane cabins for days, says study

Disease-causing bacteria can linger on surfaces commonly found in airplane cabins for days, even up to a week, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

21 May 2014

Sanofi presents Phase II trial results for investigational vaccine for prevention of CDI

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, presented Phase II (H-030-012) trial results for an investigational vaccine for the prevention of Clostridium difficile infection at the 114th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

20 May 2014

Existing pharmaceutical drugs may offer effective therapies against MERS

A series of research articles published ahead of print in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy have identified a number of existing pharmaceutical drugs and compounds under development that may offer effective therapies against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

20 May 2014

New study provides evidence that bacteria in gut may be linked to children with autism

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have significantly different concentrations of certain bacterial-produced chemicals, called metabolites, in their feces compared to children without ASD.

20 May 2014

Study reveals surprising relationships between diet and release of hormones that suppress eating

By comparing how gut microbes from human vegetarians and grass-grazing baboons digest different diets, researchers have shown that ancestral human diets, so called "paleo" diets, did not necessarily result in better appetite suppression.

20 May 2014

Legionnaires may be able to grow in windshield washer fluid

A form of bacteria responsible for respiratory illness, including the deadly pneumonia known as Legionnaire's disease, may be able to grow in windshield washer fluid and was isolated from nearly 75% of school buses tested in one district in Arizona, according to research presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

19 May 2014

Bacteria that cause gum disease also promote heart disease, shows study

A University of Florida study shows that the same bacteria that cause gum disease also promotes heart disease - a discovery that could change the way heart disease is diagnosed and treated. Researchers report their findings today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

19 May 2014

Bacteria in saliva may be indicative of pancreatic cancer

Patients with pancreatic cancer have a different and distinct profile of specific bacteria in their saliva compared to healthy controls and even patients with other cancers or pancreatic diseases, according to research presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

19 May 2014

Bacteria in urine could contribute to overactive bladder

Bacteria live in the bladders of healthy women, discrediting the common belief that normal urine is sterile. This finding was presented today by researchers from Loyola University Chicago at the 114th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Boston.

19 May 2014