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Short-term oatmeal diet improves cholesterol and metabolic health markers

A short-term oat-based diet appears to be surprisingly effective at reducing the cholesterol level. This is indicated by a trial by the University of Bonn, which has now been published in the journal Nature Communications.

23 Jan 2026

Bacterial infections in patients with liver cirrhosis show rising prevalence and high mortality

Bacterial infections (BIs) are common and severe complications in patients with liver cirrhosis, but global data are limited. Here, we aimed to evaluate the global prevalence, temporal changes, and associated mortality risk of BIs in liver cirrhosis.

23 Jan 2026

New copper-based drug shows promise against antibiotic-resistant MRSA

A research team at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson is developing a drug that works in combination with copper to kill bacteria, including those that cause MRSA, a type of staph infection that is resistant to usual treatments.

22 Jan 2026

Study traces deep origins of syphilis to prehistoric Americas

A newly sequenced genome of the bacterium that causes syphilis, Treponema pallidum, highlights the deep antiquity of treponemal diseases in the Americas.

22 Jan 2026

Chemotherapy-induced gut changes trigger anti-metastatic immune response

Chemotherapy commonly damages the intestinal lining, a well-known side effect. But this injury does not remain confined to the gut.

22 Jan 2026

Bacteria behind Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis foot odor identified

The distinct foot odor that comes with the skin disorder Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis (NPPK) is caused by the overgrowth of a specific bacterial strain.

22 Jan 2026

WHO and Novartis extend partnership to eliminate leprosy for another 5 years

Access to treatment for leprosy is essential to global efforts to eliminate leprosy, says the World Health Organization (WHO) ahead of World Leprosy Day, to be observed on 25 January.

22 Jan 2026

Long-term proton pump inhibitor use not linked to stomach cancer

The long term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), a class of drugs widely used to treat acid reflux and ulcers, may not be linked to any increased risk of developing gastric (stomach) cancer, finds a study of Nordic health data published by The BMJ today.

21 Jan 2026

Analyzing bacterial enzymes in pikromycin synthesis

Macrolides are an important class of antibiotics that includes drugs such as azithromycin and erythromycin, which are widely used to treat a range of infections, including pneumonia and skin infections.

21 Jan 2026

Far-red light suppresses biofilm formation and virulence in pathogenic bacteria

Light is a universal stimulus that influences all living things. Cycles of light and dark help set the biological clocks for organisms ranging from single-celled bacteria to human beings.

20 Jan 2026

Research suggests bamboo-based foods could support metabolic health

This systematic review synthesizes human, in vitro, and food-processing studies on bamboo consumption, finding limited but suggestive evidence for metabolic, digestive, and antioxidant benefits when products are properly prepared. It also highlights safety considerations, including potential goitrogenic effects from inadequately processed shoots, and calls for higher-quality human trials.

18 Jan 2026

Ancient ice and modern pollution combine to spread antibiotic resistance as glaciers melt

Glaciers harbor both ancient and human-derived antibiotic resistance genes, preserved in ice and increasingly mobilized by climate-driven melt. This global review proposes a glacier-to-downstream “continuum” to understand how resistance genes may move through connected freshwater ecosystems.

18 Jan 2026

Researchers discover how Mycoplasma pneumoniae acquires cholesterol from human hosts

A multidisciplinary team has uncovered a key mechanism that allows the human bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae-responsible for atypical pneumonia and other respiratory infections-to obtain cholesterol and other essential lipids directly from the human body.

16 Jan 2026

Gut microbiota analysis offers insights into how ultra processed foods affect health

To gain more knowledge about how ultra-processed food affects us, we need new research methods, claim researchers. Now they are looking to better understand our intestinal flora.

16 Jan 2026

Study reveals how antibiotic resistant bacteria delay chronic wound healing

An international team of scientists, led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), has discovered a new way that could speed up the healing of chronic wounds infected by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

16 Jan 2026

PRoRota-project aims to fight diarrhea in children using probiotics, hygiene, and models

The PRoRota-project will use probiotics, improved education in hygiene and advanced mathematical models to prevent children from dying of diarrhea in low and middle-income countries.

16 Jan 2026

Natural brakes on inflammation could treat chronic diseases

Researchers at University College London (UCL) have uncovered a key mechanism that helps the body switch off inflammation – a breakthrough that could lead to new treatments for chronic diseases affecting millions worldwide.

16 Jan 2026

Water dispensers may contain more bacteria than tap water

A review reveals that water dispensers may harbor microbial contamination, challenging their safety compared to tap water and highlighting maintenance needs.

16 Jan 2026

Immune dysfunction persists after combined TB and HIV therapy

The immune system remains seriously out-of-whack – in an inflammatory state of overactivation and impaired functionality – following the international gold standard for treating people with latent tuberculosis (TB) and HIV, a team at Texas Biomedical Research Institute reports in Nature Communications.

14 Jan 2026

Scientists reveal how cholera bacteria activate toxin genes in the human gut

Cholera remains a major global public health challenge, with an estimated 1.3 to 4 million cases and tens of thousands of deaths reported worldwide each year.

14 Jan 2026