Toxin News and Research

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Study provides new way to treat multiple sclerosis

Nerve cells stripped of their insulation can no longer carry vital information, leading to the numbness, weakness and vision problems often associated with multiple sclerosis. A new study shows an overlooked source may be able to replace that lost insulation and provide a new way to treat diseases like MS.

27 Nov 2018

Scientists discover toxic bullet involved in bacterial competition

A bacterial toxin that allows an infectious strain of bacteria to defeat its competitors has been discovered by Imperial College London scientists.

20 Nov 2018

New blood test developed for early diagnosis of ovarian cancer

Research on a bacterial toxin first discovered in Adelaide has led to the development a new blood test for the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer - a disease which kills over 1000 Australian women and 150,000 globally each year.

19 Nov 2018

Specific bacterial toxins reduce number of cells suppressing immune response

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria can cause numerous diseases, such as skin infections, pneumonia and blood poisoning.

16 Nov 2018

Breakthrough research reveals how deadly pneumococcus avoids immune defenses

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have discovered a new and important function of a toxin produced by disease-causing bacteria that could have significant implications for future vaccine design.

12 Nov 2018

Study shows how pneumococci challenge the immune system

Pneumococci are the most common cause of respiratory tract infections, such as otitis and sinusitis, as well as of severe infections like pneumonia and meningitis.

12 Nov 2018

Study highlights global and local impacts of delayed mercury-controlling policies

Mercury is an incredibly stubborn toxin. Once it is emitted from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants, among other sources, the gas can drift through the atmosphere for up to a year before settling into oceans and lakes.

2 Nov 2018

Lead accumulation in shin bone linked to treatment-resistant hypertension

A study has found that treatment-resistant hypertension may be associated with low-level accumulation of lead in the shin bone of men.

24 Oct 2018

Innovative strategy opens up new avenue of treatment for anthrax infections

A team led by Professor Arne Skerra at the Technical University of Munich has developed an innovative strategy for preventing the anthrax bacterium from absorbing iron, which is crucial for its survival.

22 Oct 2018

Newly discovered toxin stands out from others in the battle for microbial domination

A newly discovered toxin that some bacteria deploy to fend off competing bacteria stands out from others in the battle for microbial domination. While many deadly substances have been identified among bacteria, this previously unknown toxin behaves in a familiar way.

19 Oct 2018

Mice study shows antibiotics are not always necessary to cure sepsis

Biochemists, microbiologists, drug discovery experts and infectious disease doctors have teamed up in a new study that shows antibiotics are not always necessary to cure sepsis in mice.

17 Oct 2018

Number of VHA facilities offering acupuncture has increased rapidly

Acupuncture is an increasingly important and effective component of chronic pain management and other areas of care in the Veterans Health Administration.

16 Oct 2018

Scientists develop dual anthrax-plague vaccine

A team of researchers has now engineered a virus nanoparticle vaccine against Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis, tier 1 agents that pose serious threats to national security of the United States. B. anthracis and Y. pestis are the pathogens that cause anthrax and plague, respectively.

16 Oct 2018

A new way to create customized mouse models for studying brain development

Scientists studying how genetics impact brain disease have long sought a better experimental model. Cultures of genetically-modified cell lines can reveal some clues to how certain genes influence the development of psychiatric disorders and brain cancers.

11 Oct 2018

Maternal Tdap immunization during third trimester linked with higher levels of pertussis antibodies in newborns

Risk of whooping cough (pertussis) is highest in infants too young to have completed their primary immunization series (6 months old or younger) and they are at highest risk of developing life-threatening complications.

10 Oct 2018

Researchers devise a simple way to boost efficacy of malarial TBVs

For decades, scientists have been trying to develop a vaccine that prevents mosquitoes from spreading malaria among humans.

9 Oct 2018

Study links scoliosis to essential dietary mineral

Nobody knows why some children's backs start to curve to one side just as they hit puberty. Most children diagnosed with scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, have no known risk factors.

9 Oct 2018

Researchers use nanoparticles to treat snake bites

Venomous snakebites affect 2.5 million people, and annually cause more than 100,000 deaths and leave 400,000 individuals with permanent physical and psychological trauma each year.

5 Oct 2018

Panel of human antibodies developed to neutralize black mamba snake toxin

IONTAS Limited, a leader in the discovery and optimisation of fully human antibodies, today announced a collaborative paper published in Nature Communications with the Technical University of Denmark, and the Instituto Clodomiro Picado of the University of Costa Rica describing the development of a panel of human antibodies that neutralise elements of black mamba snake toxin in an in vivo model.

3 Oct 2018

Study examines link between alcohol consumption and death risk in patients with NAFLD

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, which is not caused by significant alcohol consumption, has become the most common liver disease in the United States and comprises more than two thirds of patients with chronic liver disease.

3 Oct 2018