Toxin News and Research

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New research project investigates alternative treatments for eye infections

Fight for Sight has announced funding for an innovative research project that will investigate whether compounds used to treat snake venom and bee stings could provide an alternative to antibiotics in treating eye infection.

20 Jul 2018

Research project investigates snake venom treatment as antibiotic alternative for eye infections

An innovative University of Liverpool research project that will investigate whether compounds used to treat snake venom and bee stings could provide an alternative to antibiotics in treating eye infection has been awarded £170,000 by the charity Fight for Sight.

19 Jul 2018

New proteomics studies help gain more insights into Alzheimer's, cancer and listeriosis

The brains of people with Alzheimer's disease contain many protein aggregates outside of cells, known as plaques. These are mainly made of the peptide amyloid-beta, which is released from the plasma membrane when the protease BACE1 cleaves its membrane-anchored precursor protein.

19 Jul 2018

Allergic responses may help protect the skin against cancer, research suggests

The components of the immune system that trigger allergic reactions may also help protect the skin against cancer, suggest new findings.

18 Jul 2018

Study reveals how M. tuberculosis escapes death in macrophages

The bacteria that cause the devastating disease tuberculosis have the ability to escape destruction and grow after they are engulfed by lung macrophages, the immune cells that are supposed to destroy pathogens.

10 Jul 2018

Bacteria use 'divide and conquer' strategy to defeat their enemies

Some bacteria can release toxins that provoke their neighbors into attacking each other, a tactic that could be exploited to fight infections.

3 Jul 2018

Researchers discover how behavior is organized in the brain

Driving to work, typing an email or playing a round of golf--people perform actions such as these throughout the day.

29 Jun 2018

Scientists discover and characterize new toxin in cholera bacteria

The bacterium Vibrio cholerae was discovered more than 150 years ago but remains as one of the main causes of bacterial infectious disease globally, especially in low-income nations where it occurs endemic, and outbreaks of cholera disease can lead to major epidemics.

26 Jun 2018

Study: Men tolerate stress urinary incontinence for years before seeking medical help

Men often tolerate stress urinary incontinence for more than two years before seeking medical help - and one-third put up with it for more than five years, making it important for doctors to check for this problem, a new study from UT Southwestern researchers advises.

25 Jun 2018

Scientists discover vaccine that may rapidly fight cholera-causing bacteria

A tricked-out cholera vaccine starts protecting against the deadly disease within a day, experiments in rabbits suggest.

14 Jun 2018

Researchers develop biomimetic nanosystem to deliver therapeutic proteins to target tumors

A team of Penn State researchers has developed a biomimetic nanosystem to deliver therapeutic proteins to selectively target cancerous tumors.

13 Jun 2018

Tea towels in the kitchen could be responsible for food poisonings finds study

Repeated use of the tea towels in the kitchen may be putting the families at risk of food poisonings finds study.

12 Jun 2018

Researchers report on the sweet side of snake venom toxins

A bite from a lancehead snake can be fatal. Species in the family, found throughout Central and South America, have venom that can disrupt blood clotting and cause hemorrhage, strokes and kidney failure.

4 Jun 2018

Study: Disease-causing stomach bacterium shuts down energy production in host cells

Researchers report in a new study that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori - a major contributor to gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancer - resists the body's immune defenses by shutting down energy production within the cells of the stomach lining that serve as a barrier to infection.

31 May 2018

Scientists report new strategy for fighting bacteria

Antimicrobial resistance is a major medical problem worldwide, impacting both human health and economic well-being.

24 May 2018

Study finds link between lead exposure and fertility rates

Over the last few years, Flint, Michigan, has been in the news due to findings related to lead in its water supply. New research that examined the impact of exposure to lead (in the air and topsoil) on fertility in the United States has found that exposure matters for both women and men.

22 May 2018

New study shows link between blood type and severity of diarrhea caused by E. coli

A new study shows that a kind of E. coli most associated with "travelers' diarrhea" and children in underdeveloped areas of the world causes more severe disease in people with blood type A.

18 May 2018

Some water pitchers are much better at removing toxins, shows research

Water pitchers designed to rid water of harmful contaminants are not created equal, new research has found. Scientists from The Ohio State University compared three popular pitcher brands' ability to clear dangerous microcystins from tap water.

18 May 2018

Romaine lettuce contamination possibly towards conclusion says CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a report titled, “Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce”, stating that it is safe to consume romaine lettuce which was implicated in transmitting a toxic strain of E. coli since March this year.

17 May 2018

Research may pave way for new C. diff antitoxins and anti-cancer drugs

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine and Harvard University have discovered how the Clostridium difficile toxin B recognizes the human Frizzled protein, the receptor it uses to invade intestinal cells and lead to deadly gastrointestinal infections.

14 May 2018