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Energy drain from antibiotics spurs bacteria to resist treatment faster

Antibiotics are supposed to wipe out bacteria, yet the drugs can sometimes hand microbes an unexpected advantage.

9 Jun 2025

European study maps cross border spread of diphtheria among refugees

In 2022, Western Europe experienced the largest surge in reported diphtheria infections in 70 years. Clinical and genomic data from the outbreak point toward transmission routes along established migration pathways into Europe.

6 Jun 2025

Scientists unlock potential of cytokine adjuvants in mRNA vaccines

In the quest to design vaccines that better help the body's immune system fight disease, scientists are always looking for more tools for their arsenal.

6 Jun 2025

Maternal exposure to metals rewires infants’ gut and resistance genes

Prenatal exposure to trace elements like selenium, copper, and arsenic can significantly alter the infant gut microbiome, metabolism, and antibiotic resistance gene patterns. These changes appear as early as three months and evolve during the first year of life.

5 Jun 2025

New funding boosts development of rapid test for sexually transmitted infections

Birmingham spin-out Linear Diagnostics has been awarded £1m funding to finalizse the development of a rapid test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), in partnership with the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Diagnostic and Technology Evaluation and the North East Innovation Lab, part of Newcastle Hospitals.

5 Jun 2025

Mass treatment with the antibiotic azithromycin may lead to increased drug resistance

Efforts to reduce child mortality in Africa via mass treatment with the antibiotic azithromycin (AZM) may lead to increased drug resistance in bacteria that frequently cause pneumonia and meningitis, highlighting the need for careful monitoring, finds a new study led by UCL.

4 Jun 2025

Breastfeeding habits barely change milk’s microbiome, study reveals

A study shows that breastfeeding frequency and duration do not significantly alter the human milk microbiome, highlighting other influencing factors.

4 Jun 2025

New family of antibiotics derived from the body's own proteins

A team of scientists led by the UAB has identified a new type of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) found in human proteins that are capable of selectively eliminating multidrug-resistant bacteria, particularly of the gram-negative type, responsible for serious hospital acquired infections.

4 Jun 2025

ADHD linked to higher risk of irritable bowel syndrome, global study reveals

A global meta-analysis found that people with ADHD are significantly more likely to have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while the overall risk for other intestinal disorders is not increased. The findings highlight the importance of gut-brain interactions in ADHD and call for further research on microbiome-based therapies.

3 Jun 2025

Maternal obesity linked to children's heightened risk of infection-related hospitalizations

Children born to mothers who are very obese with a BMI of 35 or higher are at heightened risk of being admitted to hospital for an infection, finds a long term study published in the open access journal BMJ Medicine.

3 Jun 2025

Flea protein inspires breakthrough in preventing medical implant infections

A protein that gives fleas their bounce has been used to boot out bacteria cells, with lab results demonstrating the material's potential for preventing medical implant infection.

2 Jun 2025

New compound infuzide shows promise against resistant bacterial infections

Antimicrobial resistance directly causes more than 1 million deaths every year and contributes to more than 35 million more, according to the World Health Organization. Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus sp., 2 gram-positive pathogens highly likely to develop resistance to known treatments, can cause dangerous hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections.

2 Jun 2025

US funding freeze halts malaria prevention and genomic research

The “catastrophic” freeze on US funding for malaria has halted prevention programmes across Africa and also threatens to stall advances in genomic research, says Jane Carlton, director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.

1 Jun 2025

Scientists uncover how a single gene shaped the course of plague pandemic

Scientists have documented the way a single gene in the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, Yersinia pestis, allowed it to survive hundreds of years by adjusting its virulence and the length of time it took to kill its victims, but these forms of plague ultimately died out.

1 Jun 2025

New antibody discovery reveals powerful immune defense against tuberculosis

Researchers at the Ragon Institute have made a significant discovery about how antibodies can directly enhance the body's ability to fight Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis (TB).

30 May 2025

Genetic evolution of plague bacterium may have prolonged historic pandemics

Scientists at the Institut Pasteur and McMaster University have discovered that the evolution of a gene in the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, Yersinia pestis, may have prolonged the duration of two major pandemics.

29 May 2025

Scientists boost black cabbage’s health benefits with targeted fermentation

Controlled fermentation of black cabbage using specific bacterial and yeast starters enhanced its antioxidant, polyphenol, and amino acid content, while ensuring food safety and improving sensory qualities. Yeast-fermented pressed cabbage achieved the highest nutritional gains, with both starter cultures and pressing technique playing key roles in maximizing health-promoting benefits.

28 May 2025

Intestinal bacteria and their metabolites contribute directly to vascular aging

The aging of the innermost cell layer of blood vessels leads to cardiovascular diseases. Researchers at UZH have now shown for the first time that intestinal bacteria and their metabolites contribute directly to vascular aging.

28 May 2025

Yeast cells offer promising alternative for manufacturing DNase1

The protein DNase1 is one of the oldest biological agents in history: It has been on the market since 1958 and is now used, among other things, to treat cystic fibrosis.

28 May 2025

Innovative approaches to managing diabetic wounds with smart bioactive dressings

A recent study published in Engineering delves into the advancements in wound management, specifically focusing on microenvironment-sensitive bioactive dressings for diabetic wounds. Diabetic wounds (DWs) are a major complication of diabetes mellitus.

26 May 2025