Bacteria News and Research

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Enhanced biodiversity of worms, germs associated with better immune function, overall health

A growing body of evidence in the medical community holds that greater diversity of bacteria and even worms in the digestive tract offers protection against a variety of allergic and autoimmune problems.

9 Apr 2015

Study may point to immediate cause of CF exacerbations

In the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis (CF), the most severe symptoms are recurring episodes of lung inflammation and bacterial infection (known as "exacerbations") that happen from one to three times a year and cause ever-increasing amounts of lung damage through the course of a CF patient's life.

9 Apr 2015

Simple dietary intervention can help reduce weight gain

A University of Calgary study has found that rats fed a fibre supplement while on a high fat and high sugar diet show a much lower weight gain than those who did not eat the fibre. A team of researchers from the university's Cumming School of Medicine and the Faculty of Kinesiology says the study helps scientists better understand the mechanisms of weight control and energy balance.

9 Apr 2015

Loyola otolaryngologist offers tips to identify, treat ear infection in children

Earaches in babies are not uncommon. But a baby's inability to communicate symptoms can leave most parents feeling helpless. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, three-fourths of babies will get at least one ear infection before the age of one.

8 Apr 2015

Researchers reveal molecular structure of cytotoxin from Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Researchers from the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio today revealed the molecular structure of the cytotoxin from Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a widespread, highly contagious bacterium that infects the lungs.

8 Apr 2015

Experimental oligonucleotide-based drug stimulates human immune system to fight infections

An experimental single-stranded oligonucleotide-based drug, MGN1703, comprised only of natural DNA components, stimulates the human immune system to fight infections and attack cancer cells without causing the harmful side effects associated with similar compounds that also contain non-natural DNA components.

8 Apr 2015

American Oil Chemists' Society honors UMass Amherst food scientist

The American Oil Chemists' Society has honored University of Massachusetts Amherst food scientist Yeonhwa Park with the Timothy L. Mounts Award for her "significant and important contributions in the area of bioactive lipids and their impact on health conditions such as obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis and cardiovascular disease."

8 Apr 2015

Study: Gene variant, urban environment increase risk of severe disease in children infected with RSV

A particular genetic mutation combined with an urban environment increases the risk of severe disease in children infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an international team of investigators has found.

8 Apr 2015

Nabriva Therapeutics completes $120 million Series B financing

Nabriva Therapeutics AG, a biotechnology company focused on developing pleuromutilins, a new class of antibiotics for the treatment of serious infections caused by resistant gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, today announced the successful completion of a $120 million Series B financing.

7 Apr 2015

New model can help predict how humans adapt to high- and low-altitude hypoxia

There are few times in life when one should aim for suboptimal performance, but new research at Rice University suggests scientists who study metabolism and its role in evolution should look for signs of just that.

7 Apr 2015

New data underscore global threats posed by unsafe foods

New data on the harm caused by foodborne illnesses underscore the global threats posed by unsafe foods, and the need for coordinated, cross-border action across the entire food supply chain, according to WHO, which next week is dedicating its annual World Health Day to the issue of food safety.

6 Apr 2015

Case Western Reserve researchers explore ways to treat, cure TB

After discovering a unique group of people resistant to tuberculosis (TB) infection, Case Western Reserve researchers are leading an international team dedicated to understanding exactly how they fight off a disease that claims 1.5 million lives each year.

6 Apr 2015

New biodegradable membrane reduces wound healing time by 50%

Treatments to regenerate skin from burns become tedious and long lasting; however, Mexican researchers developed a biodegradable membrane that allows to transfer skin cells (keratinocytes) to burn wounds, when placed on the wound. The method reduces healing time by 50 percent.

3 Apr 2015

Dartmouth researchers use new strategies to target drug-resistant pathogens

By engineering antibacterial enzymes, Dartmouth investigators led by Karl Griswold, PhD are using novel strategies to target the prevalent drug-resistant bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.

3 Apr 2015

Novel biosensing platform could remotely determine treatment options for HIV, E-coli

In much the same way that glucometers and pregnancy tests have revolutionized in-home diagnostic testing, researchers from Florida Atlantic University and collaborators have identified a new biosensing platform that could be used to remotely detect and determine treatment options for HIV, E-coli, Staphylococcus aureas and other bacteria.

3 Apr 2015

International travelers bring multidrug-resistant shigellosis to the US

International travelers are bringing a multidrug-resistant intestinal illness to the United States and spreading it to others who have not traveled, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

3 Apr 2015

Microbes go dormant in the presence of SSV9 virus

The microbes could surrender to the harmless virus, but instead freeze in place, dormant, waiting for their potential predator to go away, according to a recent study in mBio.

3 Apr 2015

NASH patients more likely to have increased intestinal permeability, shows study

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the more severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that can progress to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, is associated with leakiness of the intestinal wall, which in turn may worsen liver disease, according to research published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the new basic science journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

3 Apr 2015

MRSA bacteria exposed to cigarette smoke become more resistant to antimicrobial peptides

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an antibiotic-resistant superbug, can cause life-threatening skin, bloodstream and surgical site infections or pneumonia. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine now report that cigarette smoke may make matters worse.

3 Apr 2015

Treating common gum disease in CKD patients could reduce heart disease risk

Treating a common gum condition in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients could significantly reduce their risk of potentially fatal heart disease, Aston University researchers say.

2 Apr 2015