Microbiology News and Research

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Mutation in OTULIN gene causes rare childhood skin disease

An international team of researchers has identified a genetic cause for a rare inflammatory skin condition.

15 Jun 2026

AI could help food systems detect pathogens, fraud, and contamination faster

A systematic review of 161 peer-reviewed publications found that AI research in food safety has expanded rapidly, rising from one study in 2012 to 46 in 2023. The review shows that machine learning and deep learning are being studied for pathogen detection, chemical contamination prediction, food fraud screening, outbreak surveillance, and regulatory decision-making, but data gaps, class imbalance, privacy limits, and model interpretability remain major barriers.

15 Jun 2026

Eliminating dietary sugar may disrupt gut health and promote inflammation

Eliminating sugar from your diet may be more detrimental than previously thought, according to an animal study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

14 Jun 2026

Cellular process discovery may lead to new cancer treatments

A molecular geneticist at Montana State University has discovered a cellular process once believed impossible by scientists – the creation of the amino acid cysteine within a living cell when the cell's primary systems to do so fail. The discovery may one day lead to new cancer treatments.

12 Jun 2026

Engineered phages use molecular anchors to enter human cells

The study identified phage surface proteins acting as molecular anchors. These proteins confer phages ith the ability to attach to human cells.

12 Jun 2026

Researchers urge one health approach to control raccoon-borne water contamination

The emerging infectious bacterium Escherichia albertii has caused outbreaks of severe food poisoning and hospitalized people through contaminated water and foods, such as salad ingredients. Now, a new study from Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) has gathered evidence from river, animal and genetic samples that suggest a pathway by which invasive raccoons (Procyon lotor) transmit infections to humans.

12 Jun 2026

Single-dose vaccine provides complete protection against Andes hantavirus

In a study published in The Lancet, researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) report the development of new vaccines that, in animal testing, provided full protection against the deadly Andes hantavirus after a single dose.

11 Jun 2026

Key proteins enable louse-borne relapsing fever pathogen to evade immunity

Louse-borne relapsing fever is caused by the spirochete bacterium Borrelia recurrentis, which is transmitted by body lice (not head lice).

10 Jun 2026

Experimental two‑in‑one vaccine shows success in human LASSARAB trial

Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine have reported encouraging results from the first human clinical trial of LASSARAB, an experimental vaccine designed to protect against Lassa fever and rabies in a single formulation.

9 Jun 2026

Study: Antibiotic resistance is increasing in Shiga toxin-producing E. coli

Resistance to antimicrobial agents is rising among human infections with Escherichia coli bacteria that produce the Shiga toxin, according to a study analyzing data from nearly 2,000 infections in the United States between 2010 and 2021.

8 Jun 2026

Antibiotic by-products in waterways continue promoting bacterial resistance

Antibiotics continue to drive resistance to bacteria, even after they are broken down in wastewater treatment plants and discharged into rivers and seas, new research published on World Oceans Day has shown for the first time.

8 Jun 2026

Research highlights ongoing TORCH infection risks despite rising vaccination rates

The TORCH complex is a group of pathogens that can cause infections with mild or silent symptoms in an expecting mother, but in a developing fetus can lead to serious complications that include stillbirth, lifelong disability, or birth defects.

8 Jun 2026

Nature exposure shapes nasal microbiomes and mental well-being

Plenty of studies have linked exposure to nature to a wide variety of health benefits, from improved cognitive function to lower blood pressure to better mental health.

7 Jun 2026

Children facing food insecurity show distinct gut microbiomes

Food insecurity may leave a measurable biological signature in the gut microbiome of children, according to new research presented at ASM Microbe 2026.

7 Jun 2026

Microbially modified bile acids influence sleep apnea outcomes

Studies in mice reveal a new target for potentially treating and preventing life-threatening cardiovascular complications in the millions of patients with sleep apnea worldwide.

7 Jun 2026

Novel technique enables rapid sequencing of rare hantaviruses

Infections by hantaviruses are rare but dangerous, killing 30-40% of infected people. When cases occur, public health officials need rapid, detailed information about the virus to identify the strain and its origin, so they can stop others from being exposed to the disease.

5 Jun 2026