Bacteria News and Research

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Yaws disease re-emerging

Yaws, a disease which eats away at the skin, cartilage and bones of its victims (mostly children), is re- emerging in poor, rural and marginalized populations of Africa, Asia and South America.

28 Jan 2007

Minor mistake in protein production at the cellular level may lead to serious neurological diseases

But exactly how the cell avoids such mistakes has remained unclear until now. Researchers at Ohio State University found the mechanism that prevents such errors, and explain their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

28 Jan 2007

New understanding of the hit-and-run tactics used by infectious bacteria

New research from scientists at the University of Cambridge has the potential to radically change our understanding of how infection spreads around the body and improve the methods used to control it.

22 Jan 2007

Sequella receives FDA fast track status for pulmonary tuberculosis drug

Sequella, Inc. has announced it has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for SQ109, the company's proprietary lead drug candidate for treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).

22 Jan 2007

Lung neutrophils produce histamine in significant quantities

In a surprise finding, scientists have discovered that histamine, the inflammatory compound released during allergic reactions that causes runny nose, watery eyes, and wheezing, can be produced in large amounts in the lung by neutrophils, the white blood cells that are the major component of pus.

14 Jan 2007

New treatment technique for decontaminating flood water

Engineers have developed a system that uses a simple water purification technique that can eliminate 100 percent of the microbes in New Orleans water samples left from Hurricane Katrina. The technique makes use of specialized resins, copper and hydrogen peroxide to purify tainted water.

10 Jan 2007

Study shows why the body's immune system doesn't attack tissues in the small intestine

Answering one of the oldest questions in human physiology, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have discovered why the body's immune system - perpetually on guard against foreign microbes like bacteria - doesn't attack tissues in the small intestine that harbor millions of bacteria cells.

9 Jan 2007

Modified skin cells that may help protect cultured skin substitutes from infection

Cincinnati burn researchers have created genetically modified skin cells that, when added to cultured skin substitutes, may help fight off potentially lethal infections in patients with severe burns.

9 Jan 2007

Allergic reactions to insulin have declined and Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion could reduce them further

A review of published research from the University of Liege, Belgium, reveals a decline in the number of people experiencing allergic reactions to insulin. This is largely due to better purification of animal insulin and the introduction of human recombinant insulin.

8 Jan 2007

Contaminated U.S. spinach causes food scare in Canada

In the latest food scare to hit North America Canadians are being warned against eating an American brand of fresh spinach.

12 Dec 2006

80 reasons to eat at home

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. says there have now been 80 confirmed cases of E. coli infections across five states.

12 Dec 2006

Warehouse the suspect in latest E. coli outbreak

It is believed the source of the latest E. coli outbreak in the United States in which 11 Taco Bells restaurants have been implicated, could be a distribution center in New Jersey.

6 Dec 2006

Just how safe is that chicken?

A report by a consumer group in the U.S. has found that most of the chicken sold in grocery stores could contain bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses.

5 Dec 2006

Another food scare in the U.S.

In the latest food scare to hit the U.S. an outbreak of E. coli has made two people seriously ill and sickened at least 22 others in New Jersey.

5 Dec 2006

Weight determination of individual viruses with a miniature ion trap

Viruses are the simplest life forms on our planet, consisting of only DNA or RNA and a shell. After the prokaryotes (bacteria and archebacteria), viruses are the second most common type of organism. In our oceans they are the most common life form.

4 Dec 2006

The role of gut worms in allergies

Gut parasites could hold the key to increasingly common conditions such as eczema, asthma and hay fever, according to scientists at The University of Nottingham.

2 Dec 2006

Misuse of super-strength Botox paralyzes victims

The misuse of a super-strength botulinum toxin by an osteopath in America, rendered him, his girlfriend and two of his patients so ill that they were paralyzed and hospitalized for months in 2004.

22 Nov 2006

Doctors say antibiotics pointless for acute bronchitis

Researchers say they have found no evidence in current literature that antibiotics are effective in treating the vast majority of patients with acute bronchitis and say doctors should stop routinely prescribing them.

16 Nov 2006

Link between common lifestyle factors, immune system and cancer

The immune system is fickle, and easily influenced by more than just viruses and bacteria. It can be swayed by the seemingly unexpected, such as by what we eat, for example, and affected by surprising sources.

13 Nov 2006

Latest food scare - Salmonella in Hershey chocolate bars

In the latest food scare to hit North America confectionary and biscuits by Hershey Canada have been recalled because they may be tainted with salmonella.

13 Nov 2006