E. coli News and Research

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E. coli or Escherichia coli is the name of a type of bacteria that lives in your intestines. Most types of E. coli are harmless. However, some types can make you sick and cause diarrhea. One type causes travelers' diarrhea. The worst type of E. coli causes bloody diarrhea, and can sometimes cause kidney failure and even death. These problems are most likely to occur in children and in adults with weak immune systems. You can get E. coli infections by eating foods containing the bacteria. To help avoid food poisoning and prevent infection, handle food safely. Cook meat well, wash fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking them, and avoid unpasteurized milk and juices. You can also get the infection by swallowing water in a swimming pool contaminated with human waste. Most cases of E. coli infection get better without treatment in 5 to 10 days.

Nature Biotechnology publishes BGI, GT Life Sciences' study on CHO K1 genome

BGI, the world's largest genomics organization, and GT Life Sciences, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company that utilizes a proven metabolic modeling and experimental platform to drive the discovery and design of new products and processes for the life sciences field, announced today that their collaborative study on the genomic sequence of the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) K1 cell line was published July 31, 2011 online in Nature Biotechnology.

1 Aug 2011

SMRT DNA sequencing technology reveals genetic profile of German E. coli bacteria

An international team of scientists has successfully employed single molecule, real-time DNA sequencing technology from Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. to provide valuable insights into the pathogenicity and evolutionary origins of the highly virulent bacterium responsible for the German E. coli outbreak.

28 Jul 2011

UM researchers unravel genomic code of German E. coli bacteria

A team led by University of Maryland School of Medicine Institute for Genome Sciences researchers has unraveled the genomic code of the E. coli bacteria that caused the ongoing deadly outbreak in Germany that began in May 2011.

28 Jul 2011

Intravenous fluids appear to lower severity of kidney failure in children with E. coli infection

Infection with E. coli bacteria can wreak havoc in children, leading to bloody diarrhea, fever and kidney failure. But giving children intravenous fluids early in the course of an E. coli O157:H7 infection appears to lower the odds of developing severe kidney failure, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and other institutions.

25 Jul 2011

Neogen develops new pathogen DNA detection method for E. coli strains

Neogen Corporation has announced the development of a breakthrough pathogen detection and identification technology that provides next day, DNA-specific test results for seven pathogenic E. coli strains. The technology could be adapted to target almost any bacterium of concern in almost any food sample type.

21 Jul 2011

Alexion second quarter net product sales of Soliris increase to $185.7 million

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported net product sales of Soliris of $185.7 million in Q2, reflecting steady addition of new patients, compared to $125.8 million for the same period in 2010.

21 Jul 2011

Maltodextrin-based imaging probes could improve diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infections

A new family of contrast agents that sneak into bacteria disguised as glucose food can detect bacterial infections in animals with high sensitivity and specificity. These agents -- called maltodextrin-based imaging probes -- can also distinguish a bacterial infection from other inflammatory conditions.

21 Jul 2011

FDA warns consumers not to drink raw milk from Tucker Adkins Dairy

The FDA is working with officials in North Carolina and South Carolina to investigate an outbreak of campylobacteriosis in three people who consumed raw milk from Tucker Adkins Dairy in York, S.C. The three confirmed cases and another five probable cases are from three different households and each case reports that prior to becoming ill they consumed raw milk that was obtained from Tucker Adkins Dairy on June 14, 2011.

18 Jul 2011

PharmAthene demonstrates 36 month stability of rPA anthrax vaccine program candidate

PharmAthene, Inc. announced today that it has achieved an important program milestone in its recombinant protective antigen (rPA) anthrax vaccine program and demonstrated 36 month stability of its rPA drug product candidate previously produced at Avecia Biologics Laboratories in the United Kingdom. The stability data were prepared utilizing a variety of analytical methods and a well characterized mouse challenge potency assay.

14 Jul 2011

New strategy can prevent onset of E. coli related illness

The recent outbreak of E. coli infection in Germany has put a potentially fatal bacterium back on everyone's radar screen. While some researchers are looking for a better way to treat the disease, professor Debora Foster of the Department of Chemistry and Biology at Ryerson University is taking a different approach.

11 Jul 2011

Arizona E. coli related death triggers warning

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Arizona Department of Health announced last Friday that a man who recently traveled to Germany was infected by the German E. coli outbreak. The man died from kidney complications. This death was the first U.S. fatality of the relentless epidemic. According to the World Health Organization, 52 have been killed in the outbreak.

10 Jul 2011

Infectious adenoviruses and noroviruses in bathing water could pose a risk to health

European researchers have found viruses in nearly 40% of more than 1,400 bathing water samples gathered from coastal and inland areas in nine countries, including Spain. The concentrations found are low, but the scientists are calling for these microorganisms to be monitored in recreational waters, above all at times when their populations skyrocket, as is the case after heavy rains.

8 Jul 2011

Mesenchymal stem cells protect and heal

A stem cell that can morph into a number of different tissues is proving a natural protector, healer and antibiotic maker, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and their peers have found.

8 Jul 2011

New technology can inexpensively render medical linens, clothing permanently germ-free

A University of Georgia researcher has invented a new technology that can inexpensively render medical linens and clothing, face masks, paper towels-and yes, even diapers, intimate apparel and athletic wear, including smelly socks-permanently germ-free.

6 Jul 2011

CDC helping to detect and control disease outbreaks in other countries

"The Atlanta-based CDC is expanding its involvement in cases of illness overseas, from helping track the source of the highly toxic E. coli outbreak in Germany to homing in on the cause of cholera in the aftermath of Haiti's earthquake," in an effort "to stop epidemics before they can reach the United States," Reuters/MSNBC.com reports.

2 Jul 2011

Sprouts blamed for spreading Salmonella infection

Sprouts have been suspected to be the cause of 20 Salmonella infections in five states across the U.S., while an earlier Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes is probably over, according to federal officials.

28 Jun 2011

FDA warns consumers not to eat alfalfa, spicy sprouts from plastic bags

The FDA is warning consumers not to eat alfalfa sprouts or spicy sprouts from plastic bags labeled "Evergreen Produce" or "Evergreen Produce Inc."

28 Jun 2011

Bdellovibrio safe and effective for treating Salmonella infection

Scientists have tested a predatory bacterium - Bdellovibrio - against Salmonella in the guts of live chickens. They found that it significantly reduced the numbers of Salmonella bacteria and, importantly, showed that Bdellovibrio are safe when ingested.

28 Jun 2011

ASP unveils innovative healthcare environmental infection prevention technology

Sterilization Products (ASP) announced today the launch of an innovative infection prevention technology – GLOSAIR Healthcare Environmental Decontamination – that provides effective, safe and thorough disinfection of hospital rooms and operating suites to reduce the risk of patient contact with infection-causing pathogens.

27 Jun 2011

New York Times examines very rare E. coli strain responsible for German outbreak

The New York Times examines the E. coli strain responsible for the recent outbreak in Germany, saying the bacteria "have a highly unusual combination of two traits and that may be what made the outbreak among the deadliest in recent history, scientists there are reporting."

24 Jun 2011