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Better fungal disease diagnostics could be critical to fight against antimicrobial resistance

Poor diagnosis worldwide of fungal disease causes doctors to overprescribe antibiotics, increasing harmful resistance to antimicrobial drugs, according to a paper published today in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

17 Jan 2017

ESCMID grant helps young investigators to study microorganisms, find better approaches to treat infectious diseases

The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases through its annual grant programme helps young investigators pursue ground-breaking research to advance our understanding of microorganisms and find better approaches to diagnose, prevent and treat infectious diseases.

5 Jan 2017

How can we tackle antimicrobial resistance?

Antimicrobial resistance happens when bugs, like bacteria, fungi or viruses, change, or evolve, when they’re exposed to drugs, like antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals. Bugs that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as ‘superbugs’.

20 Dec 2016

Two drug combinations may reduce mortality rates in breast cancer patients, study reveals

Patient health records revealed two drug combinations that may reduce mortality rates in breast cancer patients, according to a study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

9 Dec 2016

Dirt beneath New York City may provide new weapons to fight against disease

Microbes have long been an invaluable source of new drugs. And to find more, we may have to look no further than the ground beneath our feet.

29 Nov 2016

Study: Fungal asthma in UK greatly exceeds prior estimates

Experts are warning of a significant increase in the number of people in the UK who are living with invasive and serious fungal diseases that affect the lungs, bloodstream and brain and can sometimes lead to death.

16 Nov 2016

GAFFI: Access to rapid diagnostics, antifungals could prevent over a million AIDS-related deaths by 2020

Fungal infection causes around half of AIDS-related deaths, of which there were 1,100,000 in 2015. A first of its kind analysis – ‘Modelling reduction in AIDS deaths’ by the University of Manchester’s Professor David W Denning and published today in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B – suggests that the opportunity to save lives is being missed.

25 Oct 2016

Aflatoxin exposure can weaken airways' defenses opening door for severe respiratory diseases

Toxins from mold found growing on nuts or corn can weaken the airways' self-clearing mechanisms and immunity, opening the door for respiratory diseases and exacerbating existing ones, suggests a study in Nature Scientific Reports published this month from otolaryngology researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

27 Sep 2016

Aspergillus fungus can easily adapt to changing environments, researchers find

The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is capable of rapid genetic adaptation in both natural environments and in humans according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases by Radboud university medical center/CWZ and Wageningen University & Research.

27 Sep 2016

Scientists identify potential mechanism that paves way for improved treatment of fungal infections

By identifying new compounds that selectively block mitochondrial respiration in pathogenic fungi, Whitehead Institute scientists have identified a potential antifungal mechanism that could enable combination therapy with fluconazole, one of today's most commonly prescribed fungal infection treatments.

11 Aug 2016

Research finding opens new avenues to tailor drug development with Upsalite

For the first time, researchers have revealed the nanostructure of the mesoporous magnesium carbonate Upsalite and pore size control was achieved without organic templates or swelling agents.

11 Aug 2016

Naturally-occurring protein controls shape and activity of white blood cells to combat sepsis

Boosting levels of a protein that controls the shape and activity of a crucial group of white blood cells improves survival and recovery chances during sepsis.

8 Aug 2016

New Valley Fever testing technology developed by TGen and NAU receives U.S. patent

Valley Fever, a potentially deadly dust-borne fungal disease, should be easier to diagnose and treat thanks to a testing technology developed by the Translational Genomics Research Institute and Northern Arizona University, and now protected by a patent issued today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

3 Aug 2016

Valley fever diagnosis often overlooked by primary care physicians

For patients with pneumonia or ongoing influenza-like symptoms who live in or have visited the west or southwest United States, especially Arizona and central California, infectious diseases experts recommend physicians suspect valley fever, an often-overlooked fungal infection.

28 Jul 2016

Researchers design inhibitory peptide to unleash defence mechanisms against fungal pathogens

For most people, a simple case of thrush or athlete's foot can be quickly and easily treated using over-the-counter anti-fungal creams and pills.

19 Jul 2016

Researchers identify gene-based treatment that works against fungus

Fungal infections pose a major threat to hospital patients and have proven difficult to combat, but scientists have unlocked evidence that could lead to more effective treatment.

18 Jul 2016

Advances in inhaled drug delivery: an interview with Dr Robert Clarke

Delivering drugs to the lungs via inhalation has a number of potential advantages over traditional routes of administration like pills or injections. For treating pulmonary diseases, the obvious logic we are applying is topical delivery to the airways via inhalation.

1 Jul 2016

New IDSA guidelines focus on diagnosis, treatment of deadly aspergillosis

New therapies are improving care, but early diagnosis remains critical in the effective treatment of invasive, a potentially deadly fungal infection, according to new guidelines released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

30 Jun 2016

New Bruker In-Vivo Xtreme II system accelerates preclinical infectious disease research at University of Lausanne

Bruker’s recently introduced preclinical in vivo imaging system – In-Vivo Xtreme II™– is accelerating the preclinical research into infectious diseases being undertaken at the Institute of Microbiology at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Infectious diseases are the second leading cause of death worldwide.

From Bruker BioSpin - NMR, EPR and Imaging 24 Jun 2016

Few simple tips to prevent, treat swimmer’s ear

For many kids, spending hours in the water this summer can bring on a painful infection of the external ear canal called swimmer's ear.

13 Jun 2016