Bacteria News and Research

RSS

Study: Strain of bacteria infections in humans originally come from cattle

A strain of bacteria that causes skin and soft tissue infections in humans originally came from cattle, according to a study to be published in mBio-, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

13 Aug 2013

Bacterial strains that delay cell division might be used to design drugs that stop division entirely

In 1958 a group of scientists working in Denmark made the striking observation that bacterial cells are about twice as large when they are cultured on a rich nutrient source than when they are cultured on a meager one.

13 Aug 2013

Researchers create an efficient technique to target and repair defective genes

Using human pluripotent stem cells and DNA-cutting protein from meningitis bacteria, researchers from the Morgridge Institute for Research and Northwestern University have created an efficient way to target and repair defective genes.

13 Aug 2013

Tubingen researchers resolve how a plant steroid hormone makes plants grow

If one wants to better understand how plants grow, one must analyse the chemistry of life in its molecular detail. Michael Hothorn from the Friedrich-Miescher-Laboratory of the Max Planck Society in T-bingen and his team are doing just that. Their latest work now reveals that a plant membrane receptor requires a helper protein to sense a growth-promoting steroid hormone and to transduce this signal across the cell membrane.

9 Aug 2013

Children born by Caesarean section more vulnerable to allergies

Children who came into the world by Caesarean section are more often affected by allergies than those born in the natural way. The reason for this may be that they have a less diverse gut microbiota, according to a study by universities in Sweden and Scotland.

9 Aug 2013

Probiotic supplements have no effect on the incidence of diarrhoea in elderly patients

Probiotic supplements given to elderly patients on antibiotics appear to have no effect on the incidence of diarrhoea, a common and sometimes life-threatening side effect of using antibiotics for many elderly patients, according to a new study published in The Lancet.

9 Aug 2013

Research shows how mammalian and bacterial kingdoms interact

The bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae harmlessly colonizes the mucous linings of throats and noses in most people, only becoming virulent when they leave those comfortable surroundings and enter the middle ears, lungs or bloodstream. Now, in research published in July in mBio, University at Buffalo researchers reveal how that happens.

8 Aug 2013

AmpliPhi releases data on phage therapy for treatment of lung infections in Cystic Fibrosis patients

AmpliPhi BioSciences Corp. (OTC: APHB) ("AmpliPhi"), the leader in the development of bacteriophage-based antibacterial therapies to treat drug resistant bacterial infections, yesterday presented data relating to the use of bacteriophages in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) at the 20th Biennial Evergreen International Phage Meeting held in Olympia, Washington, USA. P. aeruginosa is the major cause of lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

8 Aug 2013

Scientist receives 1.3M grant to study how beneficial bacteria protect against deadly infection

A Norwich Research Park scientist has received -1.3 million in funding from the Wellcome Trust to investigate how beneficial bacteria protect against deadly infection in early life.

8 Aug 2013

Researchers improve efficacy of RASV by modifying pathogen’s ability to survive in hostile environment

The bacterial pathogen Salmonella has a notorious capacity for infection. Last year alone, according to the Center for Disease Control, various species of Salmonella caused multistate disease outbreaks linked with contaminated peanut butter, mangoes, ground beef, cantaloupe, poultry, tuna fish, small turtles and dry dog food.

7 Aug 2013

Single antibiotic treatment safe and effective for children with invasive bloodstream infections

Children with invasive bloodstream infections treated with a single antibiotic are just as likely to overcome their infections as those who get two-drug therapy, but at half the risk of drug-induced kidney damage, according to results of a Johns Hopkins Children’s Center study.

6 Aug 2013

Discovery brings scientists one step closer to understanding challenges linked to mercury cleanup

More forms of mercury can be converted to deadly methylmercury than previously thought, according to a study published Sunday in Nature Geoscience. The discovery provides scientists with another piece of the mercury puzzle, bringing them one step closer to understanding the challenges associated with mercury cleanup.

6 Aug 2013

Nano-machine cell killer offers new insight into fight against pathogens

This is a veritable mechanics of aggression on the nanoscale. Certain bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, have the ability to deploy tiny darts. This biological weapon kills the host cell by piercing the membrane.

5 Aug 2013

Study opens door to possible treatments for variety of mitochondrial diseases

By borrowing a tool from bacteria that infect plants, scientists have developed a new approach to eliminate mutated DNA inside mitochondria-the energy factories within cells. Doctors might someday use the approach to treat a variety of mitochondrial diseases, including the degenerative eye disease Leber hereditary optic neuropathy. The research, published online today in Nature Medicine, was funded by the National Eye Institute, a part of the National Institutes of Health.

5 Aug 2013

Decatur Memorial Hospital installs germ-zapping robots to kill bugs

As hospitals across the nation look for new and innovative ways to battle deadly pathogens and kill multi-drug resistant organisms that put patients at risk, Decatur Memorial Hospital (DMH) has taken a leap into the future with the installation of two germ-zapping robots that eliminate hard-to-kill bugs in hard-to-clean places.

3 Aug 2013

Combating antibiotic resistance: an interview with Ron Najafi, CEO NovaBay Pharmaceuticals

Approximately 80 years ago the first antibiotic was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming, for which he was justifiably awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine.

2 Aug 2013

Physicians prescribe strongest antibiotics capable of killing multiple kinds of bacteria

When U.S. physicians prescribe antibiotics, more than 60 percent of the time they choose some of the strongest types of antibiotics, referred to as "broad spectrum," which are capable of killing multiple kinds of bacteria, University of Utah researchers show in a new study.

2 Aug 2013

Microbiologists identify staph-killing compound that may be effective for osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis, a debilitating bone infection most frequently caused by Staphylococcus aureus ("staph") bacteria, is particularly challenging to treat.

2 Aug 2013

Deletion of a protein improves ability to fight bacteria in mice with CGD

Deletion of a protein in white blood cells improves their ability to fight the bacteria staphylococcus aureus and possibly other infections in mice with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), according to a National Institutes of Health study. CGD, a genetic disorder also found in people, is marked by recurrent, life-threatening infections. The study's findings appear online in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

2 Aug 2013

MAPS method could speed development of new vaccines for serious pathogens

A new method of vaccine design, called the Multiple Antigen Presentation System, may result in vaccines that bring together the benefits of whole-cell and acellular or defined subunit vaccination.

1 Aug 2013

Bacteria News and Research

Study: Strain of bacteria infections in humans originally come from cattle

Bacterial strains that delay cell division might be used to design drugs that stop division entirely

Researchers create an efficient technique to target and repair defective genes

Tubingen researchers resolve how a plant steroid hormone makes plants grow

Children born by Caesarean section more vulnerable to allergies

Probiotic supplements have no effect on the incidence of diarrhoea in elderly patients

Research shows how mammalian and bacterial kingdoms interact

AmpliPhi releases data on phage therapy for treatment of lung infections in Cystic Fibrosis patients

Scientist receives 1.3M grant to study how beneficial bacteria protect against deadly infection

Researchers improve efficacy of RASV by modifying pathogen’s ability to survive in hostile environment

Single antibiotic treatment safe and effective for children with invasive bloodstream infections

Discovery brings scientists one step closer to understanding challenges linked to mercury cleanup

Nano-machine cell killer offers new insight into fight against pathogens

Study opens door to possible treatments for variety of mitochondrial diseases

Decatur Memorial Hospital installs germ-zapping robots to kill bugs

Combating antibiotic resistance: an interview with Ron Najafi, CEO NovaBay Pharmaceuticals

Physicians prescribe strongest antibiotics capable of killing multiple kinds of bacteria

Microbiologists identify staph-killing compound that may be effective for osteomyelitis

Deletion of a protein improves ability to fight bacteria in mice with CGD

MAPS method could speed development of new vaccines for serious pathogens

Microbiology eBook

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Latest Life Science News