Blood Poisoning News and Research

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Study finds high rates of hospital-acquired infections among children in paediatric ICUs

A study has demonstrated 'unacceptably high' rates of hospital-acquired infections among children in the UK and Europe.

2 Feb 2017

Empa researchers developing solution to magnetically remove bacteria from blood

Blood poisoning is still fatal in more than 50% of cases, but can be cured if treated at an early stage. The highest priority is therefore to act quickly.

8 Dec 2016

Awareness of signs and symptoms of meningitis remains worryingly low among UK parents, research reveals

Thirty-eight per cent of parents in the UK think a distinctive rash is the first symptom of meningitis, despite the fact it often appears after other symptoms, or not at all, according to new research from GSK.

26 Nov 2016

New research shows immune paralysis in sepsis patients can be reversed

Failure of the immune system during blood poisoning (sepsis) can be reversed by a specific sugar.

18 Nov 2016

Many people wrongly believe that sepsis is less deadly than breast cancer, research reveals

Most people do not know how deadly sepsis is, with four out offive wrongly believingthe condition is less deadly than breast cancer, according to the latest research.

14 Nov 2016

Fresh insights into immune cell could signal new approach to treating life-threatening lung condition

Fresh insights into a life-threatening lung condition triggered by blood poisoning could signal a new approach to treating the disease, researchers found.

3 Nov 2016

Simple steps can improve survival of sepsis patients

Sepsis, commonly called blood poisoning, is a common affliction that can affect people of all ages. A series of simple measures tested at a Norwegian hospital can make a difference in successfully treating sepsis.

31 Aug 2016

European scientists invent new microscope for rapid detection of deadly infections

A group of European scientists have invented a microscope that will allow the fastest ever detection of life-threatening infections caused by bacteria, such as E. coli or Staphylococcus, and conditions such as Meningitis, saving millions of lives every year.

24 Aug 2016

Scientists discover novel African types of Salmonella linked to blood poisoning and death

The first global-scale genetic study of Salmonella Enteritidis bacteria, which is a major cause of blood poisoning and death in Africa and food poisoning in the Western World, has discovered that there are in fact three separate types.

22 Aug 2016

Researchers find new way to kill Staphylococcus aureus bacteria

Scientists have discovered a new way to attack Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The team, from Imperial College London, have revealed how the bacteria regulates its salt levels.

16 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

Lipopeptides released by staphylococci play key role in triggering septicemia

Septicemia or blood poisoning caused by Staphylococcus aureus leads to thousands of deaths each year in Germany alone. Just how the infection begins - and can lead to multiple organ failure - was little understood until now.

4 Aug 2016

New technology can help in rapid diagnosis and treatment of sepsis

Sepsis patients can be diagnosed and treated earlier with the help of new technology available for hospitals and homecare settings.

14 Jul 2016

New test strip can rapidly, cost-effectively detect disease pathogens

At present, bacteria, fungi or viruses can generally only be detected with certainty by way of elaborate laboratory tests or animal experiments. The food and pharmaceutical industries would like to have faster tests to check their products.

4 Jul 2016

Structures on surface of pneumococci determine bacteria’s ability to cause meningitis

Structures on the surface of pneumococci determine the ability of these bacteria to enter the brain and cause severe infections, according to a paper published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation by researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

29 Jun 2016

New device may enable painless, effective diagnosis of Helicobacter in exhaled air

In the future, several illnesses can be quickly and painlessly diagnosed by the optical analysis of isotopes contained in exhaled air. VTT developed its first prototype for this purpose.

16 Jun 2016

New vaccine found safe, effective against Toxic Shock Syndrome

Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is a severe circulatory and organ failure caused by bacterial toxins, usually triggered by bacteria from the Staphylococcus group. Researchers from MedUni Vienna's Department of Clinical Pharmacology, in collaboration with the company Biomedizinische Forschungsgesellschaft mbH in Vienna, have now developed the world's first safe and effective vaccine against this disease and successfully tested it in a Phase I trial.

13 Jun 2016

New study suggests that Neanderthals across Europe may have diseases carried out of Africa

A new study suggests that Neanderthals across Europe may well have been infected with diseases carried out of Africa by waves of anatomically modern humans, or Homo sapiens. As both were species of hominin, it would have been easier for pathogens to jump populations, say researchers. This might have contributed to the demise of Neanderthals.

11 Apr 2016

Over- or under-reaction of immune system can be life-threatening

The dilemma of our immune system is comparable to the story of Icarus and Daedalus from Greek mythology. To escape their captivity, Daedalus built wings from feathers and wax for himself and his son. Daedalus warned his son that he must neither fly too high but also not too low, otherwise the sun's heat or the humidity of the sea would destroy his wings and he would crash. After they had successfully escaped, Icarus became boisterous and flew higher and higher until the sun began to melt the wax of his wings and he fell into the sea. Similarly, an over- or under-reaction of our immune system can be life-threatening.

11 Mar 2016

Invasive Salmonella infections revealed as major cause of child illness and deaths in Africa

Invasive Salmonella infections in sub-Saharan Africa are a major cause of child illness and deaths, a new body of research into this usually overlooked infectious disease has revealed.

8 Oct 2015