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Blood stem cell self-renewal dependent on surroundings

Stem cells have two important capabilities: they can develop into a wide range of cell types and simultaneously renew themselves, creating fresh stem cells. Using a model of the blood forming (hematopoietic) system, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now been able to precisely determine, which signaling pathways play an essential role in the self-renewal of blood stem cells. A particularly decisive role in this process is the interactive communication with surrounding tissue cells in the bone marrow.

3 Nov 2015

HIV, Ebola appear to be of animal origin

The hepatitis A virus can trigger acute liver inflammation which generally has a mild course in small children but which can become dangerous in adults.

3 Nov 2015

Researchers report new way to help improve vaccines using molecules that direct the immune system

As the days get colder and shorter, we carve jack-o-lanterns and drink pumpkin spice lattes. But one fall tradition can actually keep you healthy: getting your flu shot. Like all vaccines, the flu shot trains the immune system to fend off infection, but some need help to produce the full effect.

29 Oct 2015

Infections with Lone star ticks appear to be surging but deaths are not, new study reveals

A mild disease spread by the aggressive Lone star tick that is now colonizing large swaths of the United States is being mistaken for Rocky Mountain spotted fever, according to a new study from scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

28 Oct 2015

Luminex's NxTAG Respiratory Pathogen Panel receives CE-IVD marking

Luminex Corporation today announced that it has received CE-IVD marking for its NxTAG Respiratory Pathogen Panel. The Panel detects 21 clinically-relevant viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens, including the atypical bacteria Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Legionella pneumophila.

19 Oct 2015

Phagelux announces purchase of Scithera Microbial Technologies' key assets

Phagelux, Inc., a leading anti-bacterial company, is pleased to announce the purchase of the key assets of Scithera Microbial Technologies, Ltd., headquartered in Wuhan China, a pioneer in the research and development of lysin solutions for pathogen control in the field of human health.

14 Oct 2015

Tamoxifen drug clears MRSA, reduces mortality

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have found that the breast cancer drug tamoxifen gives white blood cells a boost, better enabling them to respond to, ensnare and kill bacteria in laboratory experiments. Tamoxifen treatment in mice also enhances clearance of the antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogen MRSA and reduces mortality.

13 Oct 2015

Gut microbiome can play significant role in the body's response to gluten

Investigators interested in celiac disease, a chronic gastrointestinal disorder caused by an immunologic response to the ingestion of gluten, have wondered why only 2% to 5% of genetically susceptible individuals develop the disease.

8 Oct 2015

New test identifies viruses that infect people and animals

A new test detects virtually any virus that infects people and animals, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where the technology was developed.

30 Sep 2015

Real-time blood test based on DNA sequencing can rapidly diagnose Ebola and other acute infections

Using technical advances not yet developed when the 2014 Ebola outbreak began, UC San Francisco-led scientists completed a proof-of-principle study on a real-time blood test based on DNA sequencing that can be used to rapidly diagnose Ebola and other acute infections. The researchers said that the test can be used even where lab space and medical infrastructure are scarce.

From Oxford Nanopore Technologies 29 Sep 2015

New study broadens understanding of how the immune system responds to flu virus

A new study of influenza infection in an animal model broadens understanding of how the immune system responds to flu virus, showing that the process is more dynamic than usually described, engaging a broader array of biological pathways. The researchers say their findings may offer key insights for designing more effective vaccines in general.

29 Sep 2015

New technique supplies faster resistance results, can benefit patients with blood poisoning

When treating cases of blood poisoning, doctors resort immediately to broad-spectrum antibiotics. The problem is that in many cases the bacteria are resistant to the medicine.

26 Sep 2015

Creating a new paradigm for management of yeast infections

Yeasts are unicellular microorganisms classified within the Fungi kingdom. They are well known for their use in baking, winemaking and beer brewing fermentation, but some species of yeast are opportunistic pathogens that can cause infections in humans. "Today, yeast infections are poorly understood, difficult to diagnose, and are becoming increasingly frequent and serious, affecting over 300 million people worldwide.

26 Sep 2015

H7N9 influenza vaccine failure may be due to immune camouflage, study reveals

The avian influenza A (H7N9) virus has been a major concern since the first outbreak in China in 2013. Due to its high rate of lethality and pandemic potential, H7N9 vaccine development has become a priority for public health officials. However, candidate vaccines have failed to elicit the strong immune responses necessary to protect from infection.

25 Sep 2015

Researchers reveal potential new treatment methods for fatal brain disease

Researchers from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich reveal possible new treatment methods for a rare, usually fatal brain disease. Thanks to their discovery that specific antibodies play a key role in combating the viral infection, a vaccine against the disease "progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy" could now be developed.

24 Sep 2015

Stanford researchers successfully defeat C. difficile bacteria

Stanford University School of Medicine scientists successfully defeated a dangerous intestinal pathogen, Clostridium difficile, with a drug targeting its toxins rather than its life.

24 Sep 2015

AmpliPhi's novel bacteriophage therapy demonstrates comparable efficacy to vancomycin in S. aureus lung infection model

AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation, a global leader in the development of bacteriophage-based antibacterial therapies to treat drug-resistant infections, today announced experimental results highlighting that its prototype bacteriophage cocktail demonstrated comparable efficacy to vancomycin in reduction of Staphylococcus aureus in a murine lung infection model.

22 Sep 2015

Study: Skin microbiome can influence outcomes of chancroid

For years, researchers have known that the human skin is home to a diverse community of microorganisms, collectively known as the skin microbiome. Now a new study has shown that individuals with a particular skin microbiome can effectively clear bacteria that cause chancroid, a sexually transmitted disease common in the developing world that has been linked to enhanced HIV transmission.

16 Sep 2015

Bioquell to unveil advanced pathogen eradication technology at annual IPS conference

Antibiotic-resistant pathogens such as CPE and hospital-acquired infections like C.difficile or norovirus seem to be relentlessly lurking around NHS hospitals.