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Studies suggest potential therapeutic targets for food poisoning, TB and autoimmune diseases

Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered how the virulent food-borne bacteria Listeria monocytogenes induces infected immune cells to sabotage their own defensive response.

2 Feb 2010

Study could help in developing therapeutic strategies for Chikungunya virus infection

A study published online on February 1 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (www.jem.org) shows that antiviral proteins called type I interferons (IFNs) are needed to fend off infection with an exotic mosquito-borne virus called Chikungunya virus.

2 Feb 2010

Mechanical tenderization linked to E. coli outbreaks, safe food attorney calls for specific FSIS label

Safe food attorney Bill Marler has called for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to label meats that have undergone mechanical tenderization. The controversial process has been linked to numerous outbreaks of the dangerous pathogen E. coli O157:H7, yet there is currently no disclosure required.

29 Jan 2010

Universal Detection Technology responds to the U.S. Government's failure to address bioterrorism

Universal Detection Technology (www.udetection.com), a developer of early-warning monitoring technologies to protect people from bioterrorism and other infectious health threats and provider of counter-terrorism consulting and training services, responded today to a bipartisan congressional committee’s scathing report card failing the U.S. Government for adequately preparing the country for the threat of a bioterrorism attack.

29 Jan 2010

Experimental vaccine protects mice and monkeys against chikungunya virus

An experimental vaccine developed using non-infectious virus-like particles (VLP) has protected macaques and mice against chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne pathogen that has infected millions of people in Africa and Asia and causes debilitating pain, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found.

29 Jan 2010

Researchers use high resolution genome sequencing to track virulent strain of MRSA

An international team of researchers has used high resolution genome sequencing to track a particularly virulent strain of MRSA as it traveled between South America, Europe and Southeast Asia.

27 Jan 2010

Genome study could help prevent devastating epidemics in the future

A team of collaborating scientists at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston, the Broad Institute in Boston, Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, and the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (OAHPP) have sequenced almost 100 full genomes from three successive epidemics of flesh-eating bacteria.

27 Jan 2010

HZI researchers explore novel therapies to keep the immune system young and functional for healthy aging

By comparing the immune responses of both, young and old mice, to bacterial infection they found that the number of macrophages, one of the major cell populations involved in the elimination of infecting bacteria, decreases rapidly in aged mice. This decline in the number of fighters and the associated weakness of the immune defense may be responsible for the age-associated increase in susceptibility to infections.

27 Jan 2010

Ecolab and AvidBiotics to develop new technology to reduce E. coli in red meat products

Ecolab Inc. has entered into an agreement with AvidBiotics Corp. under which they will jointly work to develop a new technology that could significantly reduce the presence of the pathogen E. coli O157:H7 in red meat products.

27 Jan 2010

Current research suggests flu may predispose to secondary bacterial infections

Current research suggests that the flu may predispose to secondary bacterial infections, which account for a significant proportion of mortality during flu pandemics. The related report by Lee et al, "A mouse model of lethal synergism between influenza virus and Haemophilus influenzae," appears in the February 2010 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

22 Jan 2010

Babraham Institute research may lead to new means of making purified T cells

Research from the Babraham Institute, reported today in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, provides new insights into how our immune system produces T cells, a type of white blood cell that is an essential part of the body's immune surveillance system for fighting infection. The findings pave the way for a new means of making purified T cells, which gets over one of many hurdles faced in the use of T cells in regenerative medicine and transplantations, and in addition will open up new avenues of research and applications in drug and toxicity testing in industry.

18 Jan 2010

Scientists discover new mechanism that explains role of EBV in tumor growth

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a virus of the herpes family, has two distinct life phases: After infecting a cell it first goes into a resting phase. Under certain circumstances the virus can become active - and then induces tumor growth or promotes its synthesis in the cell.

18 Jan 2010

Cerus' INTERCEPT platelets therapeutically effective even after seven days of storage

Cerus Corporation announced today that INTERCEPT-treated platelet components were found to be effective for patient support following extended six and seven day storage in a clinical study conducted at four sites in Europe. These data further confirm the safety and therapeutic efficacy of platelets treated with the INTERCEPT Blood System, a pathogen inactivation treatment designed to protect against transfusion-transmitted diseases.

18 Jan 2010

AvidBiotics and Ecolab to develop new technology that reduces food pathogens in meat products

AvidBiotics Corp. and Ecolab Inc. today announced an agreement under which they will work to develop a new technology to dramatically reduce the presence of the dangerous pathogen E. coli O157:H7 in red meat products.

12 Jan 2010

Clinical Foundations' edition provides comprehensive review of hospital-acquired infections

Clinical Foundations, a patient-focused education program dedicated to helping respiratory care professionals stay current on clinical trends, has recently published a new edition titled “Pathogens Associated with the Intensive Care Unit Environment –Considerations for the Respiratory Therapist.”

9 Jan 2010

Circumcision lowers HIV risk; changes bacterial community on penis microbiome

Circumcision, which substantially lowers HIV risk in men, also dramatically changes the bacterial communities of the penis, according to a study led by scientists at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Johns Hopkins University and published Jan. 6 in the scientific journal PLoS ONE.

5 Jan 2010

Annelie Wendeberg presents protocol for identification of environmental microbes

Metagenomics, the study of DNA isolated from samples of naturally occurring microbial populations, is rapidly growing. Improvements to cloning and sequencing techniques are allowing researchers to study microorganisms in environmental samples, and new knowledge of species interactions and community dynamics is emerging.

5 Jan 2010

Discovery of key process in bacterial infection could lead to new drug targets to prevent infection

Bacteria can swim, propelling themselves through fluids using a whip-like extension called a flaggella. They can also walk, strolling along solid surfaces using little fibrous legs called pili. It is this motility that enable some pathogenic bacteria to establish the infections - such as meningitis - that cause their human hosts to get sick or even die.

4 Jan 2010

Fred Pritzker calls on meat suppliers to pay medical bills incurred by victims of E. coli

National food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker is calling on National Steak and Poultry company to immediately pay all medical bills and lost wages incurred by victims of a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 associated with blade-tenderized steaks.

30 Dec 2009

NSP recalls E. coli contaminated beef steaks in six states

On Christmas eve the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a notice that National Steak and Poultry (NSP) was recalling 248,000 pounds of beef steaks contaminated with the highly virulent pathogen E. coli O157:H7. The steaks were mechanically tenderized “non-intact steaks”, and were shipped to restaurants nationwide.

29 Dec 2009

Pathogen News and Research

Studies suggest potential therapeutic targets for food poisoning, TB and autoimmune diseases

Study could help in developing therapeutic strategies for Chikungunya virus infection

Mechanical tenderization linked to E. coli outbreaks, safe food attorney calls for specific FSIS label

Universal Detection Technology responds to the U.S. Government's failure to address bioterrorism

Experimental vaccine protects mice and monkeys against chikungunya virus

Researchers use high resolution genome sequencing to track virulent strain of MRSA

Genome study could help prevent devastating epidemics in the future

HZI researchers explore novel therapies to keep the immune system young and functional for healthy aging

Ecolab and AvidBiotics to develop new technology to reduce E. coli in red meat products

Current research suggests flu may predispose to secondary bacterial infections

Babraham Institute research may lead to new means of making purified T cells

Scientists discover new mechanism that explains role of EBV in tumor growth

Cerus' INTERCEPT platelets therapeutically effective even after seven days of storage

AvidBiotics and Ecolab to develop new technology that reduces food pathogens in meat products

Clinical Foundations' edition provides comprehensive review of hospital-acquired infections

Circumcision lowers HIV risk; changes bacterial community on penis microbiome

Annelie Wendeberg presents protocol for identification of environmental microbes

Discovery of key process in bacterial infection could lead to new drug targets to prevent infection

Fred Pritzker calls on meat suppliers to pay medical bills incurred by victims of E. coli

NSP recalls E. coli contaminated beef steaks in six states

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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