Microbiology News and Research

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Enzymatic cocktail emerges as new hope against mycobacterial infections

With resistance to chemical antibiotics on the rise, the world needs entirely new forms of antibiotics. A new study published in Microbiology Spectrum, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, shows that an enzymatic cocktail can kill a variety of mycobacterial species of bacteria, including those that cause tuberculosis.

27 Mar 2024

Breakthrough study offers hope for an effective HIV cure

By 2030, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Fund and UNAIDS are hoping to end the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS epidemic.

26 Mar 2024

Researchers identify viable vaccine targets for hepatitis C infections

By studying individuals who spontaneously clear hepatitis C infections, a team of researchers has identified viable vaccine targets for a disease that infects 70 million worldwide with case numbers increasing every year.

26 Mar 2024

Review unveils the potential of Digital Guided Therapy in transforming endodontic treatments

Endodontic diseases present a significant challenge in dentistry due to their complex nature and the precision required in treatment. Traditionally, the success of these treatments has heavily relied on the dentist's skill and experience.

25 Mar 2024

Boosting butyrate-producing gut bacteria lowers hospitalization rates for infections

A study of two large European patient cohorts has found that for every 10% increase in butyrate-producing bacteria in a patient's gut, the risk of hospitalization for any infection falls by between 14 and 25% across two large national cohorts.

22 Mar 2024

New "fusion sites" enable faster and more targeted drug development

Many important medicines, such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs, are derived from natural products from Bacteria.

22 Mar 2024

UCLA researchers develop promising vaccine against deadly melioidosis bacterium

In a mouse study, UCLA researchers tested a vaccine against the bacterium that causes melioidosis and found it was highly protective against the disease, which is endemic in many tropical areas, causing approximately 165,000 cases with 89,000 fatalities around the world each year.

22 Mar 2024

Rising antimicrobial resistance in STIs: A call for global action

Review delves into the rising challenge of antimicrobial resistance in sexually transmitted infections, underscoring the need for innovative treatments and the critical role of global surveillance in managing diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis.

21 Mar 2024

Researchers discover the lungs communicate directly with the brain to induce sickness symptoms

University of Calgary researchers have discovered the lungs communicate directly with the brain when there is an infection.

21 Mar 2024

Using whole genome sequencing to identify non-culturable Legionella

Legionnaires' disease (LD), a rare and severe type of pneumonia, is a respiratory infection caused by species of Legionella bacteria.

21 Mar 2024

Tailored diet could boost growth in malnourished kids via gut bacteria action

Study demonstrates how microbiota-targeted food (MDCF-2) and the presence of Prevotella copri in the gut can enhance weight gain in malnourished children, offering a novel approach to treating malnutrition through diet and microbiome manipulation.

20 Mar 2024

New drug candidates show promise to reverse HIV immune evasion

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists have identified drug candidates that show promise to reverse the ability of HIV to escape detection by the immune system.

19 Mar 2024

How is climate change influencing the spread of vector-borne diseases?

The impact of climate change, weather, and other anthropogenic factors on vector-borne illness spread globally.

18 Mar 2024

Long COVID manifests as a post-viral syndrome indistinguishable from other respiratory illnesses

Long COVID appears to manifest as a post-viral syndrome indistinguishable from seasonal influenza and other respiratory illnesses, with no evidence of increased moderate-to-severe functional limitations a year after infection, according to new research being presented at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024) in Barcelona, Spain (27-30 April).

14 Mar 2024

New drug candidate designed at the atomic level could help halt emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants

Although COVID-19 has faded from the headlines, SARS-CoV-2 – the coronavirus behind the pandemic – is still rampantly infecting people around the world.

14 Mar 2024

Key protein identified in protecting women from fatty liver disease

New research from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows how oestrogen protects against MASLD, a fatty liver disease that has increased dramatically during the current obesity epidemic.

9 Mar 2024

Researchers develop precise drugs to target HIV's Nef protein

A team of University of Michigan researchers has successfully modified a naturally occurring chemical compound in the lab, resulting in advanced lead compounds with anti-HIV activity.

9 Mar 2024

New PET radiotracer distinguishes diseased tissues based on fructose metabolism

A new PET radiotracer can differentiate diseased tissues from healthy tissues based on fructose metabolism, according to new research published in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

8 Mar 2024

U-M research offers a new path forward in the development of anti-HIV drugs

A team of University of Michigan researchers has successfully modified a naturally occurring chemical compound in the lab, resulting in advanced lead compounds with anti-HIV activity.

8 Mar 2024

Understanding long COVID: A call for better diagnosis and treatment

A recent review in Nature Reviews Microbiology summarizes the complex mechanisms, significant impacts, and the urgent need for enhanced diagnostics and treatments for long COVID, affecting over 65 million people globally with diverse, debilitating symptoms and systemic health issues.

7 Mar 2024