E. coli News and Research

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E. coli or Escherichia coli is the name of a type of bacteria that lives in your intestines. Most types of E. coli are harmless. However, some types can make you sick and cause diarrhea. One type causes travelers' diarrhea. The worst type of E. coli causes bloody diarrhea, and can sometimes cause kidney failure and even death. These problems are most likely to occur in children and in adults with weak immune systems. You can get E. coli infections by eating foods containing the bacteria. To help avoid food poisoning and prevent infection, handle food safely. Cook meat well, wash fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking them, and avoid unpasteurized milk and juices. You can also get the infection by swallowing water in a swimming pool contaminated with human waste. Most cases of E. coli infection get better without treatment in 5 to 10 days.

Fractals can help describe how cancer spreads in the body and the right tools to stop it

What can seashells, lightning and the coastline of Britain teach us about new drugs for cancer?

7 Dec 2018

Earliest strain of plague bacteria found in neolithic Swedish mass grave

Researchers have unearthed a strain of plague bacteria Yersinia pestis, in a woman who was buried in Sweden during the stone ages.

6 Dec 2018

From Our Bench to Yours: Antibody Advice from Proteintech

An interview with Dr. Karolina Szczesna, discussing the tell-tale signs of a good antibody and how Proteintech are working to improve experimental results for scientists.

From Proteintech Group, Inc 5 Dec 2018

New drug combination could kill melanoma cells more effectively, study shows

A class of cancer drugs called protein kinase inhibitors is one of the most effective treatments for melanoma. However, in many cases, tumors eventually become resistant to the drugs and cause a relapse in the patient.

3 Dec 2018

New ointment for treating brown recluse spider bites is tested on humans

The bite from a brown recluse spider (Loxosceles) can cause skin necrosis, renal failure, and even death. A new ointment is being tested in Brazil, however. Its effects have already been proven in tests conducted in cell cultures and animal models.

29 Nov 2018

Scientists report novel combination transport system in E. coli

A general concept in biology is that cells use two different systems to transport substances across their membrane: selective pores, which allow passive transport driven by a concentration gradient, and active transport complexes, which use energy to transport substances against a gradient.

27 Nov 2018

Researchers discover new biosynthetic pathway to antibiotics using gene editing

Scientists have discovered a new chemical process - also known as a biosynthetic pathway - in bacteria which could lead to a new generation of antibiotics being produced and manufactured.

26 Nov 2018

In throes of turkey salmonella outbreak, don’t invite illness to your table

As Americans prepare to cook and consume nearly 50 million turkeys on Thanksgiving Day, an ongoing outbreak of salmonella poisoning linked to the poultry means food safety at home is more critical than ever.

19 Nov 2018

FDA approves antibacterial drug to treat travelers' diarrhea

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Aemcolo (rifamycin), an antibacterial drug indicated for the treatment of adult patients with travelers' diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli), not complicated by fever or blood in the stool.

17 Nov 2018

In-hospital mortality higher among patients with drug-resistant infections

In one of the largest studies to measure the burden of antibiotic resistance in a low- or middle-income country, researchers at the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy report that in-hospital mortality is significantly higher among patients infected with multi-drug resistant or extensively drug resistant pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii.

17 Nov 2018

Study: Vegetables and salad may include bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics

Salad is popular with people who want to maintain a balanced and healthy diet. Salad varieties are often offered for sale ready-cut and film-packaged. It is known that these types of fresh produce may be contaminated with bacteria that are relevant from the point of view of hygiene.

16 Nov 2018

Researchers uncover how insect antibiotic targets Gram-negative bacteria

An antibiotic called thanatin attacks the way the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is built. Researchers at the University of Zurich have now found out that this happens through a previously unknown mechanism. Thanatin, produced naturally by the spined soldier bug, can therefore be used to develop new classes of antibiotics.

15 Nov 2018

Inhibition of prostaglandin E2 enhances ability to combat infectious colitis

The treatment of intestinal infections caused by some strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli, present in unsanitized or contaminated foods, may have a new ally.

15 Nov 2018

Microgel powder reduces infection and promotes healing

While making smart glue, a team of engineers discovered a handy byproduct: hydrogen peroxide. In microgel form, it reduces bacteria and virus ability to infect by at least 99 percent.

14 Nov 2018

Common bacteria that cause foodborne diseases found to be resistant to antibiotics

Brazil's Ministry of Health received reports of 11,524 outbreaks of foodborne diseases between 2000 and 2015, with 219,909 individuals falling sick and 167 dying from the diseases in question.

9 Nov 2018

Bfr organizes symposia for research on viruses and antimicrobial resistance in food chain

Against this background, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is organising two symposia dealing with microbial risks in food in November 2018: "Food-associated viruses" on 7 November and "Antimicrobial resistance in the food chain" on 8/9 November.

9 Nov 2018

Changing Perspectives of the Triggers of Cell Division

Cell division is integral to understanding development, growth and disease states such as cancer. It has long been known that for replication, a complete new set of DNA and the formation of a septum, dividing the two cells, are necessary. New research changes perspectives of how these two processes influence the timing of cell division.

8 Nov 2018

Treating pre-cancerous stem cells at early stage could be key to preventing bowel cancer

Treating pre-cancerous stem cells at an early stage could be key to preventing bowel cancer in people born with a very high risk of the disease, according to a study in mice presented at the 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference.

7 Nov 2018

Researchers develop new way to detect hidden urinary tract infections

Researchers in infection biology have developed a new way to detect hidden urinary tract infections. The research was led by Professor Agneta Richter-Dahlfors, head of the Swedish Medical Nanoscience Center at Karolinska Institutet and published in NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes.

26 Oct 2018

Researchers use neutrons to explore complex outer surfaces of E.coli

Researchers have been using neutrons to explore the complex outer surfaces of the bacterium Escherichia coli, and they have revealed in the process, with great precision and detail, how such bacteria interact with their surroundings.

25 Oct 2018