Diarrhea News and Research

Latest Diarrhea News and Research

Early adherence step in intestinal transit of Shigella discovered

The bacterial pathogen Shigella, often spread through contaminated food or water, is a leading cause of mortality in both children and older adults in the developing world.

4 Dec 2019

FDA-approved drug repairs gut leakiness associated with ulcerative colitis

A research team led by biomedical scientists at the University of California, Riverside, has found that a drug approved by the FDA to treat rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis can repair permeability defects in the gut's epithelium.

4 Dec 2019

Samoa shuts down country for mass measles vaccinations

The Pacific island nation of Samoa will shut down its government services for two days while officials try to stem a deadly measles outbreak that killed 53, 48 of whom were children between 0 and 4 years old and sickened 3,728 people.

3 Dec 2019

Strong beers that contain gut-friendly bacteria may help fight obesity

Drinking a strong type of beer, particularly a Belgian one, can help combat obesity, promote a good night’s sleep, and may help you live longer, a new study found.

2 Dec 2019

Research shows how gut microbes affect stomach flu

A new study shows that gut microbes can modulate the severity of norovirus infection (the stomach flu, or the winter vomiting bug), based on the gut location first affected. Published in the journal Nature Microbiology on November 25, 2019, the study indicates new possibilities to treat norovirus infection.

26 Nov 2019

Simple precautions to avoid food poisoning during the holiday season

Preparing a holiday feast can begin as soon as you get home from the grocery store. But if you want to serve family and friends a delicious meal that keeps them coming back for more, food safety guidelines need to be part of the recipe.

26 Nov 2019

Gut microbes can tamp down or boost the severity of norovirus infection

The highly contagious norovirus causes diarrhea and vomiting and is notorious for spreading rapidly through densely populated spaces, such as cruise ships, nursing homes, schools and day care centers. Each year, it is responsible for some 200,000 deaths, mostly in the developing world.

25 Nov 2019

Discovery in C. difficile biology opens new window to developing treatments for dangerous infections

A process called sporulation that helps the dangerous bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) to survive inhospitable conditions and spread is regulated by epigenetics, factors that affect gene expression beyond the DNA genetic code, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report.

25 Nov 2019

People with salmonella infection more likely to be hospitalized longer

Salmonella is acting up in Michigan, and it could be a model for what's happening in other states, according to a new Michigan State University study.

25 Nov 2019

Recent discovery about C. difficile could pave the way for new treatments

Researchers have found that sporulation, which helps the bacterium C. difficile survive and spread, is regulated by epigenetics.

25 Nov 2019

ETVAX vaccine candidate shows promise against enterotoxigenic E. coli diarrhea

University of Gothenburg reports first successful results of the oral, inactivated vaccine candidate ETVAX against enterotoxigenic E. coli diarrhea in a placebo-controlled phase I/II study in infants and children from 6 months to 5 years of age in Bangladesh.

20 Nov 2019

Ammonia levels do not guide clinical management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients

The liver performs several critical functions including filtering blood, detoxifying chemicals and metabolizing drugs.

19 Nov 2019

Cedars-Sinai surgeons detect and remove 25-pound cancerous ovarian tumor

Maria Robles Garcia was sure her uncomfortable abdominal symptoms weren't caused by irritable bowel syndrome or from being overweight, no matter that her local doctors repeatedly told her that was the case.

13 Nov 2019

Caution: blood infections traced to probiotics

Probiotics aren’t harmless, says a new study published on November 7, 2019 in the journal Nature Medicine. In fact, some patients may be put at serious risk by the bacteria in probiotics. Doctors should weigh the risks of probiotics in severely ill or immunocompromised patients before prescribing them, as their benefits may be significantly smaller than the danger in such situations.

13 Nov 2019

Bacteriophages could treat E. coli without damaging the gut, new study says

Researchers in the US have developed a new therapy that uses a unique bacteriophage to treat E. coli infections.

13 Nov 2019

New study sounds a note of caution in using probiotics in ICU

It's become common for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), both children and adults, to receive probiotics. Often, they are started at home to counteract diarrhea caused by antibiotics. There is also interest in using probiotics proactively in the ICU. A large multicenter clinical trial in Canada is testing whether probiotics would prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia in adult ICU patients.

12 Nov 2019

A child died from Pneumonia every 39 seconds last year, poorest families most affected

New data has revealed that over 800,000 children died from pneumonia last year and that the poorest of society are most at risk.

12 Nov 2019

Regulating gut bacteria could calm chemo side effects, reduce cognitive problems

In a new study, scientists observed several simultaneous reactions in mice given a common chemotherapy drug: Their gut bacteria and tissue changed, their blood and brains showed signs of inflammation, and their behaviors suggested they were fatigued and cognitively impaired.

11 Nov 2019

Nutritional supplements decrease child mortality

More than half of child deaths worldwide stem from preventable causes, such as adverse effects from malnutrition.

8 Nov 2019

Findings on gut microbiome's interactions could contribute to new therapies for GI diseases

A study from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences offers new insight on how the gut bacteria of dogs interact with a healthy vs. unhealthy GI tract, which could contribute to the development of new therapies for GI diseases in both dogs and humans.

6 Nov 2019