Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Viral protein is an effective preventative against infection
Slashdot It! Slashdot Viral protein is an effective preventative against infection
Submit to Reddit Submit Viral protein is an effective preventative against infection to Reddit
Reading: Viral protein is an effective preventative against infectionTwitter This Reading: Viral protein is an effective preventative against infectionTwitter Viral protein is an effective preventative against infection
Add to Facebook Add Viral protein is an effective preventative against infection to Facebook

Viral protein is an effective preventative against infection

March 23, 2007

For parents, 8 million cases of acute middle ear infections every year add up to a lot of sleepless nights and trips to the pediatrician. But new research from a collaboration between Rockefeller University and St. Jude Children's Hospital could change all that.

In the March 23 issue of PLoS Pathogens, Rockefeller's Vincent A. Fischetti and colleagues at St. Jude show that middle ear infections in mice can be prevented by giving the mice a lysin - a protein derived from a virus that infects bacteria. The new technology may prevent children with the flu from developing secondary ear infections and would be an attractive alternative to traditional antibiotics, to which bacteria are rapidly becoming resistant.




The bacteria that cause middle ear infections, Streptococcus pneumoniae, aren't transmitted at school. They already reside on the mucosal membranes in the nose, waiting for their chance to strike. When a child catches the flu, or another virus that causes an upper respiratory infection, the bacteria seize the opportunity and migrate to the middle ear, causing a secondary infection. The new treatment would kill the bacteria before it had a chance to move.

"These bacteria take advantage of a viral infection by striking when our resistance is lowered," says Fischetti, head of Rockefeller's Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology. "You should start taking an antibiotic the moment you come down with the viral infection to prevent the secondary infection, but physicians are reluctant to do this for fear of increasing resistance to antibiotics. So we're really in a catch-22 situation."

Fischetti's lab has done extensive research on lysins, which are proteins derived from viruses that normally infect bacteria. After a virus has infected the bacteria and replicated, it uses lysins to punch holes in the bacteria's cell wall, killing the bacteria, in order to escape. Fischetti's lab has studied many different lysins and found that they work even from outside the bacterial cell as well as from the inside. In addition, unlike antibiotics, which kill many of the body's beneficial bacteria along with the disease-causing ones they target, lysins are highly specific. Each lysin will only kill a specific type of bacteria, leaving the body's normal flora untouched.

"We knew from our previous experiments that if you treat an animal infected or colonized with pneumococci or streptococci with these lysins, you could cure or decolonize them," says Fischetti. "But I was looking for a way to see if lysins would work for secondary infections too, and John McCullers had a very nice model system."

The two researchers collaborated - Fischetti sent McCullers, a physician at St. Jude Children's Hospital Department of Infectious Diseases, the lysin, and McCullers tested his mice. He colonized his mice with S. pneumoniae, treated some of them with the lysin and then gave them all influenza. Eighty percent of the mice that did not receive the lysin came down with middle ear infections, but none of the mice given the lysin did. The treatment was 100 percent effective.

"It is really a no-brainer experiment," says Fischetti. "If the bacteria aren't there, they cannot cause the secondary infection."

"Secondary bacterial infections cause much of the sickness and about 25 percent of all deaths during flu season," says McCullers. "Eliminating these secondary infections could dramatically reduce sickness and death rates."

Rockefeller University





Science News and Science Current Events Tag Cloud
This tag cloud is a visual representation of term frequencies of random science news topics with common terms grouped together and emphasized by their display size.
Particle Accelerator   Binge Drinking   Acid Rain   Endoscopy   Food Poisoning   Chronic inflammation   Self-esteem   Herpes   Thyroid Cancer   Radiation Exposure   HPV vaccine   Eczema   Bone Loss   Wine   Melanoma   Ozone Hole   Neanderthal   Carbon Dioxide   Biology   Colonoscopy   Leukemia   Anxiety   Chocolate   Bipolar   Omega-3 Fatty Acids  
Related Infection Current Events and Infection News Articles Infection Current Events and Infection News RSS Infection Current Events and Infection News RSS
Blood stem cell growth factor reverses memory decline in mice
A human growth factor that stimulates blood stem cells to proliferate in the bone marrow reverses memory impairment in mice genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's disease, researchers at the University of South Florida and James A. Haley Hospital found.

Researchers testing virus-gene therapy combination against melanoma
Researchers at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center are injecting a modified herpes virus into melanoma tumors, hoping to kill the cancer cells while also bolstering the body's immune defenses against the disease.

Harvard scientists solve mystery about why HIV patients are more susceptible to TB infection
A team of Harvard scientists has taken an important first step toward the development of new treatments to help people with HIV battle Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection.

Measurements fail to identify TB patients who could benefit from shorter treatment course
Tuberculosis (TB) is a difficult infection to treat and requires six months of multiple antibiotics to cure it. To combat the TB pandemic, a shorter and simpler drug treatment would be a huge advance since most TB occurs in resource-limited settings with poor public health infrastructures.

New lab-on-a-chip measures mechanics of bacteria colonies
Researchers at the University of Michigan have devised a microscale tool to help them understand the mechanical behavior of biofilms, slimy colonies of bacteria involved in most human infectious diseases.

Clue to normal-tension glaucoma; herpes infection and corneal transplants
The July issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, includes two studies that may influence clinical treatment of serious eye conditions.

Joint replacement patients with diabetes greatly benefit from controlled glucose
Diabetics undergoing total joint replacement often are at a higher risk of experiencing complications after surgery due to various pre-existing health conditions.

Scripps research scientists find key culprits in lupus
The more than 1.5 million Americans with systemic lupus erythematosus (or lupus) suffer from a variety of symptoms that flare and subside, often including painful or swollen joints, extreme fatigue, skin rashes, fever, and kidney problems.

Ultrasensitive detector promises improved treatment of viral respiratory infections
A Vanderbilt chemist and a biomedical engineer have teamed up to develop a respiratory virus detector that is sensitive enough to detect an infection at an early stage, takes only a few minutes to return a result and is simple enough to be performed in a pediatrician's office.

Plant protein 'doorkeepers' block invading microbes, study finds
A group of plant proteins that "shut the door" on bacteria that would otherwise infect the plant's leaves has been identified for the first time by a team of researchers in Denmark, at the University of California, Davis, and at UC Berkeley.
More Infection Current Events and Infection News Articles
Infection

Infection
Starring: Moro Morooka, Michiko Hada, ShirĂ´ Sano, Kaho Minami, Koichi Sato
Directed By: Masayuki Ochiai

From the creators of The Ring, Grudge, and Dark Water comes Infection. A patient in a hospital dies due to malpractice. The doctors responsible panic and stage a cover up. Shortly thereafter, another patient is left at the hospital doors dying of bizarre symptoms. When the patient dies, the doctors involved in the cover up being acting strangely, then one by one, develop the same mysterious and deadly symptoms.

The Infection (Limited Edition)

The Infection (Limited Edition)
by Chimaira

Limited edition version includes a bonus audio track and a bonus DVD with making of, behind-the-scenes interviews, and more.

Infection: The Uninvited Universe

Infection: The Uninvited Universe
by Ph.D. Gerald N. Callahan (Author)

We use antibacterial soap to wash our hands, we swab doorknobs with antibacterial wipes, we pop antibiotics at the first sign of disease - all to avoid infection. But we are all infected. From before birth to after death, infection is what makes humans human. In a startling, chilling, and inspiring narrative, veteran microbiologist, and author Gerald Callahan, explores the world of the microscopic creatures that live on, in, and around us. Did you know that: our overuse of antibiotics is placing us on then cusp of a resurgence of diseases we had thought long conquered? and, many ailments - from schizophrenia and gastric ulcers to obsessive-compulsive disorder - are now being linked to infections? Infection will awaken you to the microscopic brethren that ensure our health as well as take...

Premonition

Premonition
Starring: Hiroshi Mikami, Noriko Sakai, Maki Horikita, Mayumi Ono, Kei Yamamoto
Directed By: Norio Tsuruta

They are used to tell the past, but for a few unlucky individuals, they foretell the future. When Hideki picks up a newspaper he knows what he will see...death. Foretelling ill-omened fate of everything from slayings to train crashes, there is nothing Hideki can do to stop the event... or is there? When the paper predicts the demise of his daughter in a car crash, Hideki seeks out other like himself, searching for a way to change the future.

The Infection

The Infection
by Chimaira

With their groundbreaking blend of metal, hardcore and electronic elements, Chimaira made a splash with a self-released EP that sold nearly 10,000 copies. But it was "The Impossibility Of Reason" that blew the lid off, putting the band on the road with Slipknot, Machine Head, Lamb Of God, and Ozzfest. 2007 saw the release of their first album for Ferret Music, "Resurrection." Now comes "The Infection". Limited edition version includes a bonus audio track and a bonus DVD with making of, behind-the-scenes interviews, and more.

The Bible Cure for Candida and Yeast Infections

The Bible Cure for Candida and Yeast Infections
by Strang Communications Company

People who suffer from fatigue, muscle aches, food sensitivities, psoriasis, asthma and many other common complaints may actually have a yeast infection. Too much yeast (specifically, "Candida Albicans") in the body is a problem that applies equally to both men and women. Candida Albican, a common yeast, normally lives in the human body where it causes no problems-provided the body's biochemistry is balanced and the immune system is strong. Dr. Don Colbert shares his insight on yeast infections and suggests cures to prevent them from weakening the immune system.

Basic Infection Control for Healthcare Providers

Basic Infection Control for Healthcare Providers
by Michael Kennamer (Author)

Basic Infection Control for Health Care Providers, Second Edition, is a clear and concise guide to preventing occupational exposure hazards and communicable and infectious diseases. This book includes coverage on how to safely protect oneself from infectious agents and what do in case of infectious exposure. Discussions of the disease process and legal issues surrounding exposure and infectious diseases provide context for the material. The blend of fundamental infection control content and reference resources makes this tool perfect for use in an instructional setting or as a reference for practicing health care providers.

.hack, Part 1: Infection

.hack, Part 1: Infection
by Funkwerk

BinTec is a manufacturer of IP-based network access solutions designed to meet the specific needs of business customers. With such technologies as xDSL, ISDN backup, VPN with IPSec, and Stateful Inspection Firewall, BinTec is able to provide remote access to sensitive corporate data quickly and reliably. BinTec supplies end-to-end complete solutions to connect home offices, field sales representatives, and branch offices to their company headquarters. BinTec rounds off its product portfolio with its service and support concept.

Invasion

Invasion
Starring: Jenny Dare Paulin, Morgan Weisser, Alan Abelew, Tony Stewart, Don Keith Opper
Directed By: Albert Pyun
Also With: Norbert Weisser (Producer), Jim Hagopian (Cinematographer), Chris Burkhalter (Editor), Ken Morrisey (Editor), Paul Rosenblum (Producer), Rob Ladesich (Producer), Tricia Gray (Producer), Cynthia Curnan (Writer)

A meteor carrying an unknown infection lands outside a small Californian community bringing terror and death. Just after midnight a local rancher named Larry Jenkins discovers the meteor and calls the police. Inspector Bardo is sent to the scene to investigate. The small Lawton police department is shorthanded as it is the night of the high school prom. Arriving at a desolate forest road miles out of town Bardo discovers that Jenkins has been infected by the alien organism. The officer is savagely attacked and infected. Both men head towards Lawton terrorizing and contaminating everyone they encounter. Meanwhile Cheryl and Timmy have left the prom and are parked atop Lover's Lane. Bardo comes upon the lovebirds and attacks them infecting Timmy. Now Cheryl must run for her life through the...

The Infection

The Infection
by Ferret Music



© 2009 BrightSurf.com