Spreading antibiotics in the soil affects microbial ecosystems
Antibiotics used extensively in intensive livestock production may be having an adverse effect on agricultural soil ecosystems. view more (2009-03-30)
Slow-growing TB bacteria point the way to new drug development
The discovery of a large number of slow-growing Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which cause tuberculosis (TB), in the lungs of TB patients could be an important step forward in the design of new anti-TB drugs. view more (2009-03-30)
Genes that make bacteria make up their minds
Bacteria are single cell organisms with no nervous system or brain. So how do individual bacterial cells living as part of a complex community called a biofilm "decide" between different physiological processes (such as movement or producing the "glue" that forms the biofilm)? view more (2009-03-30)
Fish oils reduce greenhouse gas emissions from flatulent cows
The benefits to animals of omega 3 fatty acids in fish oils have been well documented - helping the heart and circulatory system, improving meat quality and reducing methane emissions. view more (2009-03-30)
Microbes in mud flats clean up oil spill chemicals
Micro-organisms occurring naturally in coastal mudflats have an essential role to play in cleaning up pollution by breaking down petrochemical residues. view more (2009-03-30)
Evolutionary origin of bacterial chromosomes revealed
Researchers have unveiled the evolutionary origin of the different chromosomal architectures found in three species of Agrobacterium. view more (2009-03-27)
Gene exchange common among sex-manipulating bacteria
Certain bacteria have learned to manipulate the proportion of females and males in insect populations. Now Uppsala University researchers have mapped the entire genome of a bacterium that infects a close relative of the fruit fly. view more (2009-03-26)
Clinical trial backs use of special yogurt to fight stomach ulcer bacteria
Results of the first human clinical studies confirm that a new yogurt fights the bacteria that cause gastritis and stomach ulcers with what researchers describe as almost vaccine-like effects, scientists in Japan will report here today at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. view more (2009-03-23)
Pitt-led researchers create quick, simple fluorescent detector for TB
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have developed an onsite method to quickly diagnose tuberculosis (TB) and expose the deadly drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that can mingle undetected with treatable strains. view more (2009-03-20)
Syracuse University researchers build new surface material that resists biofilm growth; new technology may lead to development of improved medical implants
This is the tale of two biological substances-cells from mammals and bacteria. It's a story about the havoc these microscopic entities can wreak on all manner of surfaces, from mighty ships to teeth and medical devices, and how two Syracuse University researchers are discovering new ways to prevent the damage. view more (2009-03-20)
When intestinal bacteria go surfing
The bacterium Escherichia coli is part of the healthy human intestinal flora. However, E. coli also has pathogenic relatives that trigger diarrhea illnesses: enterohemorrhagic E.coli bacteria. During the course of an infection they infest the intestinal mucosa, causing injury in the process, in contrast to benign bacteria. view more (2009-03-19)
MRSA study suggests strategy shift needed to develop effective therapeutics
USA300-the major epidemic strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causing severe infections in the United States during the past decade-inherits its destructiveness directly from a forefather strain of the bacterium called USA500 rather than randomly acquiring harmful genes from other MRSA strains. view more (2009-03-18)
Goodbye needle, hello smoothie
Instead of a dreaded injection with a needle, someday getting vaccinated against disease may be as pleasant as drinking a yogurt smoothie. view more (2009-03-18)
Flies May Spread Drug-Resistant Bacteria from Poultry Operations
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found evidence that houseflies collected near broiler poultry operations may contribute to the dispersion of drug-resistant bacteria and thus increase the potential for human exposure to drug-resistant bacteria. view more (2009-03-17)
Brothers in arms
A joint venture from researchers from the Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, the Otto-von-Guericke-University in Magdeburg, and the Karolinska institute in Sweden have taken an in-depth look at the connection between flu infection and pneumonia. Their results, recently released in the scientific journal "PLoS... view more... (2009-03-17)
No hiding place for infecting bacteria
Scientists in Colorado have discovered a new approach to prevent bacterial infections from taking hold. Writing in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, Dr Quinn Parks and colleagues describe how they used enzymes against products of the body's own defence cells to prevent Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria from building a protective biofilm which... view more... (2009-03-16)
Biofilms: Even Stickier Than Suspected
Biofilms are everywhere - in dental plaque and ear canals, on contact lenses and in water pipelines - and the bacteria that make them get more resilient with age, finds a new study in FEMS Microbiology Letters. view more (2009-03-13)
New research reveals how cranberry products prevent urinary tract infections
Chemicals present in cranberries-and not the acidity of cranberry juice, as previously thought-prevent infection-causing bacteria from attaching to the cells that line the urinary tract, as documented in a report published in Journal of Medicinal Food, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. view more (2009-03-10)
Buckyballs could keep water systems flowing
Microscopic particles of carbon known as buckyballs may be able to keep the nation's water pipes clear in the same way clot-busting drugs prevent arteries from clogging up. view more (2009-03-05)
Simple device can ensure food gets to the store bacteria free
A Purdue University researcher has found a way to eliminate bacteria in packaged foods such as spinach and tomatoes, a process that could eliminate worries concerning some food-borne illnesses. view more (2009-03-03)
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