Articles tagged with Bacterial Infections
The University of Florida is leading a $9 million NIH-funded research project to better understand the life-threatening Aspergillus fungus, which affects cancer patients and transplant recipients. The repository will support research on developing accurate tests for detection, with goals to improve diagnostic accuracy and speed.
Researchers found that only Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) played a significant role in the immune response to Burkholderia pseudomallei, a gram-negative bacterium causing melioidosis. This discovery suggests that inhibiting TLR2 may be a potential treatment strategy for this severe infection.
Researchers have discovered that cell surface mucin 1 (Muc1) is a key component of the gut's defense against bacterial infections. Mice infected with Campylobacter jejuni were found to be more susceptible to intestinal damage without Muc1, highlighting its critical role in preventing infection spread.
The rate of C. difficile colitis cases among hospitalized patients in the US more than doubled between 1993 and 2003, with a significant increase in severe symptoms and mortality rates. Colectomy rates also increased, highlighting the growing burden of this antibiotic-resistant infection.
A viral infection in 1990 reprogrammed the genetic machinery of a strep bacteria strain, creating a deadly form of
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that daily antibiotics do not prevent future urinary tract infections and may actually increase the risk of resistant bacteria. The study analyzed data from over 74,000 children with at least two clinic visits between 2001 and 2006.
The study found that vaginal bacterial communities differ greatly among women, with at least eight distinct types, each unique to a specific racial group. Understanding these differences is crucial for developing effective treatments and preventing infections, including those caused by HIV.
Researchers have found that treating mice with tularemia-specific antibodies can protect them against the bacteria, enhancing immune responses and acting as a surrogate vaccine. This approach could be particularly useful in cases of bioterrorism, providing rapid and specific protection to individuals with weakened immune systems.
Researchers found that mice exposed to ozone before infection died more often than those breathed filtered air. Female mice were also less likely to survive pneumonia exposure compared to males, regardless of genetic variation. The study suggests considering the impact of environmental pollutants on health by gender.
A team of researchers from Oregon State University has discovered a unique genetic material acquired through evolution that allows Mycobacterium avium to infect human tissue cells. This 'island' of genetic material enables the bacterium to evade the body's immune response, compromising immunity in patients with lung infections and AIDS.
Oxygen restriction increases Listeria's infective potential by allowing it to smooth its path through the gut and liver, increasing the risk of infection.
Researchers found S. aureus bacteria can remain dormant for up to two weeks within human lung cells, evading detection and antibiotics. The bacteria's gene expression profile changes to limit cellular damage and resume metabolic functions.
Researchers found that TRAIL limits excessive immune responses in bacterial meningitis, decreasing brain cell death. The study suggests that TRAIL may be used as an anti-inflammatory agent in invasive bacterial infections.
A new mathematical model of sepsis can predict patient outcomes, including deaths, discharges, and disease progression. The model was developed using data from over 1,800 patients with pneumonia-related sepsis and showed high accuracy in predicting these outcomes.
The incidence of community-associated MRSA skin and soft tissue infections increased seven-fold between 2000 and 2005 in Chicago's Cook County Hospital system. Risk factors for CA-MRSA include incarceration, African-American race/ethnicity, and poor hygiene.
High-salt diets may increase the risk of severe gastric disease by inducing gene activity in H. pylori, making it more virulent. The study found that bacterial cells exposed to high salt concentrations exhibited morphological changes and increased transcription of virulence genes.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a new high-affinity molecule called V-beta that blocks staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), a major cause of toxic shock syndrome, with a rate 2000 times more effective than typical antibody treatment
A study found that soldiers in Iraq contracted multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter infections primarily from environmental contamination of field hospitals. ABC bacteria were also detected on skin samples but not soil, suggesting transmission occurred within healthcare facilities. The authors conclude maintaining infection control is es...
Researchers found no evidence of drug-resistant bacteria Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex on the skin of uninjured US soldiers in Iraq. The study suggests that nosocomial transmission is the likely cause of infections, refuting prior assumptions about the source of the outbreak.
Researchers found that mice with chronic herpes virus infections can resist certain bacterial infections, suggesting potential benefits from latent viral infections. The study suggests that human immune systems have evolved to benefit from these chronic infections, which could impact vaccine development and disease research.
A single dose of vitamin D can enhance immunity to mycobacteria, the bacteria that cause TB. The supplement is cheap and effective, with a potential impact on preventing reactivation of latent TB.
Researchers found that sick flies lose their circadian rhythm patterns when infected with bacteria, leading to shorter periods of continuous sleep. This disruption affects the immune system, making infected flies more susceptible to infection and increasing their mortality rate.
A vaccine introduced in 2000 has significantly reduced the rate of a serious bacterial illness among young children with sickle cell disease (SCD) in the US. The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has dropped the rate by over 90% among children under 5 years old.
The Wellcome Trust and GSK will collaborate on a new class of antibacterials to combat rising drug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, which cause pneumonia and septic shock. The partnership aims to accelerate development of compounds for treating these resistant infections.
Researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison have devised a method to tackle antibiotic resistance, identifying four promising new compounds with preliminary antibacterial activity. The compounds show promise against MRSA and other Gram-positive bacteria, but further research is needed to understand their mechanism of action.
A study found increased rates of serious pneumococcal infections among Alaska Native children who aren't protected by the current childhood vaccine. The rate increased 140% between 2004 and 2006, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance and development of extended valency vaccines.
The hospital has introduced more stringent admission screening methods for MRSA and VRE, detecting many more carriers before infection or spread. Weekly swab testing and bacterial growth cultures were effective in identifying patients with the germs, missing only 35% of those with MRSA.
Researchers at Ohio State University discovered that bacteria can turn genes on or off to control their infectiousness. The proteins NusG and RfaH play a crucial role in this process, with NusG regulating nearly all gene expression in bacteria and RfaH controlling specific sequences of the genome during transcription.
Researchers found cases of MRSA infectious keratitis following refractive surgery in patients with no known exposure to healthcare facilities. Colonization of MRSA is common, especially among those exposed to healthcare settings.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that forskolin flushes out hiding colonies of bacteria in the bladder, making them susceptible to antibiotic treatment. The study shows great promise for a new approach to treating recurring urinary tract infections.
Bubonic plague has a mortality rate of 50-90 ty, while pneumonic plague can be fatal in most cases. A Yersinia Pestis strain in Madagascar shows multiple antimicrobial resistance, making treatment challenging.
Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have decoded the genome of Streptococcus sanguinis, a bacteria normally present in healthy human mouths that can cause deadly heart infections. The findings provide unique insight into its complex life cycle, metabolism, and ability to invade host tissues.
A new study published in Pediatrics found that a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) can help reduce the number of infants and toddlers developing frequent ear infections. The vaccine was shown to decline frequent ear infections by 16% in Tennessee and 25% in New York.
Scientists discovered that European Beewolf females deliberately cultivate bacteria in their antennae to shield their larvae from fungal infections. The bacteria produce antibiotics, significantly enhancing the larvae's chances of survival during hibernation.
A study found that using narrow-spectrum antibiotics and providing feedback to doctors led to a significant drop in prescriptions of broad-spectrum agents and a fall in CDI rates. The research suggests that this approach could be successfully replicated in other hospitals to reverse the rapid increase in CDI.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified a peptide that can fight infection by boosting the body's own immunity, reducing bacteria counts and mortality in animal models. The innate defense regulator peptide (IDR-1) may be useful as a supplement to antibiotics in combating common hospital infections.
Biologists have determined the structure of an enzyme that powers 'molecular motors' in viruses, allowing for better understanding of DNA packaging. The motor, essential for inserting DNA into viral capsids, has been likened to a house-building process.
New research from Rockefeller University and St. Jude Children’s Hospital shows that a viral protein-derived lysin can prevent middle ear infections in mice by killing the bacteria that cause them. The treatment was 100% effective against secondary infections, which contribute to much of the sickness and death rates during flu season.
A new nasal spray treatment using a virus enzyme shows promise in preventing acute otitis media and secondary pneumonia in mice infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae. The treatment uses lysine to eliminate bacteria from the ear, reducing the risk of middle ear infection.
TB patients must take long-term therapy due to a correlation between bacterial burden and time to cure. Researchers suggest that non-replicating bacteria are not TB-specific and that understanding this phenomenon can lead to shorter treatment durations for recalcitrant bacterial infections.
A new study has developed an antimicrobial approach using gallium to defeat drug-resistant bacteria. The researchers interfered with a key bacterial nutrient, killing microbes in laboratory experiments and eliminating life-threatening infections in mice.
Researchers from the University of Washington developed a new antibacterial strategy using Gallium, which inhibits the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and prevents biofilm formation. Additionally, studies suggest that Nutlin-3a may reactivate the p53 pathway to treat Kaposi's sarcoma virus-induced lymphomas. Another study found that a...
Researchers at the University of Washington discovered that Gallium inhibits the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and prevents biofilm formation, offering a potential therapeutic solution for cystic fibrosis patients. Inhalation of Gallium also protected mice from P. aeruginosa lung infections.
A team at the University of Cincinnati discovered a new way to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria by substituting gallium for iron, preventing bacterial growth and biofilm formation. This method shows promise in treating lung infections, particularly in cystic fibrosis patients.
Researchers analyzed gene expression patterns in leukocytes from children with four common infections: flu, staph, strep, and E. coli. They identified infectious agents with high accuracy rates, distinguishing between viral and bacterial pneumonias.
Researchers create polymer-based sensor that detects bacterial contamination with fluorescent signals, reducing detection time from days to hours. The new technology has immediate applications in healthcare and battlefield conditions.
Researchers found that flies' primitive immune systems can adapt and retain memory of an earlier infection, contradicting the long-held dogma. This discovery raises possibilities for developing human vaccines, especially for people with compromised immune systems.
Researchers at the University of Arizona have discovered Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Pili (MTP), a virulence factor produced by tuberculosis bacteria during human infection. This finding suggests MTP could be a promising TB-vaccine candidate, addressing the need for more effective immunization strategies against this devastating disease.
A University of Missouri-Columbia researcher is assisting the US Army in fighting multi-drug resistant infections among wounded troops, often caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The study aims to identify effective antibiotics and treatment durations to reduce infection rates and amputations.
Researchers found that bacteria like E. coli swim 'to the left' due to opposing forces of flow and bacterial motion, allowing them to find crevices and swim upstream. This phenomenon may contribute to high rates of infection in catheterized patients.
A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that smoking significantly increases the risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection. Smokers have a 73% greater chance of becoming infected than non-smokers, and if infected, are 50% more likely to develop active TB disease.
A meta-analysis of 24 studies found that smokers are 40-60% more likely to develop tuberculosis disease after infection, with a 73% increased risk of becoming infected. Smoking may also decrease immune response or damage airway cilia, increasing TB risk.
A study of 620 people with gastroenteritis found that those who developed IBS were more likely to experience high stress, anxiety, and perfectionism. Cognitive behavioural therapy may be an effective treatment for this condition, which affects up to 15% of adults in industrialised countries.
A dietary supplement called poly-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) has been found to protect brine shrimp from infection by antibiotic-resistant Vibrio campbellii bacteria. PHB is a naturally-occurring compound that can be produced on an industrial scale, offering a potential alternative to antibiotics in the fish farming industry.
Researchers developed a new system to monitor disease dynamics in mice infected with meningococci, offering insights into the disease's progression and potential for improved vaccines. The study found that modified bacteria lacking certain adhesins could not attach to mucous linings, providing a clearer picture of infection processes.
A study by Queen Mary College researchers found nearly 40% of doctors in one Russian city had latent TB infection, with rates higher among those working in TB clinics. The study highlights the need for regular occupational health screening to control TB spread and address drug resistance issues.
Studies by LA BioMed researchers found that close contacts of patients with CA-MRSA infection may be at higher risk of acquiring an infection. The findings suggest that CA-MRSA strains are more transmissible than traditional S. aureus strains, emphasizing the need for cautious treatment and contact isolation.
The study found that 87% of Americans heard the FDA's main message, but many were confused about details such as types of affected spinach. Most consumers stopped eating spinach due to the recall, with 44% already consuming it again within months.
A 15-year study on liver retransplantation found positive trends in indications for surgery, fewer rejections and complications, and improved intensive care management. Therapeutic measures such as immunosuppressant dosage reduction and early blood transfusions contributed to better patient survival rates.
New research identifies a particular gene influencing the severity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, which can contribute to chronic asthma. The study suggests that different treatment strategies might be needed for asthma caused by lung infections rather than allergies, as the disease may have a distinct mechanism.