Unusual microbes could hitch a ride with travellers
A rare and unusual new species of yeast has been identified at three separate locations across the world, reported in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. The findings...
View ArticleNew non-toxic disinfectant could tackle hospital infections
A new disinfectant, Akwaton, that works at extremely low concentrations could be used in healthcare settings to help control persistent hospital-acquired infections such as Clostridium difficile. The...
View ArticleBacterial cause found for skin condition rosacea
Scientists are closer to establishing a definitive bacterial cause for the skin condition rosacea. This will allow more targeted, effective treatments to be developed for sufferers, according to a...
View ArticleWaste cooking oil makes bioplastics cheaper
"Bioplastics" that are naturally synthesized by microbes could be made commercially viable by using waste cooking oil as a starting material. This would reduce environmental contamination and also give...
View ArticleCoconut oil could combat tooth decay
Digested coconut oil is able to attack the bacteria that cause tooth decay. It is a natural antibiotic that could be incorporated into commercial dental care products, say scientists presenting their...
View ArticleBiofuel waste product recycled for electricity
A by-product of biofuel manufacture can power microbial fuel cells to generate electricity cheaply and efficiently, according to scientists presenting their work at the Society for General...
View ArticleNew research shows how pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 binds to fresh vegetables
Food-poisoning outbreaks linked to disease-causing strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli are normally associated with tainted meat products. However, between 20-30% of these are caused by people...
View ArticleResearch suggests human microbiome studies should include a wider diversity...
Microbial samples taken from populations living in the U.S. and Tanzania reveal that the microbiome of the human hand is more varied than previously thought, according to new research published in the...
View ArticleAntibiotic resistance risk for coastal water users
Recreational users of coastal waters such as swimmers and surfers are at risk of exposure to antibiotic resistant bacteria, according to new research published this week.
View ArticleResearchers discover bacterial genetic pathway involved in body odour production
For many, body odour is an unfortunate side effect of their daily lives. The smell is caused by bacteria on the skin breaking down naturally secreted molecules contained within sweat. Now, researchers...
View ArticleMore accurate diagnostic test may reduce deaths
A more accurate, faster diagnostic test for Group B Streptococcal infection in babies has been reported in the Journal of Medical Microbiology. The new test could allow better treatment and management...
View ArticleNew long-term antimicrobial catheter developed
A novel antimicrobial catheter that remains infection-free for up to twelve weeks could dramatically improve the lives of long-term catheter users. The scientists who have developed the new technology...
View ArticleTB outbreaks could be 'solved' by DNA tracking
Reconstructing the spread of killer diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) from person to person using DNA sequencing quickly identifies the origin and movement of pathogens. This approach is directly...
View ArticleStomach bacteria switch off human immune defences to cause disease
Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that establishes a life-long stomach infection in humans, which in some cases can lead to duodenal ulcers or stomach cancer. New research, presented at this week's...
View ArticleResearch identifies how mouth cells resist Candida infection
Candida albicans is a common fungus found living in, and on, many parts of the human body. Usually this species causes no harm to humans unless it can breach the body's immune defences, where can lead...
View ArticleWhole genome sequencing provides researchers with a better understanding of...
The use of whole bacterial genome sequencing will allow scientists to inexpensively track how bovine tuberculosis (TB) is transmitted from farm to farm, according to research presented this week at the...
View ArticleSigns of success in delaying onset of drug-resistant gonorrhoea in UK
Gonorrhoea threatens to become resistant to all of the antibiotics used to treat it. Today, Professor Cathy Ison will explain that campaigns in the UK to raise awareness of drug resistance among...
View ArticleReduction in HPV in young women in England seen, following national...
Each year around 2,000-2,500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in England, the most common cancer in women under 35. Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR HPV) types 16 and 18 is...
View ArticleAwareness campaign shows signs of delaying onset of drug-resistant gonorrhea...
In 2012, there were over 25,000 cases of gonorrhoea in the UK making it the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection after chlamydia. Control of gonorrhoea is dependent on successful...
View ArticleResearch shows that bacteria survive longer in contact lens cleaning solution...
Each year in the UK, bacterial infections cause around 6,000 cases of a severe eye condition known as microbial keratitis – an inflammation and ulceration of the cornea that can lead to loss of vision....
View ArticleUsing frog foam to deliver antibiotics
Today, at the Microbiology Society's Annual Conference in Liverpool, scientists will show that the foam made by Trinidadian frogs represents a new, non-toxic antibiotic delivery system that may help to...
View ArticleUnaccounted for Arctic microbes appear to be speeding up glacier melting
Today, at the Microbiology Society's Annual Conference in Liverpool, scientists will reveal how Arctic microbes are increasing the rate at which glaciers melt, in a process not accounted for in current...
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