A new testing methodology based on metagenomics could accelerate the diagnosis of foodborne bacterial outbreaks, allowing public health officials to identify the microbial culprits in less than a day. The methodology could also identify co-infections with secondary microbes, determine the specific variant of the pathogen, and help alert health officials to the presence of new or unusual pathogens.
Researchers from North Carolina State University have discovered a way to make pinpoint changes to an enzyme-driven "assembly line" that will enable scientists to improve or change the properties of existing antibiotics as well as create designer compounds. The work is the first to efficiently manipulate which building blocks the enzyme selects in the act of synthesizing erythromycin, an important antibiotic.
In advance of World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidelines on HIV self-testing to improve access to and uptake of HIV diagnosis. According to a new WHO progress report, lack of an HIV diagnosis is a major obstacle to implementing the organization’s recommendation that everyone with HIV should be offered antiretroviral therapy (ART).
With 29,747 newly reported HIV infections in 2015, the EU/EEA notification rate is similar to recent years with an overall insignificant change from 6.6 per 100,000 population in 2006 to 6.3 in 2015 (adjusted for reporting delay).
A Washington State University (WSU) research team has successfully used a mild electric current to take on and beat drug-resistant bacterial infections, a technology that may eventually be used to treat chronic wound infections. The researchers report on their work in the online edition of npj Biofilms and Microbiomes.
Staph bacteria colonize nasal passages through a newly discovered function for a primeval biochemical mechanism. The interior of the nose is a prime dwelling place for some forms of staph. More than one-third of the population has a chronic presence of Staphylococcus aureus in their nostrils and sinuses. From there, it can get onto the hands and other skin areas.
There is a continuous search for new, safe and relatively cheaper drugs with the advent of new diseases and increasing antibiotic resistance. Endophtyes having the potential to synthesize a wide array of bioactive compounds is an attractive alternative. They have the potential not only to synthesize plant metabolites but also a host of other natural products exhibiting a broad spectrum of structural and chemical diversities exhibiting biological activity and therefore can serve as lead molecules for designing new drugs
Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can cause serious complications such as hearing difficulties and mental retardation in affected infants. A Japanese research team has discovered a new method for predicting congenital CMV infection during the prenatal period. This method is safe for both mothers and fetuses, and could potentially be adopted for general use. The findings were published on October 20 in the online version of Clinical Infectious Diseases.