Bacterial meningitis is a life-threating infection of the central nervous system. Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of meningitis in newborn babies and can cause severe complications in those that survive the infection. GBS must cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to cause disease but it is not clear how these organisms breach this barrier. A new study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation identifies a pathway that is induced by GBS and disrupts junctions between cells.
Kelly Doran and colleagues at San Diego State University determined that GBS induces a protein, Snail1, which inhibits expression of genes involved in maintaining junctions between cells. Enhanced Snail1 disrupted junctions between cultured brain endothelial cells, increasing permeability of the cell layer. In zebrafish, Snail1 expression in response to GBS disrupted the BBB, allowing the bacteria to breach this barrier. Inhibition of Snail1 in GBS-infected fish increased survival. This works suggests that GBS directly disrupts the BBB in the development of meningitis.
Source: Journal of Clinical Investigation
Broadening the Path: Diverse Educational Routes Into Infection Prevention Careers
July 4th 2025Once dominated by nurses, infection prevention now welcomes professionals from public health, lab science, and respiratory therapy—each bringing unique expertise that strengthens patient safety and IPC programs.
How Contaminated Is Your Stretcher? The Hidden Risks on Hospital Wheels
July 3rd 2025Despite routine disinfection, hospital surfaces, such as stretchers, remain reservoirs for harmful microbes, according to several recent studies. From high-touch areas to damaged mattresses and the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings, researchers continue to uncover persistent risks in environmental hygiene, highlighting the critical need for innovative, continuous disinfection strategies in health care settings.
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.