The Times (London)
Scientists have discovered the genes that transform harmless meningitis bacteria into potential killers.
The breakthrough, by researchers at Oxford, may help the development of a vaccine against the meningitis B strain of the disease, responsible for 60 percent of meningitis infections in Britain.
Although a successful vaccination program has been introduced to combat meningitis C, no vaccine exists for the B strain.
Meningitis kills more children under the age of five than any other infectious disease in Britain. It kills 10 percent of all those who contract it. Others who survive the infection may be left with severe disabilities such as deafness, brain damage or the loss of a limb.
Yet many people carry the bacteria that cause meningitis with no ill effects. Meningococcus B lives harmlessly in the back of the noses and throats of one in ten people. Sometimes, however, it changes into a dangerous microbe that can invade the bloodstream, overcome the immune system and kill a previously healthy person within hours.
The scientists from Oxford University's departments of pediatrics and biochemistry built on the sequencing of the genomes - the genetic blueprints of meningitis B and C that were completed earlier this year. Breaking down the mass of information, they discovered "virulence genes" responsible for turning the meningitis bug into a killer. The research was published in Nature Medicine Nov. 15.
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.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.