search
bacteria
Trends
- 1Blood Test Distinguishes Bacterial and Viral Infections in Newborns▼Blood Test Differentiates Bacterial and Viral Infections in Newborns
A new blood test can differentiate between bacterial and viral infections in newborns, according to a report by Inside Precision Medicine. The development could help doctors avoid unnecessary antibiotics in babies with viral illnesses while ensuring bacterial infections are treated quickly. Diagnosing infections in newborns is difficult because symptoms are often vague, so a rapid, accurate test would address a long-standing challenge in neonatal care.
- 2University of Kansas wins $5.8 million NIH grant against antibiotic resistance▼University of Kansas Lands $5.8 Million NIH Grant to Fight Antibiotic Resistance
The University of Kansas has been awarded a $5.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to support research into combating antibiotic resistance. The funding will back efforts to develop new approaches as drug-resistant bacteria remain a growing global health threat, with the university positioned among institutions receiving major federal support for this work.
- 3Secret Cold War bioweapons test exposed millions in Bay Area●The secret Cold War bioweapons test that exposed millions in the Bay Area
A newly detailed account revisits the 1950 Operation Sea-Spray, in which the US Navy sprayed Serratia marcescens bacteria over San Francisco from ships offshore to study how a biological attack might spread. The tests exposed an estimated 800,000 residents to the bacteria without their knowledge, and have since been linked to infections and at least one death. Readers are debating the ethics of secret government experiments on civilians and what accountability, if any, followed.
- 4Blood test distinguishes bacterial from viral infections in newborns▼Blood test shows whether newborns with fever have bacterial or viral infection
Researchers have developed a blood test that can show whether a newborn with a fever has a bacterial or a viral infection. The advance could help doctors decide quickly whether infants need antibiotics, reducing unnecessary treatment and speeding up care for babies with serious bacterial illness. Medical outlets are reporting on the test's potential to improve diagnosis in newborns, a group in whom infections are hard to distinguish and can become dangerous fast.
- 5Brazilian Cerrado Plant Extract Revives Antibiotics Against Superbugs▼Brazilian Cerrado Plant Extract Restores Antibiotic Power Against Resistant Superbugs
Researchers report that an extract from a plant native to Brazil's Cerrado savanna can restore the effectiveness of antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria. The finding suggests the extract works alongside existing drugs to overcome resistance mechanisms in so-called superbugs, offering a potential new lead in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, a growing global health threat.
- 6New test could distinguish bacterial from viral infections in feverish babies●Feverish babies in hospital are often assumed to have a serious bacterial infection and are treated with antibiotics. Bu
Feverish babies admitted to hospital are often assumed to have a serious bacterial infection and are treated with antibiotics as a precaution. A new test that gauges whether an infection is bacterial or viral could reduce unnecessary antibiotic use in infants, helping doctors avoid overprescription and supporting efforts against antimicrobial resistance.
- 7Bacteria on coral reef fish gills carry chemosynthesis genes●DNA reveals chemosynthesis genes in bacteria living on coral reef fish gills
Researchers have found that bacteria living on the gills of coral reef fish carry genes for chemosynthesis, meaning they may be able to produce energy from chemicals rather than light. The discovery, reported by Phys.org, suggests fish gills could host microbial communities with an unusual metabolism, expanding what scientists know about where chemosynthetic microbes live.
- 8Tailored microbiome treatments called the future of veterinary medicine▼Tailored microbiome interventions ‘the future’ of veterinary medicine
Veterinary experts say individualised microbiome interventions are set to become the future of animal health care. Rather than one-size-fits-all treatments, vets would tailor therapies targeting the gut bacteria of individual animals, potentially improving outcomes for digestive, immune and behavioural conditions. The claim comes from VetTimes, which says personalised microbiome approaches could reshape how companion animals and livestock are treated in coming years.
- 9
A new finding reports that overlapping genes—genes whose sequences physically overlap on the genome—are subject to different evolutionary pressures depending on the organism. In bacteria, overlapping genes appear to evolve under one set of constraints, while in eukaryotes, or complex life, they follow another. The results suggest that genome architecture shapes how evolution acts on shared genetic material, challenging the assumption that overlapping genes obey universal rules across all living things.
- 10
Health officials have linked an E.coli outbreak to raw milk cheese, prompting warnings to consumers about unpasteurized dairy products. The announcement is drawing attention to the ongoing risks of raw milk products, which can carry harmful bacteria not killed by pasteurization. Authorities are urging anyone who consumed raw milk cheese recently and developed symptoms to seek medical advice.
- 11Raw cheese linked to E. coli outbreak sickening two children●Raw cheese linked to E. coli outbreak, causing sickness for 2 San Diego County children
Health officials have linked raw cheese to an E. coli outbreak that has made two children in San Diego County ill, according to local reporting. The cases have raised renewed attention on the risks of unpasteurized dairy products, which can carry harmful bacteria. Authorities are urging caution with raw cheese consumption as the investigation continues.