Microbiology

Durham, NC — The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, can directly infect a specialized type of kidney cell. The discovery helps explain why acute kidney injury is one of the main complications observed in patients with severe COVID-19, according to biomedical engineers and virologists at Duke University. The research appeared online April 20 in the […]

Los Angeles, CA — New UCLA research finds that 30% of people treated for COVID-19 developed Post Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), most commonly known as “Long COVID.” People with a history of hospitalization, diabetes, and higher body mass index were most likely to develop the condition, while those covered by Medicaid, as opposed to […]

Beijing, China — When treating acute infections in patients, health care providers must be able to quickly and accurately identify the best antibiotics for fighting the infection. A research team led by researchers from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Peking Union Medical College […]

Jena, Germany — A chip-based infection model developed by researchers in Jena, Germany, enables live microscopic observation of damage to lung tissue caused by the invasive fungal infection aspergillosis. The team developed algorithms to track the spread of fungal hyphae as well as the response of immune cells. The development is based on a “lung-on-chip” […]

Tempe, AZ — In recent years, researchers have begun to explore the vast assemblage of microbes on and within the human body. These include protists, archaea, fungi, viruses and vast numbers of bacteria living in symbiotic ecosystems. Known collectively as the human microbiome, these tiny entities influence an astonishing range of activities, from metabolism to […]

Bochum, Germany — It is well known that co-infections with hepatitis viruses do exist. “However, the co-infection of hepatitis C and E has not yet been systematically researched,” says Thomas Burkard. “Even though the possibility always looms that a simultaneous infection with two viruses could perhaps be particularly dangerous.” A single protein suppresses infection In […]

Norwich, UK — An obscure species of wild grass contains “blockbuster” disease resistance that can be cross bred into wheat to give immunity against one of the deadliest crop pathogens. A collaborative international team of researchers identified the stem rust resistance gene from the wild goat grass species Aegilops sharonensis. The research team led by […]

Tokyo, Japan — Scientists investigating fungal biodiversity on glaciers undergoing rapid ice loss in the Canadian High Arctic have found that such glacier retreat is causing loss of habitat for fungi on glaciers. A paper describing the researchers’ findings appeared in the journal Sustainability on Jan. 29. From the plight of polar bears to unprecedented […]

Salt Lake City, UT — A new study led by researchers at University of Utah Health details a novel mechanism that infectious bacteria use to quickly adjust to environmental stress. The discovery could help explain why certain types of common infections—such as urinary tract and bloodstream infections like sepsis—are hard to get rid of.  The mechanism, […]

San Francisco, CA — The SARS-CoV-2 virus is continuously evolving and structural changes to the virus may impact the efficacy of antibody therapies and vaccines. A study publishing February 17th in PLOS Pathogens by Anshumali Mittal at the University of Pittsburgh, USA and colleagues describes the structural and functional landscape of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 […]

Baltimore, MD — In early 2021, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and NORC at the University of Chicago showed that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use — a comprehensive system they developed to assist health care institutions with establishing and operating antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) — successfully […]

Newcastle upon Tyne, UK — The spectacular structure of the protective armour of superbug C.difficile has been revealed for the first time showing the close-knit yet flexible outer layer – like chain mail.This assembly prevents molecules getting in and provides a new target for future treatments, according to the scientists who have uncovered it. Publishing […]