A transporter which some bacteria use to recycle fragments of their cell wall has been discovered by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden. They found that the transporter controls resistance to certain types of cell-wall targeting antibiotics. The transporter that Professor Felipe Cava and PhD student Michael Gilmore at Umeå university have found is vital for … Read more
The global impact of novel zoonotic pathogen spillovers has been highlighted through the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the rapid outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. In the past, similar effects were recorded during the HIV/AIDs and Spanish Influenza pandemics. Study: Rodent trapping studies as an overlooked information … Read more
A study published in Nature Communications describes that tight transmission bottlenecks restrict the evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the transmission chain. SARS-CoV-2 is the causative pathogen of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Study: Rapid transmission and tight bottlenecks constrain the evolution of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants. Image Credit: Lightspring/Shutterstock … Read more
In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers described developing a sequencing strategy based on amplicons for mpox detection. Study: Development of an amplicon-based sequencing approach in response to the global emergence of human monkeypox virus. Image Credit: FOTOGRIN/Shutterstock Background The multi-country epidemic of mpox in 2022, which coincided with the ongoing … Read more
A recent study published in Microbial Genomics analyzed the molecular evolution of the variola virus (VARV). Study: Analysis of variola virus molecular evolution suggests an old origin of the virus consistent with historical records. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock VARV, the causal pathogen of smallpox, has been a significant cause of mortality in human history. Edward … Read more
A new initiative to better understand respiratory viruses has been launched today (January 10, 2023) by the Wellcome Sanger Institute. The new Respiratory Virus & Microbiome Initiative will lay the groundwork for large-scale genomic surveillance of respiratory viruses, building on the Institute’s genomics expertise and the experience gained sequencing millions of SARS-CoV-2 genomes during the … Read more
In a recently published article in Neuropsychologyscientists have described demographic and clinical predictors of cognitive dysfunction and self-perceived cognitive difficulties in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors one year after infection. Study: Predictors of Cognitive Dysfunction One-Year Post COVID-19. Image Credit: Ink Drop/Shutterstock Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen of COVID-19, … Read more
In an article published in Frontiers in Microbiologyscientists have described the utility of gram-negative bacteria-derived outer membrane vesicles as vaccines and methods to expand their applications. Study: Outer membrane vesicles: A bacterial-derived vaccination system. Image Credit: Maxx-Studio/Shutterstock Background Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are spherical lipid nanoparticles with a diameter of 20-300 nm. These vesicles are … Read more
Recent pressure to maximize vaccine efficacy has stirred up many new discoveries within immunology, revealing numerous paradigms with untapped therapeutic potential. One growing branch of research is focused on tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM cells), a type of immune cell that provides long-lasting protection against pathogens attacking specific organs and tissues. In a new study … Read more
Pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 and pneumococcus can cause severe pneumonia. If the airways then fill with fluid, the patient risks developing acute respiratory distress syndrome. Researchers at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now discovered the molecular mechanisms that trigger fluid accumulation in the lungs. This also led them to discover a potential new therapy: A … Read more
