How the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis secretes and traffics its only known exotoxin
Six years ago, Michael Niederweis, Ph.D., described the first known toxin of the deadly pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), an exotoxin that had gone undetected for 132 years......»»
In-depth study of the biodiversity of the fungus causing olive tree Anthracnose
The Department of Agronomy at the University of Córdoba leads an international study in which the different species of the pathogen are being understood thanks to samples collected over the course of 25 years......»»
Bird study illustrates the interplay between disease transmission and behavior
A study examining eye disease in a common bird species shows how pathology and behavior interact in complex ways that determine how widely a pathogen can spread......»»
Mosquitoes have a mutual symbiotic relationship with malaria-causing pathogen
Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Biological Sciences Laurence J. Zwiebel is part of a team of researchers at Vanderbilt and the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute who are working to understand how Plasmodium falciparium—the pathogen that cau.....»»
Infection with a fungus decreases the heat and cold tolerance of insects, influences insect behavior, study finds
We humans tend to avoid harsh conditions when we are sick, instead seeking out the comfort of our climate-controlled homes. New research shows that sick insects may also be sensitive to extreme temperatures, and it could be the pathogen itself that d.....»»
Genetic contact tracing could help curb TB
The novel use of genetic contact tracing to identify the source of a bovine tuberculosis outbreak could signal a new approach in managing the disease, a study suggests......»»
Realizing precision medicine through pathogen genome sequencing
Those familiar with the medical industry have undoubtedly heard the term "precision medicine" with great frequency. As a matter of fact, the development of genome sequencing technology in recent years has advanced the treatment of infections from unk.....»»
Fungal transplants from close relatives help endangered plants fight off disease
For the endangered Hawaiian plant Eugenia koolauensis, fungi could be both its demise and its savior. The fungal pathogen myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) has been devastating populations of the endemic tree, along with many other native and culti.....»»
Understanding pathogen tolerance in wild animals key to pandemic preparedness
A new multidisciplinary research framework is needed to explore links between evolved tolerance to pathogens and their spillover into humans, scientists write today in the journal eLife......»»
Ground-breaking bacteria-killing viruses unite with antibiotics to fight devastating antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Mycobacterium abscessus, a relative of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and leprosy, is responsible for particularly severe damage to human lungs and can be resistant to many standard antibiotics, making infections extremely challenging to treat......»»
Thousands of Brits sign up to save condemned alpaca Geronimo
Tens of thousands of people in Britain have signed a petition to save an alpaca named Geronimo, who the government insisted Friday must be euthanised after testing positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB)......»»
Could a TB vaccine protect the elderly from severe COVID?
Scientists suspect that a century-old tuberculosis vaccine might be able to protect older adults against the worst ravages of COVID-19......»»
Cell-analysis technique could combat tuberculosis
Researchers have developed a way to analyze how individual immune cells react to the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. It could pave the way for new vaccine strategies and provide insights into fighting other infectious diseases......»»
Cell-analysis technique could combat tuberculosis
A new method that analyzes how individual immune cells react to the bacteria that cause tuberculosis could pave the way for new vaccine strategies against this deadly disease, and provide insights into fighting other infectious diseases around the wo.....»»
Faster diagnosis of deadly Hendra virus in horses
University of Queensland vets are diagnosing the deadly Hendra virus in horses faster than ever, developing a diagnostic point-of-care kit that can detect the pathogen in under an hour, rather than days......»»
Progress towards new treatments for tuberculosis
A new study has uncovered how cells infected with tuberculosis bacteria can die, and that using new medicines to enhance particular forms of cell death decreased the severity of the disease in a preclinical model......»»
New insights into Salmonella"s survival strategies
Scientists have analyzed how the intracellular pathogen Salmonella enterica secretes proteins to survive and thrive in infected cells. Using a novel approach, which for the first time allows scientists to study which host cell proteins are targeted b.....»»
New insights into Salmonella"s survival strategies
Cells fight microbial invaders by engulfing them into membrane sacs—hostile environments in which pathogens are rapidly destroyed. However, the pathogen Salmonella enterica, which grows and reproduces inside cells, has evolved ways to detoxify such.....»»
How the potato blight pathogen penetrates the plant
In the 19th century, the notorious pathogen Phytophthora infestans caused a large famine in Ireland and other parts of Western Europe. To this day, it continues to pose a major threat to global food production. It has long been a mystery how this mic.....»»
Kiwi disease study finds closely related bacterial strains display different behaviors
Over the last decade, severe outbreaks of bacterial canker have caused huge economic losses for kiwi growers, especially in Italy, New Zealand, and China, which are among the largest producers. Bacterial canker is caused by the bacterial pathogen Pse.....»»
Why Scientists Tweak Lab Viruses to Make Them More Contagious
Some “gain of function” studies explore how a dangerous pathogen might cross species barriers to start an outbreak. They are not without controversy -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»