New trial to assess whether rapid tests reduce antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections in primary care
A new randomised controlled clinical trial, led by the University of Bristol, will investigate whether rapid microbiological 'point-of-care' tests for respiratory infections could reduce antibiotic prescribing in primary care, thanks to funding of £ 1.6 million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The tests, which are carried out in GP surgeries rather than sent to a laboratory, detect the presence of viruses and some bacteria, with results available on the same day. (Source: University of Bristol news)
Source: University of Bristol news - November 23, 2022 Category: Universities & Medical Training Tags: Health, Grants and Awards, Research; Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Population Health Sciences, Institutes, Institutes, Bristol Population Health Science Institute; Press Release Source Type: news

Does exposure to cold and flu viruses weaken or strengthen the immune system?
And is that answer different now in our Covid world? Linda Geddes looks at the evidence and talks to the expertsAs temperatures drop and November rain falls, the seasonal onslaught of coughs, sore throats and sniffles may feel inevitable, but does constant exposure to everyday infections such as colds or influenza drain us or make us stronger?Our immune systems are often said to have memory, meaning that if an individual has previously been exposed to an infectious bug, such as a virus, specialised immune cells that remember what it looks like will continue to circulate in the blood and body fluids, ready to trigger a rapi...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - November 19, 2022 Category: Science Authors: Linda Geddes Science correspondent Tags: Infectious diseases Common cold Flu Coronavirus Medical research Microbiology Science Society UK news Source Type: news

Stephen J. Thomas, MD, named the Frank E. Young, MD ’56 and Leanne Young Endowed Chair of Microbiology
The endowed chair is named for Upstate alumnus Frank Young, MD, who led the Food and Drug Administration in the 1980s. (Source: SUNY Upstate Medical)
Source: SUNY Upstate Medical - November 18, 2022 Category: Universities & Medical Training Tags: News Source Type: news

‘Vast’ mass of microbes being released by melting glaciers
Bacteria can fertilise ecosystems but need to be studied closely to identify potential pathogens, scientists sayHundreds of thousands of tonnes of bacteria are being released by melting glaciers, a study has shown.The microbes being washed downstream could fertilise ecosystems, the researchers said, but needed to be much better studied to identify any potential pathogens.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - November 17, 2022 Category: Science Authors: Damian Carrington Environment editor Tags: Glaciers Climate crisis Microbiology Environment Polar regions Science Aberystwyth University Wales UK news Source Type: news

Clostridioides difficile infection: are the three currently used antibiotic treatment options equal from pharmacological and microbiological points of view?
Recently, the recommendations for the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) have been updated. However, in addition to the clinical efficacy data, the drug of choice should ideally represent optimal antimicrobial stewardship, with an emphasis on rapid restoration of the gut microbiota to minimize the risk of infection relapses. Oral administration of metronidazole results in low concentration in stool, and interaction with fecal microbiota reduces its antimicrobial bioactivity. Reported elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations of metronidazole in epidemic C. difficile ribotypes and the emergence of plasmi...
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - November 15, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Mobile phones as a vector for Healthcare-Associated Infection: A systematic review.
Conclusions: The use of mobile phones by healthcare workers without proper disinfection may imply a risk for nosocomial infection. A direct relationship however, remains unproven. Healthcare workers are recommended to include proper handling of mobile phones in their ' classic ' hand hygiene routine as proposed by the World Health Organisation. (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - November 15, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Comparing the effectiveness of hand hygiene techniques in reducing the microbial load and covering hand surfaces in healthcare workers: Updated systematic review.
• WHO 6-step technique effectively reduces bacterial load on hands. • Effectiveness of hand hygiene techniques in covering all hand surfaces is limited. • Evidence for the most effective and feasible hand hygiene technique is inconclusive. • Substantial heterogeneity exists in the body of ev idence. • Hand hygiene technique studies require standardization. This review, commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO), examined the effectiveness of the WHO 6-step hand hygiene (HH) technique in reducing microbial load on hands and covering hand surfaces, and compared its effectivenes s to other techniques. Medli...
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - November 15, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

$2.4M Grant Funds UAMS Study on Tick-Borne Fever Bacterium
Jon Blevins, a professor in the College of Medicine Department of Microbiology and Immunology, is leading the four-year study. (Source: Arkansas Business - Health Care)
Source: Arkansas Business - Health Care - November 14, 2022 Category: American Health Source Type: news

Australia gives world-first approval for faecal transplants to restore gut health
BiomeBank in Adelaide collects healthy genetic material from the microbiomes of donors to treat potentially deadly bacterial conditionGet ourmorning and afternoon news emails,free app ordaily news podcastAustralia has given regulatory approval for faecal transplants, the first country in the world to do so.For such a transplant, poo donors – who have to meet a list of conditions – provide healthy genetic material from theirmicrobiomes. The microbes are collected and delivered into the gastrointestinal tract of an unhealthy person, where they have been shown to treat conditions such as the potentially deadly bacteriaClo...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - November 10, 2022 Category: Science Authors: Tory Shepherd Tags: Health Microbiology Australia news Medical research Science World news Source Type: news

Invasive mosquito could disrupt Africa ’s ‘landscape of malaria’ after cases rise
Insecticide-resistant newcomer caused unprecedented urban outbreak in Ethiopia and can survive the dry season, scientists sayScientists are warning that the invasion of an insecticide-resistant mosquito could change Africa ’s “landscape of malaria” after research showed it caused an unprecedented urban outbreak in Ethiopia.An investigation into a steep rise in cases in the Ethiopian city of Dire Dawa during a dry season this year identified the mosquito as the cause of the outbreak. Scientists say it is the strongest evidence to date that it could prompt surges of malaria in areas typically less affected by the disea...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - November 3, 2022 Category: Science Authors: Lizzy Davies Tags: Global development Malaria Ethiopia Africa Infectious diseases World news Medical research Microbiology Science Source Type: news

The Differences Between the Two Polio Vaccines —and the New One on the Horizon
Before this year, polio didn’t feel like an urgent threat. The disease was eradicated in the U.S. in 1979, and thanks to a global vaccination campaign, it’s endemic (though far from widespread) in just two countries—Pakistan and Afghanistan. But the calculus changed in 2022. In July, an unvaccinated man in New York state contracted polio. And this year, poliovirus has circulated in wastewater in London, Jerusalem, and—as recently as Oct. 28—in New York City and several surrounding counties. “Unvaccinated and undervaccinated in these areas are at risk for paralysis disease,” resear...
Source: TIME: Health - November 2, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Jeffrey Kluger Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate Vaccines Source Type: news

Chewing to curb COVID
Penn Medicine will conduct a new clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a chewing gum designed by School of Dental Medicine researchers to trap SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva. Chewing gum tablets containing plant material laced with the ACE2 protein are being evaluated in a clinical trial to see if they are safe and effective in trapping SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva. (Image: Kevin Monko/Penn Dental Medicine) A recently launched clinical trial at Penn Medicine will evaluate a new chewing gum designed by School of Dental Medicine researchers to trap SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva, potentially blocking transmission of COVID-...
Source: Dental Technology Blog - November 2, 2022 Category: Dentistry Source Type: news

Italian researchers find new recipe to extend life of fresh pasta by a month
Altering packaging process could allow pasta to be kept for 120 days, tackling food wasteA new twist on packaging combined with a special ingredient could extend the shelf life of fresh pasta by a month, researchers have revealed.Heat-treated, industrial fresh pasta has a shelf life of approximately 30-90 days, if stored appropriately. However, by taking a triple-pronged approach, involving new forms of packaging, a different packaging atmosphere, and the addition of “good” bacteria, researchers have been able to extend this to 120 days.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - November 2, 2022 Category: Science Authors: Nicola Davis Science correspondent Tags: Food Food waste Pasta Italian food and drink Environment Microbiology Science Italy Source Type: news

Bristol researcher awarded British Society for Oral and Dental Research (BSODR) President's prize
Dr Cher Farrugia, a dentist and researcher at the University of Bristol Dental School, has been awarded the prestigious British Society of Oral and Dental Research (BSODR) President's Prize for her research in translational microbiology. (Source: University of Bristol news)
Source: University of Bristol news - October 31, 2022 Category: Universities & Medical Training Tags: ; Faculty of Health Sciences Source Type: news

A New Lab-Made COVID-19 Virus Puts Gain-of-Function Research Under the Microscope
On October 14, a team of scientists at Boston University released a pre-print study reporting that they had created a version of SARS-CoV-2 combining two features of different, existing strains that boosted its virulence and transmissibility. Scientists and the public raised questions about the work, which refocused attention on such experiments, and prompted the U.S. government to investigate whether the research followed protocols for these kinds of studies. The concerns surround what is known as gain-of-function studies, in which viruses, bacteria, or other pathogens are created in the lab—either intentionally or ...
Source: TIME: Science - October 27, 2022 Category: Science Authors: Alice Park Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 Source Type: news