Bacteria

Analysis and Comment (16)

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Colorized low-temperature electron micrograph of a cluster of E. coli bacteria. The individual bacterium are rectangular and brown. Microbe World/Flickr

Bacterial genomics offers new approaches to better health

By Slade Jensen, University of Western Sydney and Sebastiaan van Hal, University of Western Sydney

Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms abundant in nature that can’t be seen with the naked eye. In fact, there are approximately five multiplied by 10³¹ bacteria on the earth, constituting 90% of its…
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Forget yoghurt, go to the chemist for an effective treatment for thrush. Image from shutterstock.com

Monday’s medical myth: yoghurt cures thrush

By Michael Tam

Vaginal thrush, or “vulvovaginal candidiasis” is a common condition, with around three-quarters of women experiencing an episode in their lifetime. Many readers may be familiar with the unpleasant symptoms…
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As simple as the procedure sounds, we don’t yet fully understand how faecal transplants work. Image from shutterstock.com

Trading chemistry for ecology with poo transplants

By Dyani Lewis, University of Melbourne

Antibiotics joined our growing arsenal of weapons in the fight against disease over seventy years ago. Their target – the bacterial infections that putrefied our wounds, filled our lungs with pneumonia…
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When cooked food falls below 60°C, it’s in the temperature danger zone. riebschlager

Monday’s medical myth: leave leftovers to cool before refrigerating

By Clare Collins, University of Newcastle

Food poisoning doesn’t just come from dodgy kebabs, under-cooked chicken and restaurants with poor hygiene practices – it can also occur in the home. And anyone who has suffered a bout of food poisoning…
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Microbial fuel cells: a bit of mud or sewage, a few bacteria and, bingo: electricity. engineering for change

Mud power: how bacteria can turn waste into electricity

By Ashley Franks, La Trobe University

When you read the word “bacteria” you probably think about illness, advertisements for “probiotic” food supplements, and maybe about brushing your teeth. Chances are, you probably don’t think about electricity…
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We may have pinpointed the event that started modern Y. pestis epidemics. Steam Pirate.

Did the Black Death give birth to modern plagues?

By Peter Reeves

Could contemporary plague outbreaks such as those that have hit Peru and the USA have their origins in the medieval era? It would seem so. A paper published in Nature today reports a genome sequence taken…
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The virulent E. coli is likely to have spread through contaminated vegetables.

From farm to the plate: Europe’s deadly E. coli outbreak

By Peter Collignon

E. coli is a common germ that has traditionally caused blood stream infections and urinary tract infections. The virulent strain we’re seeing in Europe which has infected more than 1500 people and killed…
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We import more antibiotics to promote animal growth than treat people. AAP

A game plan to win the coming fight against superbugs

By Matthew Cooper

We depend on antibiotics to treat what previously were fatal conditions. But the more we use them, the more the bacteria they fight become resistant to all the weapons in our arsenal. Bacterial resistance…
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Viruses, parasites and bacteria have all developed resistance to current drugs. AAP

Superbugs vs antibiotics – a fight we can’t afford to lose

By Marc Pellegrini, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

The World Health Organisation’s World Health Day is dedicated to the threat posed by the rapid emergence of drug resistant organisms. Viruses, parasites and bacteria have all developed some resistance…

Research Briefs (23)

Using copper against ‘superbugs’

Medical University of South Carolina

Using copper objects in hospitals reduces infection rates, a US study has found. Patients were randomly assigned to rooms…

Cicada wings that kill bacteria

James Cook University

Cicada wings have been discovered to be the first natural surface to kill bacteria through their structure. Researches at…

Bacteria versus virus in oceanic war

Oregon State University

The most abundant bacteria on record are also the hosts of the most abundant viruses, a result found by researchers from…

Anti-microbial catheter developed

www.nottingham.ac.uk

A new anti-microbial catheter could remain infection free for up to twelve weeks. Scientists developed a catheter designed…

Bacteria boosts biofuel production

Michigan State University

A new biofuel production process using microbes to manufacture biofuel and hydrogen, all while consuming agricultural wastes…

Detecting bacteria with coloured paper

McMaster University

A new type of bioactive paper can detect coliforms such as E. coli in water in minutes. The small paper stripe uses chemicals…

Bacteria help fungi and ants digest leaves

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Leafcutter ants are known for cultivating complex gardens of fungi and bacteria. While scientists have known for over a century…

Salmonella finds new way to harm

Ohio State University/Newswise

New research shows salmonella bacteria have modified, attacking the protein-building process to sustain its capacity to create…

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