Viruses and Bacteria

Bacteria have developed crafty weapons in their ongoing wars, such as tailocins, which act somewhat like “homing missiles” against their enemies. Now, researchers have investigated just how tailocins work, and how we might use them to our advantage.

While most microbiome scientists focus on gut bacteria, a new school of research is starting to look at how the communities of fungus in our bodies can influence our metabolic health. A new study suggests fungal diversity may play a role in weight gain.

The FDA has approved a third COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in the United States. Unlike the first two vaccines approved for use, this one is proven effective after only a single dose, and it can be safely distributed in standard refrigerator temperatures.

Bacteria are fast evolving resistance to antibiotics, meaning our best drugs could soon stop working entirely. Now researchers have found a way to bypass drug resistance in these so-called superbugs – by distracting them with predatory viruses.

A first-of-its-kind study has found a link between COVID-19 severity and the gut microbiome. The research suggests specific microbial patterns correlate with disease severity and those bacterial imbalances may account for some cases of “long COVID”.

VEEV is a mosquito-borne virus that, in the worst case scenario, can infect the brain and become deadly. Now scientists have discovered the protein it latches onto – and used it to create a decoy molecule that draws the virus away from the brain.

A new study, published in the journal Nature, is describing the surprising discovery of a previously unknown gut-brain link. The research reveals certain immune cells that inhabit a protective membrane surrounding the brain actually originate in the gut.

Researchers from Ohio State University have created the first catalog of viral populations known to inhabit the human gut. Called the Gut Virome Database, the study suggests each person’s gut viral population is as unique as their fingerprints.

A new case study is reporting the first clinically confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 re-infection. Responding to the news, infectious disease specialists suggest the re-infection is not surprising, could be rare, and may have implications for the efficacy of a vaccine.

A new systematic review is affirming the effectiveness of honey as a first-line treatment for upper respiratory tract infections, suggesting antibiotics are ineffective treating minor coughs and colds, and honey offers superior symptomatic relief.

Bacteria are fast developing resistance to antibiotics, but we may soon have a new weapon to fight back. Bacteriophages are viruses that prey on bacteria, and now scientists have used them to treat Golden Staph infections in diabetic foot ulcers.

If there's one place where you don't want viruses or harmful bacteria to be present, it's in hospitals, where people are already vulnerable. A new process could help, by allowing aluminum surfaces in such buildings to kill the bugs.