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When parasites catch viruses: Viral symbiont of a protozoan parasite increases virulence to human host
ScienceDaily (Nov. 7, 2012) When humans have parasites, the organisms live in our bodies, co-opt our resources and cause disease
Unexpected bottleneck identified in spread of herpes simplex virus
ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2012) New research suggests that just one or two individual herpes virus particles attack a skin cell in the first stage of an outbreak, resulting in a bottleneck in which the infection may be vulnerable to medical treatment.
Long Island man beats fungal meningitis; Cancer specialist solves a diagnostic puzzle that appeared to be brain cancer
ScienceDaily (Oct. 23, 2012) Thinking he had only months to live, Frank Tarantino, 67, of Amityville, N.Y., a retired electrician, father of four and grandfather of seven, was getting his affairs in order in the winter of 2011
Specific bacterial species may initiate, maintain Crohn’s
ScienceDaily (Oct. 22, 2012) Patients newly diagnosed with pediatric Crohn’s disease had significantly different levels of certain types of bacteria in their intestinal tracts than age-matched controls, according to a paper in the October Journal of Clinical Microbiology .
Antibodies to immune cells protect eyes in Pseudomonas infection
ScienceDaily (Oct. 22, 2012) Contact lenses, particularly the extended wear variety, render wearers vulnerable to eye infections from Pseudomonas aeruginosa . These infections can cause severe damage, including blindness.
Molecular basis of infection of tick-transmitted disease uncovered
ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2012) Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine researchers have identified the “keys” and “doors” of a bacterium responsible for a series of tick-transmitted diseases.
How bacteria communicate using quorum sensing: Could bacteria be manipulated to control infections?
ScienceDaily (Oct. 11, 2012) The relatively new field in microbiology that focuses on quorum sensing has been making strides in understanding how bacteria communicate and cooperate. Quorum sensing describes the bacterial communication between cells that allows them to recognize and react to the size of their surrounding cell population
Living near livestock may increase risk of acquiring MRSA
ScienceDaily (Oct. 10, 2012) People who live near livestock or in livestock farming communities may be at greater risk of acquiring, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), according to a new study led by an international team of researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Dutch Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam. A comparison of livestock density, place of residence and existing information on risk factors found that regional density of livestock is an important risk factor for nasal carriage of livestock-associated (LA) MRSA for persons with and without direct contact with livestock
Most pregnancy-related infections are caused by four treatable conditions, study finds
ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2012) In low-and-middle income countries, pregnancy-related infections are a major cause of maternal death, can also be fatal to unborn and newborn babies, and are mostly caused by four types of conditions that are treatable and preventable, according to a review by US researchers published in this week’s PLOS Medicine .
Immune system harnessed to improve stem cell transplant outcomes
ScienceDaily (Oct. 1, 2012) A novel therapy in the early stages of development at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center shows promise in providing lasting protection against the progression of multiple myeloma following a stem cell transplant by making the cancer cells easier targets for the immune system. Outlined in the British Journal of Hematology , the Phase II clinical trial was led by Amir Toor, M.D., hematologist-oncologist in the Bone Marrow Transplant Program and research member of the Developmental Therapeutics program at VCU Massey Cancer Center
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