Sepsis is a complex, serious condition that affects more than 400,000 people in the US each year. It begins when a bacterial infection produces endotoxins called lipopolysaccharides that bind to endothelial cells lining the insides of blood vessels. This binding causes oxidative stress and an influx of calcium, activating the endothelial cells and increasing theContinueContinue reading “STIMulating a new treatment for sepsis”
Tag Archives: infectious disease
Immune recovery after hibernation and HIV infection
At first blush, the idea that hibernation and treatment of HIV infection have common characteristics seems unconventional at best. But a collaboration between scientists Carol Meteyer from the US Geological Survey (Madison, WI) and Daniel Barber and Judith Mandl of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Bethesda, MD) has produced evidence thatContinueContinue reading “Immune recovery after hibernation and HIV infection”
Streamlining vaccine production using mRNA
The creation and production of vaccines has come a long way since Edward Jenner developed the first known vaccine in 1796. Jenner used cowpox, a mild relative of smallpox, to induce immunity to smallpox. Today’s vaccines typically use inactivated forms, attenuated forms or purified immunogenic components of the causative pathogens as active agents. For example,ContinueContinue reading “Streamlining vaccine production using mRNA”
A new weapon against antibiotic-resistant bugs
Drug resistance is a growing public health concern, as new pathogens that are unaffected by current antibiotic treatments continue to emerge. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is one potentially lethal example. The resulting search for new types of antimicrobial peptides has led scientists back to nature, as many plants and animals produce peptides with intrinsic antibacterial, antiviralContinueContinue reading “A new weapon against antibiotic-resistant bugs”
Toward better management of Lyme disease
Results of a new study by researchers at Yale University School of Medicine (New Haven, CT) may point to the cause of persistent arthritis in people with Lyme disease. About 10% of Lyme sufferers will experience Lyme-related arthritis; in about 10% of these cases, the arthritis can last for months, despite antibiotic therapy. Its pathologyContinueContinue reading “Toward better management of Lyme disease”
Prions cross the species barrier
Prions are abnormal proteins whose accumulation in brain tissues can cause disease in their hosts. Prion diseases occur in many different species, and some can be transmitted between species. For example, variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease occurs in humans after exposure to the cow prion disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy (or mad cow disease). Generally, such inter-species transmissionContinueContinue reading “Prions cross the species barrier”
One vaccine to fight them all?
Several influenza virus strains infect humans, including some that are highly pathogenic and potential pandemic agents. Influenza vaccines are used to reduce exposure, illness and health care costs. Hemagglutinin, the most common vaccine target, is highly mutable, however, so vaccines must be reformulated each year to address emerging influenza strains. A ‘universal’ vaccine that protectsContinueContinue reading “One vaccine to fight them all?”
Disrupting bacterial binding to treat infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) present a substantial health problem for women, particularly when infections are chronic, recurrent or recalcitrant because of pathogenic mechanisms or antibiotic resistance. In the US, about 15 million women suffer from UTIs each year; 20–40% of women experience recurring infections. Healthcare costs associated with UTIs exceed $2.5 billion per year inContinueContinue reading “Disrupting bacterial binding to treat infections”
Neutralizing hospital-acquired infections
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) afflict as many as 5% of hospital patients, particularly those receiving antibiotic therapy. The antibiotics are thought to damage normal gut microflora, allowing pathogens to flourish. Clostridium difficile is one of the most common pathogens, causing diarrhea, intestinal inflammation (colitis) and even death in infected patients. Management of C. difficile incurs anContinueContinue reading “Neutralizing hospital-acquired infections”
Steps toward a universal flu vaccine
Influenza A is a highly mutable virus that infects millions of people every year and can be fatal in severe cases. Human antibodies are effective against a few strains belonging to 2 of the 16 subtypes of influenza A, and new vaccines based on those antibodies are developed each year to match the evolved viruses,ContinueContinue reading “Steps toward a universal flu vaccine”
Fluent in Science 