News on Microbiology

What is Influenza?

2010-03-16T14:16:34Z

Most people have symptoms for about one to two weeks and again no problem. But with most other viral respiratory infections such as colds, influenza (flu), the infection can be compared to a serious illness, death rate (death rate) from 0.1% of the virus that causes an infection.<br><br>Influenza is transmitted when an infected person sneezes or coughs in the public places, like market, shoping mall, bus, trains etc.The particles pass through the air, where they infect, with whom ...

Gene splice helps fight crop disease, say researchers

2010-03-14T14:16:28Z

<div><p>Biologists on Sunday said they had found a potential superweapon in a long-running arms race with bacteria that threaten essential crops.</p><p>Tested in a lab, their technique entails inserting a gene kit into a plant so that its immune system recognises and fights germ invaders, they reported in the journal Nature Biotechnology.</p><p>Bacteria cause huge losses to crops eac...

Scientists find why "sunshine" vitamin D is crucial

2010-03-08T10:30:12Z

<div><p>LONDON (Reuters) - Vitamin D is vital in activating human defences and low levels suffered by around half the world's population may mean their immune systems' killer T cells are poor at fighting infection, scientists said on Sunday.</p><p>The findings by Danish researchers could help the fight against infectious diseases and global epidemics, they said, and could be particularly useful in the searc...

Bugs in the gut can cause obesity: study

2010-03-05T17:15:57Z

<div><p>The bugs that help digest food may also cause the body to pack on the pounds if they are not properly regulated, a new study has found.</p><p>That is because if the wrong kinds of bacteria take over they can cause a low-level inflammation that leads to a pre-diabetic condition and an elevated appetite, the study published Thursday in the journal Science found.</p><p>"It has been assumed that the obesity epidemic in the developed world is driven by an i...

Study raises hope for gut disease cures

2010-03-03T12:17:07Z

<div><p>Scientists unveiled Wednesday a complete genetic panorama of microbes in the human digestive track -- an advance that could help cure ailments like ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).</p><p>"This completely changes our vision," said Stanislav-Dusko Ehrlich, a researcher at France's China have said they will release 20 million algae-eating fish into one of the nation's most scenic lakes that has been ravaged by pollution.</p><p>Taihu Lake, which straddles Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, has been severely polluted by sewage as well as industrial and ag...

Anthrax investigators looked at 1,000 suspects

2010-02-19T18:00:15Z

<div><p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Over 1,000 possible suspects faced scrutiny before investigators finally concluded a U.S. Army scientist alone committed the deadly 2001 anthrax attacks, according to Justice Department documents released on Friday.</p><p>Officially closing its ...

New drug class offers hope against "superbugs"

2010-02-22T08:39:09Z

<div><p>LONDON (Reuters) - Swiss scientists have found a new class of antibiotics, offering drug developers a fresh weapon in the fight against multi-drug resistant bacteria or "superbugs."</p><p>Researchers from a privately held Swiss biotech company Polyphor and the University of Zurich said the potenti...

Why the Skin is the Body's First Barrier Against Bacteria That Causes Infections?

2010-02-22T14:14:29Z

There are several types of bacteria, both good and bad. In fact, most bacterial species can't cause disease. A lot of species even play beneficial characters producing antibiotics and foodstuffs. The soil teems with free-living bacteria that perform more essential functions in the biosphere, like nitrogen fixation. Also, our bodies are covered with commensally bacteria that make up the normal flora.<br><br>The skin is the body's first barrier against bacteria that ...

HSV Structure

2010-02-22T18:27:28Z

Author: bcured

The Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is highly contagious. Although there are eight different strains, HSV1 and HSV2 are responsible for the majority of herpes infections. HSV infections of humans were first documented in ancient Greece. Greek scholars, particularly Hippocrates, used the word ‘‘herpes,’’ meaning to creep or crawl, to describe spreading ...

Fish Tank Algae - Get Rid of it Safely

2010-02-22T22:00:03Z

Algae can be an unsightly problem in your fish tank. For first-time tank owners, it can be quite daunting to remove the algae. Do not be too anxious for removing algae in tanks are just as easy and can be just similar to washing your windshield.<br><br>You may first want to purchase a good algae sponge in a pet store. It can be very tempting to buy a sponge in the local grocery store, but it is not advisable. They can contain chemicals that leech to the water durin...

Snails in Your Fish Tank Can Be Awesome or Terrible

2010-02-22T22:00:03Z

Snails can be either beneficial or detrimental to your tank?s plant life. But some aquarists prefer to have several species of snails in order to maintain their tanks.<br><br>Melaniodes tuberculata ? his is a popular breed of snail that is deliberately introduced to the tank. What?s good about this species of snails is that they eat as much algae as the can. Aside from that, they keep the integrity of the tank by eating leftover food and dead plants that can pollut...

Get Rennet For Both Vegetarians & Non Vegetarians

2010-02-23T00:17:39Z

What is Rennet?<br>Rennet is a complex of natural enzymes which is used in the manufacturing of cheeses. It?s produced in the stomachs of mammals and its primary function is the digestion of mother?s milk. Rennet contains several enzymes, one of which is protease which coagulates the milk and then separates into curds and whey (solids and liquids respectively). Chymosin or Rennin is the active enzyme, but lipase and pepsin are other important enzymes also found in rennet. Additi...

Correction: Beef-Ammonia story

2010-02-23T01:34:05Z

<div id="subtitle">Correction: Beef-Ammonia story</div><div><p>In a Dec. 31 story about E. coli pathogens found in ammonia-treated beef, The Associated Press overstated the level of positive tests for E. coli bacteria in meat samples from Beef Products Inc. A Beef Products spokesman said pathogen was fo...

Appreciating UV Water Purifiers

2010-02-23T01:51:26Z

Author: Clifford S. Magno

One of the newest types of water filtration systems is a UV water purifier. These are great substitutes for the other water filtration systems that use carbon and can sometimes put black flecks of the material into your drinking water. They are unique in how they operate, and with everyone trying to go green, these are the wave of the future in the world of water filtration filters.

How UV Water Purifiers Work

UV purifie...

CDC: Same anthrax strain in drums, sick NH woman

2010-02-23T08:18:27Z

<div id="subtitle">CDC confirms strain of anthrax that sickened NH woman matches contaminated drums, outlet</div><div><p>The anthrax spores that infected a New Hampshire woman are the same strain as spores found on an electrical outlet and two drums used at a gathering she attended in early December, medical investigators said.</p><p>Test results received ...

Disinfectants may boost growth of superbugs: study

2010-02-23T08:41:59Z

<div><p>Disinfectants commonly used in homes and medical facilities can boost the resistance of some bacteria to life-saving antibiotics, according to a study released Monday.</p><p>The findings shed light on how at least one pathogen -- Pseudomonas aeruginosa -- spreads, and could apply to other hospital superbugs as well, the authors say.</p><p>P. aeruginosa, responsible for one-in-10 hospital-acquired infectio...

Microbiology Analysis of Drinking Water

2010-02-23T12:25:05Z

Drinking water supplies are prone to contamination with sewage or other excreted matter may cause outbreaks of intestinal infections such as typhoid fever.<br><br>Monitoring and detection of indicator and disease-causing micro-organisms are a major part of sanitary microbiology. By chlorinating drinking water supplies, control of most major disease-causing bacteria can be obtained.<br>The major concern is about the inability to consistently remove vir...

CDC: Rare infection passed on by Miss. organ donor

2010-02-23T13:58:11Z

<div id="subtitle">CDC says rare infection caused by amoeba transferred from Miss. organ donor to recipient</div><div><p>An extremely rare infection has been passed from an organ donor to at least one recipient in what is thought to be the first human-to-human transfer of the amoeba, medical officials said Friday.</p><p>Four people in three states received organs from a patient who died at the