Toxin

New drug strategy targets Staphylococcus aureus toxin to treat pneumonia An International Res…

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Pneumonia caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most dangerous infections that can occur in hospital. Particularly worrying are multi-resistant strains, against which many antibiotics are no longer effective. These pathogens are widespread worldwide and pose a major challenge even for modern healthcare systems. Despite intensive therapy, mortality among affected patients is … Read more

How your skin’s microbes shape immunity, inflammation, and chronic skin disease

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From babyhood to adulthood, the bacteria and fungi on your skin help train your immune system—but when that balance tips, chronic inflammation can follow. This new review reveals how and why. Study: Conversation between skin microbiota and the host: from early life to adulthood. Image Credit: Corona Borealis Studio / Shutterstock In a recent review published in … Read more

Nutritional interventions may help prevent and treat Buruli ulcer

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Nutritional interventions at a community level may be the best way forward to both prevent and treat the “flesh-eating” skin infection Buruli ulcer in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), according to a new study from the University of Surrey. In collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and a series … Read more

Study examines hidden toxin delivery systems across life forms

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Venom is not exclusive to animals—plants, fungi, protists, bacteria, and even viruses use venom-like mechanisms for defense, predation, and competition. Dodder – Cuscuta on a potato bush. Review Article: It’s a Small World After All: The Remarkable but Overlooked Diversity of Venomous Organisms, with Candidates Among Plants, Fungi, Protists, Bacteria, and Viruses. Image Credit: EVGEIIA / Shutterstock … Read more

Fruit flies steal bacterial defense to survive parasitic wasps

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In the continual arms race between parasites and their hosts, innovation was thought to be the key to a successful attack or defense that one-ups the competition. But sometimes, as in the corporate world, outright theft can be a quicker way to achieve dominance. University of California, Berkeley biologists have shown that several species of … Read more