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At a Glance: Researchers found that depleting certain stem cells improved the immune systems of aged mice. The findings suggest that a similar treatment might be used to help protect older people against infections. The risk for serious infections rises with age, as people’s immune systems lose the ability to respond to novel infections. Part …
Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks, affects nearly half a million people in the United States every year. In most cases, antibiotics effectively clear the infection, but for some patients, symptoms linger for months or years. Researchers at MIT and the University of Helsinki have now discovered that human sweat contains a protein …
Gut bacteria and a diet rich in the amino acid tryptophan can play a protective role against pathogenic E. coli, which can cause severe stomach upset, cramps, fever, intestinal bleeding and renal failure, according to a study published March 13 in Nature. The research reveals how dietary tryptophan – an amino acid found mostly in …
Leafy green vegetables are important sources of dietary fiber and nutrients, but they can harbor harmful pathogens. In particular, lettuce has often been involved in outbreaks of foodborne illness across the U.S. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines factors that affect E. coli contamination on five different leafy greens – romaine …
As the days grow longer and warmer, summer fun beckons. Swimming, sports, and picnics go hand in hand with warmer weather. But so do bug bites. Mosquitoes in particular can ruin a day outside. And their bites aren’t just itchy and irritating. They can also spread disease. The list of illnesses carried by mosquitoes keeps …
One of the most fatal pandemics in human history was known as the Black Death, with between 75-200 million people perishing in a few years. This pandemic called the bubonic plague which was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis found in wild rodents and their fleas. Survivors are thought to have given their descendants a …
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become a rapidly growing threat to public health. Each year, they account for more than 2.8 million infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Without new antibiotics, even common injuries and infections harbor the potential to become lethal. Scientists are now one step closer to eliminating that threat, …
A new study led by the University of Oxford has demonstrated that diverse communities of resident bacteria can protect the human gut from disease-causing microorganisms. The researchers found that protective communities block the growth of harmful pathogens by consuming nutrients that the pathogen needs. The findings, published today in the journal Science, could help to …
Nobody likes being sick with a virus. It can feel even worse if you get your loved ones sick, too. But you can keep your family healthier by learning ways to prevent viruses from spreading. Some viruses, like other germs, can live on surfaces. You become infected when you touch them and then touch your …
Healthcare professionals often substitute alcohol-based hand sanitisers and harsh soaps for skin-friendly cleansers in order to treat or prevent irritant contact dermatitis, which develops when chemical or physical agents damage the skin surface faster than the skin can repair Incidence and severity of irritant contact dermatitis increased from 20 per cent to 80 per cent …