Researchers at the University of Washington have uncovered how the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, including the notorious MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staph aureus) “superbug” strains, resists our body’s natural defenses against infection. The work, which was featured on the cover of the March 21 issue of Science, could lead to new ways to fight the bacteria.

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The enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR (ERIC-PCR) method has been used to fingerprint the kinetics of microbial community of fecal samples of ducklings orally infected with S. enteritidis. This has yielded valuable insights towards fully understanding the pathogenesis of S. enteritidis infection.

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Streptococcus pneumoniae has become resistant to the antibiotic penicillin. The same research could also open up MRSA to attack by penicillin and help create a library of designer antibiotics to use against a range of other dangerous bacteria.

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A University of California, San Diego-led research team has demonstrated that immunization with a stabilized version of a protein found on Streptococcus bacteria can provide protection against Strep infections, which afflict more than 600 million people each year and kill 400,000.

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Findings by SLU, UAB teams could lead to new drugs targeting inflammatory and immune disorders
Scientists at Saint Louis University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham have uncovered important new information about a key protein that allows viruses such as smallpox to replicate and wreak havoc on the immune system.

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The deadly Ebola virus, an emerging public health concern in Africa and a potential biological weapon, ranks among the most feared of exotic pathogens.

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MIT researchers have uncovered a critical difference between flu viruses that infect birds and humans, a discovery that could help scientists monitor the evolution of avian flu strains and aid in the development of vaccines against a deadly flu pandemic.

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Larger goal to eliminate key enzyme’s contribution to all strep and staph disease

Bacteria that eat sugar and release cavity-causing acid onto teeth may soon be made dramatically more vulnerable to their own acid. Researchers have identified key genes and proteins that, if interfered with, can take away the ability of a key bacterial species to thrive as its acidic waste builds up in the mouth.

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Research Into “Virulence Factors″ Expands War Against Infectious Disease Beyond Antibiotics,

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Hendra and Nipah Viruses Are on U.S. Government’s List of Potential Threats

Two deadly and highly infectious viruses — both potential bioterror threats — may have met their match in a new drug developed by scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.

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