Scientists in Boston, looking into new optical microscope techniques, have unexpectedly been able to break down MRSA’s surrounding membrane, using blue light. Bacteria are impressively adaptive. Through rapid cell division and via horizontal gene transfer— where they transfer genes with their neighbors — bacteria can quickly strengthen their defenses against threats. One such threat is […]
An antibody that scientists first identified in a blood sample from a person who recovered from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) strongly inhibits the virus that causes COVID-19. The scientists who discovered the antibody are racing to bring it to clinical trials. There are currently no proven treatments for COVID-19, the respiratory illness that the […]
New research has found a link between blood infections due to anaerobic bacteria and colorectal cancer. This finding may help with future cancer screenings. A recent study has concluded that anaerobic bacterial blood infections are associated with an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. The study, which the researchers will present at the 2020 European […]
At Medical News Today, we have been looking at how scientific advances are providing much-needed hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. This Special Feature discusses the recent progress of vaccine clinical trials and other ways in which researchers hope to fight the new coronavirus. What are the shining beacons at this uncertain time? This is a […]
Dealing with the unforeseen challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on people all across the world. Medical News Today has spoken with people from different countries, asking how the pandemic has impacted their lives. At the time of writing this Special Feature, there are over 2,700,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 […]
Scientists have discovered six previously unknown coronaviruses in bats. The animals were in regions of Myanmar where humans come into close contact with wildlife as a result of agriculture, deforestation, and other ecological disruption. Wild bats are generally beneficial for people living in many areas around the world. They pollinate crops, control pest insects, and […]
A new report assessing the effectiveness of China’s emergency response during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak suggests that measures such as the travel ban may have prevented more than 700,000 cases outside Wuhan. “The number of confirmed cases in China by day 50 (February 19) of the epidemic was around 30,000,” notes Prof. […]
In the second part of our interview with Prof. Paul Kellam from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom, he urges people to heed the advice of governments while he is busy helping the effort to develop a vaccine against the new coronavirus. In Part 1 of our interview with infectious disease specialist and professor […]
Researchers in the United Kingdom have confirmed that a stem cell transplant has cured a second person of HIV. In 2007, Timothy Ray Brown became the first person ever whom doctors declared to be cured of HIV. At the time, they referred to him publicly as the Berlin patient. His journey toward a cure was […]
Three physicians from Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, MD, have joined efforts to write an article outlining key action points that the United States healthcare community should take in response to COVID-19. For live updates on the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, click here. Drs. Amesh A. Adalja, Eric Toner, and Thomas […]
