The Latest Breaking News from Bacteria

AI used to create antibacterial viruses but experts warn of biosafety risk

Scientists hope work could lead to new treatments for infections resistant to antibiotics

The Independent UK · Aug 6

Leprosy cases are on the rise in Florida. Here’s how to reduce your risk

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, can impact a person’s nerves, muscles, skin, eyes and respiratory tract, causing large bumps all over the skin and lead to paralysis and blindness

The Independent UK · Aug 6

A Western diet could be feeding colon cancer through gut bacteria, new study reveals

New research reveals Western diets promote colon cancer through gut bacteria. These microbes convert bile acids into compounds that fuel tumor growth. Pigs fed a Western diet showed increased polyps and larger tumors. Human patients with cancer had similar bacterial patterns linked to bile acid conversion. This discovery suggests targeting…

The Economic Times · Aug 6

Why Oil Cleansing Works for Oily Indian Skin: The Sebum Science Behind Cleaner Pores

The Rebound Cycle Nobody Warns You AboutStrip your face with a foaming cleanser twice a day and your sebaceous glands read it as an emergency. The skin's oil production ramps up to compensate, and within hours your T-zone is shining again. Dermatologists call this sebum rebound, and it is the…

Times Life · Aug 5

Hawaii Researchers Link Specific Gut Bacteria to the Pace of Biological Aging Without Showing Cause

A University of Hawaii study of 123 adults found that gut bacteria explained about 15% of the variation in biological aging pace, but the link is correlational.

Medical Daily · Aug 5

Dandruff Is a Scalp Microbiome Imbalance, Not a Hygiene Failure, Here's What Indian Scalps Actually Need

The fungus that lives on every scalpMalassezia is a yeast-like fungus present on virtually every human scalp. Under normal conditions, it feeds on sebum, the natural oil your scalp produces, and causes no visible problem. When it overgrows, it breaks down that sebum into oleic acid, a fatty acid that…

Times Life · Aug 5

Researchers develop chewing gum that targets HPV and microbes linked to head and neck cancer

Chewing gum that targets cancer-linked oral bacteria: Researchers developed bioengineered chewing gum targeting head and neck cancer microbes. This gum significantly reduced human papillomavirus levels in laboratory tests. Harmful bacterial species were also brought down to almost zero levels. The treatment did not harm beneficial oral bacteria found in the…

The Economic Times · Aug 4

Florida laboratory tests exposed endangered Caribbean corals to predatory bacteria; more than half showed no bleaching beyond the infection site

In the Caribbean, researchers are exploring the use of predatory bacteria as a means to combat coral diseases. Laboratory tests have demonstrated that these microscopic bacteria can successfully eliminate harmful Vibrio bacteria while preserving the coral's vital microbiome. This promising method provides a focused mechanism to defend corals against disease.…

The Times of India · Aug 4

In the 1850s, settlers brought garlic mustard to America for food and medicine; it escaped gardens and altered the fungi that native trees depend on

Garlic mustard, an introduced European plant, now affects North American forest soil communities. This invasive herb alters underground microbial balances, impacting nutrient cycling processes. Studies show invaded soils exhibit increased bacterial activity and reduced fungal presence. These shifts can negatively affect native plants' ability to access essential nutrients. Managing this…

The Times of India · Aug 4

Your Scalp Microbiome Affects Hair and Dandruff More Than Your Shampoo Label Admits

What the scalp microbiome actually isThe average scalp hosts over 1,000 species of bacteria and fungi in a working balance that most people disrupt twice a week without thinking about it. The scalp is one of the oiliest surfaces on the human body, and that sebum is the primary food…

Times Life · Aug 4