Tuberculosis News and Research

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Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by a germ called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but they can also damage other parts of the body. TB spreads through the air when a person with TB of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes or talks. If you think you have been exposed, you should go to your doctor for tests as soon as possible. You are more likely to get TB if you have a weak immune system.

Soil Bacteria Use Umbrella Toxins to Fight Back

Scientists have found that soil bacteria called Streptomyces secrete toxic protein particles in the shape of umbrellas that are meant to suppress competitors, particularly those that belong to their species.

18 Apr 2024

Enzymatic Cocktail Outperforms Antibiotics Against Mycobacteria, Including TB

A recent study published in Microbiology Spectrum, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, demonstrates that an enzymatic cocktail has the capability to eliminate various mycobacterial species of bacteria, including those responsible for tuberculosis.

28 Mar 2024

Tuberculosis bacteria found in 90% of symptomatic individuals not officially diagnosed with TB

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis infections, is detectable in the exhaled breath of 90% of individuals with suspected tuberculosis, including those who tested negative on conventional sputum tests and were not diagnosed with TB. This suggests a potential risk of transmission among those who have tested negative.

12 Mar 2024

Understanding T Cell Responses to Tuberculosis Infection

Researchers find promising targets for a tuberculosis vaccine and medication by monitoring T cell activity.

7 Feb 2024

Scientists Reinvent Spectinomycin as a Powerhouse Weapon for Drug-Resistant Superbug

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital are tackling Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) antibiotic resistance.

10 Jan 2024

Bacterial “Barcode” Deciphers the Fate of Proteins, Impacting Pathogen Behavior

Researchers at McMaster University have found a molecular “barcode” system that pathogenic bacteria use to identify harmful from beneficial molecules.

9 Jan 2024

Breakthrough Research in Leishmaniasis Reveals Pain-Suppression Pathways

For the first time, scientists have begun to figure out why the disfiguring skin lesions caused by cutaneous leishmaniasis don't hurt.

1 Dec 2023

Unraveling Bacterial Resistance: Unique Features Identified by McMaster University Scientists

Scientists at McMaster University have identified distinct features of a mechanism employed by bacteria to withstand a crucial category of antibiotics.

24 Nov 2023

Researchers Sequence the Entire Genetic Code of Possums

In a five-year long study, just published in Nature Communications, an international group of researchers led by the University of Otago, has assembled the entire genetic code of the marsupial mammal.

18 Oct 2023

Supporting Informed Decisions on Malaria Biocontrol Interventions

Following World Mosquito Day, we spoke with Dr. Michael Santos from GeneConvene Global Collaborative about using genetically engineered mosquitoes to help tackle malaria and how the Collaborative supports informed decision-making regarding this potentially game-changing technique.

21 Aug 2023

PBD Biotech Secures US Patent for Actiphage TB Diagnostic Kit

PBD Biotech developers of Actiphage TB, a ground-breaking phage-based diagnostic for laboratory tuberculosis testing, has today announced it has secured the grant of a US patent for its diagnostic kit. The company is exhibiting in the AACC Clinical Lab Expo on booth #4578.

26 Jul 2023

Failed Antibiotics Could Become Weed Killers in the Future

Weed killers of the future could soon be based on failed antibiotics.

25 May 2023

Two types of immune cells interact to give natural protection from tuberculosis

A new study has uncovered the role of B and T cells in controlling tuberculosis (TB) infections.

3 Apr 2023

Cocklebur fruit shows potential to protect the skin and help enhance collagen production

The fruit of the cocklebur plant, which grows worldwide and is often considered a noxious weed, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components that could make it useful as a skin protectant, according to new research.

29 Mar 2023

Immune system’s aptitude in reducing reliance on antibiotics for treating infections

The removal of obsolete and damaged cell components by the body is crucial for fighting diseases like tuberculosis (TB), which establish themselves inside human cells, according to researchers from the Francis Crick Institute.

27 Mar 2023

Novel technology easily detects active Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection antibodies

A team of faculty from Wayne State University has discovered new technology that will quickly and easily detect active Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection antibodies.

14 Mar 2023

Developing new therapies that leverage the host immune system

Yersinia bacteria cause a variety of human and animal diseases, the most notorious being the plague, caused by Yersinia pestis. A relative, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, causes gastrointestinal illness and is less deadly but naturally infects both mice and humans, making it a useful model for studying its interactions with the immune system.

14 Mar 2023

Researchers discover how specific mutation in a bacterium results in phage resistance

As antibacterial resistance continues to render obsolete the use of some antibiotics, some have turned to bacteria-killing viruses to treat acute infections as well as some chronic illnesses.

7 Mar 2023

Innovative method to quickly identify bacteria in fluids

Shine a laser on a drop of blood, mucus, or wastewater, and the light reflecting back can be used to positively identify bacteria in the sample.

3 Mar 2023

Novel framework provides solutions to evade detoxification networks

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have demonstrated how drug makers can avoid two key problems: toxicity and resistance. The researchers made slight changes to a small molecule to reduce its metabolism and elimination by the cellular detoxification network regulated by the pregnane X receptor (PXR). This research provides a framework to develop solutions to the long-standing issue of how to evade detoxification networks using medicinal chemistry. The findings were published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

1 Mar 2023