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Endometriosis may be caused by bacterial infections

14 June 2023

Bacteria that contribute to gum disease may be a cause of the gynaecological condition endometriosis, which means it could be treated with antibiotics

Raw sewage floods UK rivers with faecal bacteria after heavy rainfall

9 June 2023

Water samples from the river Ouseburn in Newcastle upon Tyne during a rainstorm reveal high levels of faecal bacteria caused by raw sewage discharges

Oak buds contain a useful bacterium for separating rare earth elements

Bacterium from oak trees could help process rare earth elements

31 May 2023

A bacterium found in English oak buds can help separate out the rare earth elements used in technologies such as electric cars and wind turbines

Trichodesmium thiebautii (light micrograph) Trichodesmium thiebautii is a cyanobacterium, or blue-green alga, that forms colonies of cells. In high concentrations, they create golden-brown surface mats, often referred to ?sea sawdust,? in the Gulf of Mexico. These large concentrations, called blooms, are sometimes associated with fish kills and can cause dermatitis or ?swimmer?s itch? when handled or contacted. When blooms die and decay, they can discolor the water pink to red. Toxin production by this species is being investigated. https://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwc/8678780050

Ocean-fertilising bacteria work together to adapt to light levels

25 May 2023

Trichodesmium, a kind of cyanobacterium that is vital to ocean ecosystems, forms colonies that work together and change shape to get the light and nutrients the microbe needs to grow

C. difficile spore in gold emerges from a bacterium in turquoise

New antibiotic may clear Clostridium difficile and stop reinfection

8 May 2023

Clostridium difficile kills 13,000 people each year in the US alone. A new antibiotic tested in mice works better than our first-line treatments against infection – and prevents reinfection too

MRSA could be prevented with genetically engineered antibodies

3 May 2023

Genetic mutations to an antibody prevented MRSA infections in mice, and boosted the effectiveness of antibiotics for fighting the infection

Curbing fatty acid production in bacteria lowers antibiotic resistance

1 May 2023

Bacteria are more susceptible to antibiotics when they can't produce fatty acids, suggesting that drugs inhibiting this process could help us overcome antibiotic resistance

A transmission electron micrograph of a colony of Gardnerella vaginalis , bacteria that are found in vaginas and the urethras of men who have vaginal sex

The microbiome inside the penis can be altered by vaginal sex

21 March 2023

The penis plays host to a collection of bacteria known as the penile microbiome, and an analysis of urethral swabs has found that men who have vaginal sex can pick up bacteria normally found in the vagina

People who live together may eat similar food, which could contribute to a similar environment in the mouth that encourages the same bacterial strains

You share a third of your oral bacteria with other people in your home

18 January 2023

Many bacteria form spores that can survive in the air, causing the microorganisms to be transmitted within a household, even if its members aren't intimate with one another

What we know so far about strep A child deaths in the UK

6 December 2022

Nobody knows for sure why more children than usual have died due to the group A streptococcus bacterium this year, but increased mixing and viral infections may be factors