Monthly Archives: March 2010
Pandemic norovirus rapidly evolves to make you vomit
Pandemic noroviruses have a faster rate of evolution than non-pandemic strains, which could explain why they are better adapted to cause worldwide outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis, according to research published free in PLoS Pathogens this week. Norovirus is an RNA … Continue reading
Filed under Infectious Disease, Microbiology
Weak link in TB bacteria cell wall
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein LdtM2, involved in making “nonclassical” crosslinks in the bacterial cell wall, is required for virulence and antibiotic resistance. The study results, published online in Nature Medicine, could help identify new treatment combinations to tackle chronic tuberculosis … Continue reading
Filed under Infectious Disease, Medicine, Public Health
Hitting the headlines this week
Sex bias in science: from who’s at the bench to what’s on the bench PLoS Medicine say thank you to their reviewers Ian McEwan’s “Solar“: where climate change science meets satire A “bacterial fingerprint” to fight crime?
Vaccinate the kids to protect the “herd”
Vaccinating young children and adolescents against influenza protects unvaccinated individuals in the wider community (the herd immunity), show results from a clinical trial conducted in rural communities in Canada and published free in the journal JAMA. “Our findings … support … Continue reading
Filed under Infectious Disease, Medicine, Public Health, Vaccine
Hitting the headlines this week
Simon Singh says goodbye to his Guardian column The family genome Fancy some Pi this sunday? Debating the international trade of endangered species
Filed under Science
