http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. (Medical Xpress)—New research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis points to a common species of bacteria as an important contributor to bacterial vaginosis, a condition linked to preterm birth and increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-bacteria-contribute-premature-births-stds.html Medical research Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:22:44 EST news285931355 Mice with different naturally occurring stomach bacteria have distinct susceptibilities to disease caused by Helicobacter pylori, the well-known cause of ulcers in humans, according to a study published online ahead of print in the journal Infection and Immunity. This is the first study to document (in mice) that the presence of certain bacteria in the stomach microbiota can prevent pathology from H. pylori. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-stomach-microbiota-modulate-resistance-pylori-driven.html Immunology Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:34:40 EST news283433672 (AP)—Scientists wondering why some children and not others survived one of China's worst food safety scandals have uncovered a suspect: germs that live in the gut. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-clues-survived-china-melamine-scandal.html Medical research Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:10:01 EST news279994939 Twelve million Germans suffer from periodontitis, an inflammation that can lead to the loss of teeth if left untreated. Bleeding gums during brushing or when biting into an apple could be an indication of periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the tissues that surround and support the teeth. Bacterial plaque attacks the bone, meaning teeth can loosen over time and in the worst case even fall out, as they are left without a solid foundation to hold them in place. Furthermore, periodontitis also acts as a focal point from which disease can spread throughout the entire body: If the bacteria, which can be very aggressive, enters the bloodstream, they can cause further damage elsewhere. Physicians suspect there is a connection between periodontitis pathogens and the sort of cardiovascular damage that can cause heart attacks or strokes. In order to stop the source of inflammation, dentists remove dental calculus and deposits from the surface of teeth, but this is often not enough; aggressive bacteria can only be eliminated with antibiotics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-millions-germans-periodontitis.html Dentistry Fri, 01 Feb 2013 06:27:18 EST news278922414 Bleeding gums during tooth brushing or when biting into an apple could be an indication of periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the tissues that surround and support the teeth. Bacterial plaque attacks the bone, meaning teeth can loosen over time and in the worst case even fall out, as they are left without a solid foundation to hold them in place. Furthermore, periodontitis also acts as a focal point from which disease can spread throughout the entire body: If the bacteria, which can be very aggressive, enter the bloodstream, they can cause further damage elsewhere. Physicians suspect there is a connection between periodontitis pathogens and the sort of cardiovascular damage that can cause heart attacks or strokes. In order to stop the source of inflammation, dentists remove dental calculus and deposits from the surface of teeth, but this is often not enough; particularly aggressive bacteria can only be eliminated with antibiotics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-quick-periodontitis-pathogens.html Dentistry Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:54:29 EST news276440018 With their excellent sensitivity and specificity, the use of these extremely efficient tests on a world-wide scale would allow us to adapt antibiotic treatments to the individual's needs and to be more successful in controlling antibiotic resistance, particularly in hospitals. These works were published in September in two international reviews: Emerging Infectious diseases and The Journal of Clinical Microbiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-rapid-diagnosis-resistance-antibiotics.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 12 Oct 2012 11:05:17 EST news269258707 Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have identified 26 species of bacteria in the human gut microbiota that appear to be linked to obesity and related metabolic complications. These include insulin resistance, high blood sugar levels, increased blood pressure and high cholesterol, known collectively as "the metabolic syndrome," which significantly increases an individual's risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-gut-bacteria-linked-obesity-metabolic.html Overweight and Obesity Wed, 15 Aug 2012 17:00:07 EST news264263246 (Medical Xpress) -- Each year a tiny, rod-shaped species of bacteria with a fondness for proliferating on human food causes numerous cases of food poisoning around the world, sometimes leading to severe illness and even death. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-copper-bacteria.html Medical research Wed, 25 Jul 2012 08:40:01 EST news262422607 (Medical Xpress) -- Non-infectious proteins of the species of bacteria that causes Lyme disease can remain in the body for a long time after antibiotic therapy, and are capable of causing an inflammatory immune reaction that could contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant arthritis, Yale researchers have found. The study appears in the online Journal of Clinical Investigation. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-lyme-disease-perpetuate-inflammation.html Inflammatory disorders Tue, 26 Jun 2012 07:23:37 EST news259914197 Gut flora, otherwise knows as gut microbiota, are the bacteria that live in our digestive tract. There are roughly one thousand different species of bacteria, that are nourished partly by what we eat. Each person has their own specific gut flora and metabolism and these differ according to our dietary habits. Previous studies in mice have shown that a high-fat diet is capable of causing an imbalance in the gut flora, thus causing metabolic diseases such as diabetes or obesity. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-people-bodies-react-differently-high-fat.html Medical research Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:55:25 EST news254652585 Scientists have been unclear for some time about how most probiotics work. A new study has found a scientific 'design' for a probiotic that could be used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn's disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-probiotic-inflammatory-bowel-disease.html Inflammatory disorders Thu, 20 Oct 2011 01:50:34 EST news238294172 Ongoing research at the Institute of Food Research, which is strategically funded by BBSRC, is exploring the use of virus-produced proteins that destroy bacterial cells to combat potentially dangerous microbial infections. Bacteriophages produce endolysin proteins that specifically target certain bacteria, and IFR has been studying one that destroys Clostridium difficile, a common and dangerous source of hospital-acquired infections. New research is showing that it is possible to 'tune' these endolysin properties to increase their effectiveness and aid their development as a new weapon in the battle against superbugs. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-tuning-natural-antimicrobials-effectiveness-superbugs.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:12:34 EST news233233927