Pneumonia News and Research

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Pneumonia is a leading cause of death and hospitalization, costing health care systems billions of dollars and an estimated 600,000 adult deaths worldwide each year. Pneumococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and the term describes a group of illnesses, including invasive infections, such as bacteremia/sepsis and meningitis, as well as pneumonia and upper respiratory tract infections. Although all age groups may be affected, the highest rate of pneumococcal disease occurs in young children and older adults. In addition, persons suffering from a wide range of chronic conditions (eg, diabetes, cardiovascular disease) and immune deficiencies are at increased risk.

New Ultraspeed Method for Bacterial Disease Diagnosis

Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Imperial College London have created a novel method for identifying bacteria with remarkable speed, significantly reducing the waiting time from several days to just a few minutes.

7 May 2025

‘Superbug’ Found to Digest Medical Plastic

Pathogen shown to break down plastic used in sutures, stents, wound dressings and implants – raising new questions over device safety and hospital infections.

7 May 2025

Birds Hold Remarkable Clues to Fighting Human and Animal Infections

Australian and Dutch researchers have uncovered a remarkable evolutionary adaptation in birds that could hold vital clues for combating avian flu and respiratory infections in humans, including pneumonia and COVID-19.

24 Apr 2025

Antibiotic Resistance Through Bacterial Genes Inhibiting Viral Reproduction

Antibiotic resistance is a global health threat that could supplant cancer mortality within a few decades. Researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, found that the emergence of resistance can be explained by how bacteria develop defenses against virus infection.

7 Apr 2025

AI Model Predicts Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria

An AI model trained on large amounts of genetic data can predict whether bacteria will become antibiotic-resistant.

3 Apr 2025

Hospital Sink Drains: A Hidden Bacteria Hotspot Despite Cleaning

Researchers from Spain conducted a study on sink drains across various wards in a contemporary university hospital that follows advanced cleaning protocols.

17 Feb 2025

Genetic Analysis Sheds Light on How Staphylococcus aureus Evades the Immune System

The most detailed study to date on the mechanisms by which a common type of bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, adapts to living on the human body could help improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of certain infections.

15 Jan 2025

Fiber Consumption Linked to Reduced Risk of Harmful Gut Bacteria

The group of bacteria called Enterobacteriaceae, including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella, E.coli and others, is present at low levels as part of a healthy human gut microbiome.

13 Jan 2025

LysoTRAP Strategy Offers Hope for Clearing Viral Infections Across Variants

Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have recently developed a novel lysosomal strategy for clearing viruses and their variants.

28 Nov 2024

Cow Digestive Enzyme Shown to Break Down Tough Bacterial Biofilms

Most of the disease-causing bacteria secrete matrix-like layers around themselves called biofilms. These biofilms act as thick barriers limiting the entry of drugs and helping the bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.

12 Nov 2024

A New Understanding of Viral Infection

Scientists studying animal viruses with the potential to infect humans have discovered a critical protein that could facilitate the spread of a family of organisms known as arteriviruses.

1 Nov 2024

New Study Reveals Antibiotic Mismanagement in Aged Care Facilities

There is an urgent need for more careful antibiotic management to protect older people living in residential aged care from the dangerous spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or 'superbugs', researchers from Flinders University and SAHMRI warn.

29 Aug 2024

CRISPR-Cas: A Promising Tool For Combatting Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Using CRISPR-Cas systems in various studies to detect and treat Staphylococcus aureus.

12 Aug 2024

Using Mobile Data to Track the Spread and Evolution of Superbugs

Key insights into the global spread, evolution, and resistance patterns of a major bacterium causing pneumonia and meningitis have been revealed through the combination of genomic data and human travel patterns over 14 years in South Africa.

4 Jul 2024

Study Uncovers Link Between Genetic Variants and Mosaic Loss of X Chromosome in Aging Women

Researchers have identified inherited genetic variants that may predict the loss of one copy of a woman's two X chromosomes as she ages, a phenomenon known as mosaic loss of chromosome X, or mLOX.

13 Jun 2024

Lung Organoids Shed Light on Pseudomonas aeruginosa's Invasive Tactics

How do pathogens invade the lungs? Using human lung microtissues, a team at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel has uncovered the strategy used by a dangerous pathogen.

11 Jun 2024

Can Pets Harbor and Spread Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria?

According to new research, pet dogs and cats are major contributors to the spread of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

15 Apr 2024

Unlocking Bacterial Dormancy: Polyphosphates' Role Revealed

Most disease-causing bacteria are known for their speed: In mere minutes, they can double their population, quickly making a person sick.

12 Apr 2024

New Cost-Effective RNA Sequencing Method for Legionella Detection

Legionnaires' disease (LD), a rare and severe type of pneumonia, is a respiratory infection caused by species of Legionella bacteria.

22 Mar 2024

Novel Antibiotic Discovery: Harnessing Energy Compounds to Combat Bacterial Infections

About a decade ago, researchers in UC Santa Barbara chemistry professor Guillermo Bazan's lab began to observe a recurring challenge in their research: Some of the compounds they were developing to harness energy from bacteria were instead killing the microbes.

22 Feb 2024