Understanding how pathogens evolve is a fundamental component of learning how to protect ourselves and our world from pests and diseases. Yet we are constantly underestimating pathogen evolution, such ...

Cholera remains a major global public health challenge, with an estimated 1.3 to 4 million cases and tens of thousands of deaths reported worldwide each year. Caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, ...

Each pathogen relies on a unique set of strategies and surface & secreted molecules that enable it to colonize and infect host cells, which are collectively known as "virulence factors." Studying ...

A new global database brings together information on disease-causing microorganisms, antibiotic resistance genes, and ...

Emerging and opportunistic diseases are caused by a microorganism invading a new habitat, either a new host species (as in the case of SARS and tuberculosis) or a new tissue compartment within the ...

The bacterial pathogen that causes tuberculosis is a master of deception, a king of clever tricks—an enemy agent that not only infiltrates but can become a long-term stowaway in patients' lungs.

Antivirulence drugs are a new type of therapeutic drug that target virulence factors, potentially revitalising the drug-development pipeline with new targets. As antivirulence drugs disarm the ...

The emergence of new variants of concern (VOC) has slowed down progress against the COVID-19 pandemic in 3 ways: 1. by increasing the transmissibility of the virus and hence the reproduction number; 2 ...

Scientists have identified a new virulence gene from a whole genome analysis of Providencia rustigianii, which can cause severe food poisoning symptoms. Members of the team had previously reported ...

This article about COVID-19 is republished here with permission from The Conversation. This content is shared here because the topic may interest Snopes readers; it does not, however, represent the ...