bacteria news stories on Newser

Flesh-Eating Bacteria to Claim Student's Hands, Foot

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:42:05 CDT

A young Georgia woman fighting a flesh-eating bacteria has learned she will lose her hands and remaining foot , and responded by saying, "Let's do this." Her father recounted the conversation in an update on his Facebook page today. Andy Copeland wrote about the difficult talk he had a day earlier...

Beneath Pacific Lies Ancient, Barely Alive Bacteria

Rob Quinn — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:14:29 CDT

Some 100 feet below the most nutrient-starved part of the Pacific Ocean floor, incredibly old life exists. In the most detailed look yet at the lifestyles of "extremophile" bacteria, scientists have determined that the organisms have survived for what could be as long as millions of years solely on whatever...

Now Student Losing Hands to Flesh-Eating Infection

Mary Papenfuss — Fri, 11 May 2012 01:47:50 CDT

The Georgia grad student who already lost her left leg to amputation will now lose her hands and her right foot to save her from a flesh-eating infection. Aimee Copeland's life turned into a nightmare after a zip-line cut her calf during a kayaking trip. Shortly afterward she was felled...

India Could Foster Drug-Resistant Bubonic Plague

Kevin Spak — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:08:05 CDT

Could the world soon witness an encore performance from a new, drug-resistant Black Death? It's increasingly possible, because thanks to a combination of rampant antibiotic use and poor hygiene and sanitation, India has become a hotbed of "superbugs" that don't respond to antibiotics—not even high-powered remedies of last resort,...

New Computer Engineers: Bacteria

Matt Cantor — Mon, 07 May 2012 09:50:16 CDT

Future computer hardware designers may look to bacteria as a guide. Researchers in Britain created miniscule magnets by mimicking a bacterial process; these magnets could help us build the smaller, faster hard drives of tomorrow, the BBC reports. A bacterium called Magnetospirilllum magneticum creates the world's most magnetic mineral, magnetite,...

Rare Bug Kills SF Disease Researcher, 25

Rob Quinn — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:46:00 CDT

A young researcher at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center has been killed by the rare strain of bacteria that he was researching. Richard Din, 25, died in the hospital where he worked just 17 hours after coming down with a bloodstream infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis...

New Acne Fighter: Thyme

Matt Cantor — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:34:51 CDT

The latest weapon against acne may be on your spice shelf. Scientists have found that thyme extract may fight the skin ailment more effectively than a commonly-prescribed treatment, Scientific American reports. Researchers used the plant's active compound against the chief cause of acne, the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes. Turns out it...

This Might Be a Bad Summer for Lyme Disease

Dustin Lushing — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:04:56 CDT

A surge in cases of Lyme disease could be hiding in the forest. Scientists say the northeastern US might be staring at "the worst year yet" for the bacterial illness, reports Wired . The reason starts with acorns: In 2010, there was a huge crop of them, which led to a...

Pet Owners Get Infections After Too-Close Contact

Dustin Lushing — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:00:05 CST

Pet owners should be careful of becoming too physically close with their furry friends: Three people contracted serious infections after cuddling and caring for their dying pets, a new study shows. One woman who ate honey from the dropper she used to feed her dog was hospitalized with a respiratory...