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NEWS ABOUT: bacteria

Bacteria, Mold Fill BART Seats

Cloth seats harder to clean, allow dangerous bacteria to thrive

(Newser) - If you are fighting for a seat on San Francisco's BART trains, maybe you should think again—the seats are full of nasty bacteria, including a drug-resistant strain of staphylococcus aureus superbug, and several types of mold, says a new report commissioned by The Bay Citizen . “I would love... More »

5 Not-So-Obvious Reasons We're Fat

Looking beyond lack of willpower

(Newser) - The number of overweight Americans keeps, umm, ballooning, but why? LiveScience looks past self-control issues and too little exercise to some less-discussed factors. So many of us are fat because of:
  1. The government: 29 million Americans instantly became overweight in 1998 when the government lowered the overweight threshold from a
... More »

ATMs as Dirty as Public Toilets

Study finds keypad bacteria levels similar to public toilets

(Newser) - The average ATM is so filthy that you might as well be taking your cash from under a public toilet seat, according to a British study. Researchers—funded by a company that makes antibacterial product coatings—took swabs from the keypads of ATMs in busy areas and from under the... More »

Bacteria Ate Methane in Gulf at Near-Impossible Rate

Gas from spill consumed in less than 4 months, according to study

(Newser) - Bacteria appears to have broken down all the methane that spilled out of the Deepwater Horizon well in less than four months—even though the process should have taken years, according to one team of scientists studying the spill. “This was a surprise to us,” says the chemical... More »

Newfound Bacterium Eating Away at the Titanic

The wreck may only have 15 years left, says study coauthor

(Newser) - The Titanic's latest foe is a wee bit smaller than an iceberg: A newly discovered bacterium is eating away at the wreck as it slumbers on the ocean floor, reports Discover . The iron-eating species, named Halomonas titanicae, has 50,000 tons of iron to get through, but it may not... More »

Scientists Slay Superbugs... With Light

Wavelengths cause chemical reaction, researchers find

(Newser) - Scientists have shed light on a new way to kill hospital superbugs like MRSA: literally shed light on them. A set of wavelengths called HINS-light acts by stimulating molecules in the bacteria, causing them to create chemicals that kill the germs. In trials, the process appears far more effective than... More »

New Drug-Resistant Superbug Hits 3 States

New gene makes bacteria resistant to virtually all antibiotics

(Newser) - People in three states have fallen prey to a new breed of superbugs, bacteria carrying a gene that makes them impervious to virtually any antibiotic. All three patients had recently received medical treatment in India, where the gene was first discovered, and has become widespread, the AP reports. “It’... More »

'Miracle' Era of Antibiotics Is Ending

Modern medicine can't fight off superbugs for long

(Newser) - Good news: The superbug MRSA seems to be under control. Bad news: A new one called NDM-1 is on the loose . Get used to it, warns Sarah Boseley in the Guardian . "The era of antibiotics is coming to a close," she writes. These "miracle medicines" can't fight... More »

Your Planet-Saving Grocery Bag Could Kill You

There's a 12% chance it's covered in E coli. Wash it.

(Newser) - That planet-saving reusable grocery bag has the potential to kill something else: you. Some 12% of the 84 bags tested in a recent study contained traces of E. coli; scarier still, bacteria was found on all but one. The researchers, who reviewed bags used by grocery shoppers in Arizona and... More »

Gut Bacteria Is Making You Fat

But so are all those Big Macs

(Newser) - Your ill-considered Cheetos-and-bacon diet isn’t the only reason you’re fat. Scientists believe that advanced networks of bacteria and other microbes in our intestines and colons have an incredible influence on obesity, the LA Times reports. These 10 to 100 trillion little guys work together almost like an organ,... More »

Simple Test May Help Diagnose Autism Early

Stomach microbes could signal onset at 6 months old

(Newser) - Children with and without autism show marked differences in the makeup of their intestinal bacteria, and a simple urine test may help doctors diagnose the condition in children as young as 6 months old. Children typically aren't diagnosed until they're 2, delaying the start of intervention and other treatments. With... More »

FDA Probes 'Hormone Disrupter' in Soap, Toothpaste

Studies in animals point to risk

(Newser) - The Food and Drug Administration is taking a closer look at an antibacterial found in soap and toothpaste. Animal studies of the substance, triclosan, suggest it may alter hormone regulation or help develop resistance to antibiotics, Reuters notes. "There are many troubling questions about triclosan's effectiveness and potentially harmful... More »

Bacteria on Skin May Be Used to ID Criminals

Study shows people can be identified by their bugs

(Newser) - Forget fingerprints: The latest crime fighting tool may be the traces of bacteria we carry on our skin. A new study shows it is possible to identify people based on their personal brand of bacteria. "Each one of us leaves a unique trail of bugs behind," a researcher... More »

Harmful Bacteria Found in Hand Sanitizers

FDA issues warning on two Puerto Rican brands

(Newser) - The FDA has issued a warning on two Puerto Rican brands of hand sanitizer that are liable to coat your hands in dangerous bacteria instead of sanitizing them. Bee-Shield Hand Sanitizer and MD Quality Hand Sanitizer, made in Puerto Rico and sold only there, have high levels of Burkholderia cepacia.... More »

Slim-Fast Recalls Ready-to-Drink Shakes

Canned products may be contaminated with bacteria

(Newser) - Put down the Slim-Fast, folks; it might make you sick. Unilever is issuing a voluntary nationwide recall of all Slim-Fast canned, ready-to-drink products—regardless of flavor, "best by" date, lot code, or UPC number. The company fears the product may be contaminated with Bacilus cereus bacteria, which can cause... More »

P&G Recalls Contaminated Vicks Nasal Spray

Lots affected by bacteria were sold in US, UK, Germany

(Newser) - Procter & Gamble has voluntarily recalled batches of its Vicks nasal spray contaminated with bacteria. Though the bacteria are likely harmless to healthy people, CNN reports, the contamination could prove disastrous for those with compromised immune systems. The product is in the Vicks Sinex line in the US and UK,... More »

Gut Bacteria Can Make You Fat

Unhealthy diet encourages efficient micro-organisms

(Newser) - Eating junk food may do a double whammy on your waistline: In addition to the calorie influx, high-fat foods alter intestinal bacteria, actually making it easier to get fat. Obese mice in a new study had significantly more of a specific type of bacteria, Firmicutes, that easily convert food into... More »

Map of Cell's Machinery Wins Chemistry Nobel

Trio of laureates includes first woman to win prize in 45 years

(Newser) - The Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded today to three scientists who mapped the structure of the ribosome, the part of the cell that reads DNA and uses its information to  create proteins. All three chemists constructed three-dimensional models of the ribosome, using X-ray crystallography to chart hundreds of thousands... More »

Plague Bacteria Linked to Death of Scientist

University of Chicago geneticist exposed to weakened strain

(Newser) - A 60-year-old researcher at the University of Chicago died earlier this month from an infection that may have been set off by the bacteria that causes the plague. Malcolm Casadaban was working with a weakened strain of the bacteria that is normally harmless, and the CDC has been called in... More »

Lather, Rinse, Disinfect the Showerhead

But even bleach may not kill stealth bacteria invading your bathtub

(Newser) - The showerheads of America are crawling with bacteria that can cause pulmonary disease in people with weakened immune systems, LiveScience reports. Around 20% of showerheads tested for a new study held significant levels of Mycobacterium avium, which can be suspended in air when water flows and be inhaled deep into... More »

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