Primer on infections by Listeria monocytogenes
Updates on the ongoing outbreak in the US. Why are delis so vulnerable to Listeria outbreaks?
Posts
Infection of the oral cavity with SARS-CoV-2 variants: Scope of salivary diagnostics
Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, have caused pandemics in the past two decades. The most prevalent SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern can re-infect individuals who have been previously infected with other variants or had protection from vaccines targeting the original SARS-CoV-2 variant. Given the high risk of transmission of coronavirus via aerosols produced during dental procedures, it is important to understand the future risk of coronavirus infection for oral health professionals and to diagnose quickly early stages of outbreaks. Testing of saliva for coronavirus may be the least invasive and most convenient method for following the outbreak at the individual and community level. This review will describe strategies for diagnosis of coronavirus in saliva. by Parvati Iyer, Takahiro Chino and David M. Ojcius
Ancient virus may be protecting the human placenta
A new study reveals that an endogenous retrovirus (Suppressyn, SUPYN) might help the placenta protect embryos from viral infection.
David Ojcius's Profile - Muck Rack
David Ojcius is professor at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, USA. He gained his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and did research at Rockefeller and Harvard before moving to the Pasteur Institute in Paris, France, where he worked for thirteen years. His research interests include viruses and intracellular bacteria, interactions with the innate immune system, microbiota, biochemistry and cell biology of infected cells, inflammation and aging.
Disruption of gut microbial balance is associated with increased mortality after kidney, liver transplants
Scientists studied fecal samples from >1,000 recipients of kidney & liver transplants to learn how gut microbiome impacts post- transplant survival. Gut microbiome dysbiosis was associated with increased mortality after solid organ transplantation.
David Ojcius on Lifelong Learning as a Researcher --
“The industry I’m in is actually two in one: teaching and research. I love teaching and interacting with students. In many ways I learn as I teach them. I love their enthusiasm and their optimism. The thing about research is you are a student for life. You constantly have to learn new skills. It requires you to be a lifelong learner, which is something I enjoy.”
How to Get Rid of Bad Breath
Consider what you eat - but also get rid of oral bacteria that release volatile sulfur compounds by brushing & flossing.