Latest news with #Shiga-like
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Nanoplastics Stick to Toxic Bacteria, Forming a Deadly Combination
We're all awash in plastic fragments, with many of the smallest particles ranging in size from a micrometer down to a single nanometer across. The health effects of these tiny 'nanoplastics' are still largely unknown, but the infinitesimal size and environmental abundance of them makes these synthetic fragments a potentially outsized threat – and not just for humans. In fact, not even just for organisms with cells as complex as ours. According to a new study, nanoplastics also seem to cause stress for pathogenic E. coli bacteria. That might sound helpful for us, in a "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" sense, but it isn't that simple, the study suggests. Nanoplastics did not significantly affect the survival of E. coli, although they did affect other traits of the bacteria, such as biofilm development and overall growth. Perhaps most importantly for us, exposure to nanoplastics apparently prompts E. coli to become more virulent. The study offers a novel glimpse into this dynamic, says senior author Pratik Banerjee, a molecular microbiologist in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. "Other studies have evaluated the interaction of nanoplastics and bacteria, but so far, ours is the first to look at the impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on human pathogenic bacteria," Banerjee says. The researchers focused on E. coli O157:H7 – a notorious pathogen often implicated in outbreaks of food poisoning – and made nanoplastics from polystyrene, a synthetic polymer and one of the most widely used plastic types. They found that nanoplastics with a positively charged surface are more likely to cause physiological stress in this E. coli serotype, prompting a defensive response. The stressed bacteria make extra Shiga-like toxin, their characteristic illness-causing chemical. Due to the bacteria's negative surface charge, the researchers suspected E. coli might be harmed by positively charged nanoplastics. They tested this by applying either a positive, neutral, or negative charge to the particles before introducing them to E. coli. "We started with the surface charge. Plastics have an enormous ability to adsorb chemicals. Each chemical has a different effect on surface charge, based on how much chemical is adsorbed and on what kind of plastic," Banerjee says. "We didn't look at the effects of the chemicals themselves in this paper – that's our next study – but this is the first step in understanding how the surface charge of plastics impacts pathogenic E. coli response," he adds. In addition to producing more toxin, free-swimming bacteria were slower to multiply when exposed to positively charged nanoplastics, and slower to collectively form biofilms when first exposed to the charged plastics the study found. Gathering into a biofilm can offer unique benefits for bacteria, including the formation of a protective extracellular coating. While previous studies have explored the effects of nanoplastics on free-swimming bacteria, little is known about how nanoplastics affect biofilms. Given the importance of biofilms in real-world conditions, the authors of the new study hoped to learn how nanoplastics affect E. coli in this state. They did so by giving the bacteria a surface to colonize, waiting a week or two for a biofilm to form, and then adding charged nanoplastics. Even in a biofilm, the bacteria still became stressed when exposed to positively charged nanoplastics, and they still produced additional Shiga-like toxin. In addition, positively or negatively charged conditions influenced changes in virulence genes. "Biofilms are a very robust bacterial structure and are hard to eradicate. They're a big problem in the medical industry, forming on inserts like catheters or implants, and in the food industry," Banerjee says. "One of our goals was to see what happens when this human pathogen, which is commonly transmitted via food, encounters these nanoplastics from the vantage point of a biofilm," he says. Needless to say, increased virulence is an ominous sign for a pathogen that's already responsible for widespread foodborne illness. More research will be needed to build on these findings, the researchers say, and to help illuminate the different ways nanoplastic pollution can affect E. coli as well as other pathogenic bacteria. The study was published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology. Expert Explains FDA's New COVID Vaccine Rules in The US Your Perfume Could Be Messing With Your Chemical Force Shield Sitting Could Be Shrinking Your Brain (And Exercise May Not Help)
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
QIAGEN receives U.S. clearance for second QIAstat-Dx mini gastrointestinal panel, expanding U.S. syndromic testing portfolio
New QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2 Mini B adds to QIAGEN's growing U.S. menu for syndromic testing of gastrointestinal infections Panel delivers rapid detection of five common bacterial pathogens for outpatient use, aiding fast and informed treatment decisions QIAGEN building momentum in the U.S. syndromic testing market with six regulatory clearance of panels for use on QIAstat-Dx within the last 10 months GERMANTOWN, Md. & VENLO, Netherlands, March 06, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--QIAGEN (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2 Mini B for clinical use, further strengthening its syndromic testing portfolio in the United States. This marks QIAGEN's second FDA clearance of a QIAstat-Dx panel in 2025, and builds on the authorization of five panels for use on the QIAstat-Dx system within the last 10 months. QIAGEN has now received regulatory clearances for three mini panels for detection of respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions, with these panels designed for outpatient use to aid fast and informed treatment decisions. This newly authorized panel focuses solely on bacterial infections covering Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shiga-like toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Shigella, and Yersinia enterocolitica – all recognized by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) as leading causes of gastrointestinal illness. It is designed to complement the QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2 Mini B&V (Bacterial & Viral) that covers Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shiga-like toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Shigella, and Norovirus. Acute infectious gastroenteritis leads to an estimated 179 million cases annually in the U.S., driving significant numbers of outpatient visits and hospitalizations.1 "QIAGEN is committed to expanding its syndromic testing portfolio in the U.S. to provide laboratories and clinicians with targeted, efficient diagnostic solutions," said Nadia Aelbrecht, Vice President and Head of Infectious Diseases at QIAGEN. "With the FDA clearance of our second QIAstat-Dx mini gastrointestinal panel, we are further strengthening our ability to address diverse patient needs while supporting healthcare providers in optimizing diagnostic workflows and offering them the flexibility they need." The QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2 Mini B runs on QIAGEN's QIAstat-Dx system and leverages its ability to quickly multiply many genetic targets using real-time PCR technology in the same reaction, delivering results in about one hour and with less than one minute of hands-on time. Cycle threshold (Ct) values and amplification curves provide laboratories with additional information in the context of co‑infections, and are instantly viewable on the instrument touchscreen with no additional software required. QIAGEN is the first company to offer both comprehensive and targeted syndromic gastrointestinal panels, allowing laboratories to tailor testing to their specific requirements. The QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2 Mini B is optimized for settings where bacterial pathogens are the primary concern, complementing the previously cleared QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2 Mini B&V panel, which includes both bacterial and viral targets. Together with the FDA-approved 16-target QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2, which is highly suitable for hospitalized patients with risk factors for severe disease, these panels address the distinct diagnostic needs of both inpatient and outpatient care, while also addressing a growing demand for flexible testing options that can address healthcare reimbursement challenges. The QIAstat-Dx system is currently available in more than 100 countries, with over 4,600 instruments placed worldwide through the end of 2024. QIAGEN plans to further expand its QIAstat-Dx portfolio and has recently submitted the QIAstat-Dx Rise, a higher-capacity instrument designed to process up to 160 tests per day, for U.S. regulatory clearance. More information on the QIAstat-Dx portfolio can be found here: About QIAGEN QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands-based holding company, is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions, enabling customers to extract and gain valuable molecular insights from samples containing the building blocks of life. Our Sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from blood, tissue and other materials. Assay technologies prepare these biomolecules for analysis while bioinformatics software and knowledge bases can be used to interpret data to find actionable insights. Automation solutions bring these processes together into seamless and cost-effective workflows. QIAGEN serves over 500,000 customers globally in Life Sciences (academia, pharma R&D and industrial applications, primarily forensics) and Molecular Diagnostics for clinical healthcare. As of December 31, 2024, QIAGEN employed more than 5,700 people in over 35 locations worldwide. For more information, visit Forward-Looking Statement Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements, including those regarding QIAGEN's products, development timelines, marketing and / or regulatory approvals, financial and operational outlook, growth strategies, collaborations and operating results - such as expected adjusted net sales and adjusted diluted earnings - are based on current expectations and assumptions. However, they involve uncertainties and risks. These risks include, but are not limited to, challenges in managing growth and international operations (including the effects of currency fluctuations, regulatory processes and logistical dependencies), variability in operating results and allocations between customer classes, commercial development for our products to customers in the Life Sciences and clinical healthcare, changes in relationships with customers, suppliers or strategic partners; competition and rapid technological advancements; fluctuating demand for QIAGEN's products due to factors such as economic conditions, customer budgets and funding cycles; obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals for our products; difficulties in successfully adapting QIAGEN's products into integrated solutions and producing these products; and protecting product differentiation from competitors. Additional uncertainties may arise from market acceptance of new products, integration of acquisitions, governmental actions, global or regional economic developments, natural disasters, political or public health crises, and other "force majeure" events. There is also no guarantee that anticipated benefits from acquisitions will materialize as expected. For a comprehensive overview of risks, please refer to the "Risk Factors" contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and other reports filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Source: QIAGEN Infectious Diseases _________________________________1Moon RC, Bleak TC, Rosenthal NA, et al. Epidemiology and Economic Burden of Acute Infectious Gastroenteritis Among Adults Treated in Outpatient Settings in US Health Systems [published online ahead of print, 2023 Feb 3]. Am J Gastroenterol. 2023;10.14309/ajg.0000000000002186. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000002186 View source version on Contacts Contacts QIAGEN: Investor Relations John Gilardi +49 2103 29 11711Domenica Martorana +49 2103 29 11244e-mail: ir@ Public Relations Thomas Theuringer +49 2103 29 11826Lisa Specht +49 2103 29 14181e-mail: pr@ Sign in to access your portfolio
