Researchers from Michigan State University (MSU) have made a significant discovery regarding the survival mechanisms of Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as staph. Their study reveals that staph bacteria possess a surprising level of metabolic redundancy, which may influence how deadly pathogens are targeted in the ongoing fight against antibiotic resistance.

Staph infections, while often harmless, can escalate into serious health threats. A notable strain, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is resistant to many commonly used antibiotics, complicating treatment options. The findings from this research, published in the journal mBio, suggest potential new avenues for antibiotic development.

Understanding Metabolic Redundancy in Staph

Led by recently graduated PhD student Troy Burtchett from MSU’s Department of Microbiology, Genetics, and Immunology, the research highlights the role of isoprenoids—molecules vital for bacterial survival. These compounds are involved in various functions, including pigment production, respiration, and cell wall synthesis.

Traditionally, the enzyme IspA was thought to be the sole producer of short-chain isoprenoids. However, Burtchett and his team discovered that when they created staph mutants lacking the gene ispA, the bacteria continued to thrive. This unexpected outcome prompted further investigation into how staph could tolerate the mutation.

Burtchett explained, “How can the cell tolerate that? That’s really what started this project off. It was really just a basic science investigation.”

In collaboration with Neal Hammer, an associate professor at MSU, and doctoral student Jessica Lysne, the researchers investigated another enzyme, HepT, which was found to be compensating for the loss of IspA. This led to the conclusion that HepT is involved in pathways not previously recognized, including the synthesis of molecules essential for respiration.

Implications for Antibiotic Development

To test their hypothesis, the team engineered a double mutant lacking both ispA and the corresponding gene for HepT. Surprisingly, the bacteria remained viable, indicating the existence of a third, unidentified enzyme that compensates for the loss of the other two. Burtchett noted, “One of the conclusions is that there is an incredible level of redundancy in isoprenoid synthesis in S. aureus. This has never been demonstrated before.”

These findings could have broader implications as isoprenoid synthesis pathways are highly conserved across various bacterial species. The research suggests that similar mechanisms might apply to other pathogens, including E. coli and Pseudomonas.

The rise of antibiotic resistance poses a significant challenge in medicine, as bacteria continue to evolve ways to resist treatment. By identifying new metabolic pathways that have not been targeted previously, researchers hope to develop antibiotics that bacteria have not yet developed defenses against. Burtchett stated, “If it’s new, there’s probably not existing resistance to it, and you can get more use out of that antibiotic.”

Looking forward, the team aims to further explore these findings to identify the third short-chain isoprenoid synthesis enzyme. Hammer emphasized, “Identifying this enzyme will provide new targets for therapeutic intervention,” potentially paving the way for innovative treatments against antibiotic-resistant infections.

The research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), underscoring the importance of this work in the global fight against antibiotic resistance. The findings not only contribute to the scientific community’s understanding of bacterial survival strategies but also offer hope for future drug discovery efforts.

More than 14 million children around the world did not receive a single vaccine in 2024, according to a concerning report from the United Nations. This figure aligns closely with the previous year’s statistics, indicating a troubling stagnation in global vaccination efforts. The report highlights that nine countries are responsible for over half of these unvaccinated children, which raises significant public health concerns.

In their annual evaluation of global vaccine coverage, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF noted that approximately 89 percent of children under one year old received the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (DTP) vaccine in 2024, mirroring the coverage from 2023. While the completion rate for the three-dose series increased slightly to 85 percent, officials warned that a decline in international aid could jeopardize this progress.

Policy shifts in the United States have exacerbated the situation. In January, former President Donald Trump withdrew the country from the WHO and froze nearly all humanitarian aid. Recently, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced substantial cuts to funding for Gavi, the vaccine alliance, claiming the organization had “ignored the science.” Kennedy, known for his skepticism towards vaccines, has questioned the safety of the DTP vaccine, despite its established safety and efficacy.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated, “Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress.” UN experts emphasized the severe inequality in vaccine access, particularly in regions affected by conflict and humanitarian crises.

Countries such as Nigeria, India, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Angola account for 52 percent of the total unvaccinated children. Sudan reported the lowest DTP coverage, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions in these regions.

While global measles vaccination coverage saw a slight rise, with 76 percent of children receiving both doses, experts argue that achieving 95 percent coverage is crucial to prevent outbreaks of this highly contagious disease. The WHO reported that 60 countries experienced significant measles outbreaks last year.

The United States is currently facing its most severe measles outbreak in over three decades, while Europe reported 125,000 cases in 2024, double the previous year’s figures. In the UK, health authorities recently confirmed the death of a child from measles in a Liverpool hospital. Despite ongoing awareness campaigns, only about 84 percent of children in the UK are fully vaccinated.

Helen Bradford, a professor of children’s health at University College London, expressed her concern, stating, “It is hugely concerning, but not at all surprising, that we are continuing to see outbreaks of measles. The only way to stop measles spreading is with vaccination. It is never too late to be vaccinated — even as an adult.”

Vaccines are crucial in preventing an estimated 3.5 million to 5 million deaths annually. The current vaccination landscape underscores the need for renewed commitment to equitable healthcare access and the importance of maintaining global vaccine initiatives.

A child in Liverpool has died after contracting measles, prompting urgent calls for increased vaccination efforts across the UK. This tragic incident follows a warning from health officials about a significant rise in confirmed measles cases nationwide. Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized that this death highlights the necessity for the country to “redouble its efforts” to ensure that more children receive vaccinations.

According to the UK Health Security Agency, there have been 529 laboratory-confirmed measles cases reported in England since the start of 2024. The situation is concerning, as the World Health Organization (WHO) states that achieving herd immunity requires at least 95 percent of children to be vaccinated against the disease. Current figures reveal that the UK has the lowest vaccination rates for measles among G7 countries, with only 89 percent of children receiving their first dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine this year. In contrast, nations like Germany, France, the United States, and Canada boast rates of 96 percent, 95 percent, and 92 percent, respectively.

Understanding Measles Symptoms and Risks

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that poses severe health risks, particularly to young children who have not been vaccinated. Symptoms typically manifest between 10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Initial signs include fever, cough, runny nose, and sore throat, lasting 4 to 7 days. One notable symptom is the appearance of Koplik’s spots—tiny white spots inside the mouth—followed by a distinctive blotchy red-brown rash that usually begins on the head or upper neck before spreading across the body.

If left untreated, measles can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and even death. The disease is transmitted through respiratory droplets when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, making it easy to contract measles by inhaling these droplets or touching contaminated surfaces.

Individuals with measles remain contagious from the onset of symptoms until approximately four days after the rash appears, underscoring the importance of vaccination to prevent outbreaks.

Vaccination and Preventive Measures

The most effective way to prevent measles is through the MMR vaccine. In the UK, the first dose is administered at 13 months of age, with a second dose offered at three years and four months. Adults and older children who have not been fully vaccinated can receive the MMR vaccine at any age. For more detailed information about vaccination, the NHS recommends consulting with a general practitioner.

In light of the rising cases, the NHS urges parents to ensure their children are up to date with their vaccinations. They can find additional resources about the risks associated with unvaccinated children through the NHS website.

If a child does contract measles, several steps can help manage symptoms and reduce the risk of spreading the infection. Over-the-counter medications may alleviate fever and discomfort. In severe cases, particularly if complications arise, hospitalization may be necessary for proper treatment.

This recent case in Liverpool highlights the urgent need for public health initiatives aimed at increasing vaccination rates to protect children and prevent further fatalities. For more information on measles symptoms and vaccination, visit the NHS website.

A groundbreaking artificial intelligence tool, the Foundational IVF Model for Imaging (FEMI), has been developed to significantly enhance embryo assessment in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Trained on an extensive dataset of approximately 18 million time-lapse images, FEMI aims to improve the accuracy of embryo selection, offering a non-invasive alternative that could revolutionize traditional IVF testing methods.

Advancements in Embryo Assessment

A study published in Nature Communications assessed the performance of FEMI across multiple clinical tasks such as ploidy prediction, blastulation time prediction, and blastocyst quality scoring. The study highlights the pressing need for more efficient and standardized methods to evaluate embryos, as traditional approaches often suffer from high costs, a lack of uniformity, and inconsistent regulations regarding preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). These limitations can adversely affect IVF success rates, leading to emotional and financial stress for patients.

FEMI’s introduction is particularly timely, as it offers a solution to these challenges. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the model enhances the prediction of embryo morphology and ploidy status, which are critical for successful IVF outcomes. Previous models, like the Blastocyst Evaluation Learning Algorithm (BELA), have shown promise but often rely on embryologist input, limiting their efficacy. In contrast, FEMI employs a self-supervised learning approach using Vision Transformer masked autoencoders (ViT MAE), allowing it to independently analyze and learn from extensive datasets.

Training and Performance Metrics

The FEMI model utilized a diverse training dataset of time-lapse images captured from multiple IVF clinics. Images were collected after 85 hours post-insemination and were tightly cropped around the embryos to enhance feature learning. The dataset was divided into an 80% training and 20% validation split, treating each image as an independent sample.

In evaluating FEMI’s capabilities, the study compared its performance against several benchmark models, including MoViNet, VGG16, and EfficientNet V2. The findings indicated that FEMI significantly outperformed these models, particularly in predicting ploidy under conditions of low embryo quality. Notably, it achieved superior results in overall blastocyst scoring and inner cell mass scoring across various datasets, demonstrating its reliability in embryo assessment.

FEMI also excels in accurately predicting blastulation time, a key factor for embryologists in assessing embryo quality. By classifying embryo stages as a regression task, FEMI achieved a top-1 accuracy of 60.31%, comparable to Embryovision’s 60.58%, illustrating its potential to refine developmental monitoring processes in IVF.

Despite the promising results, the authors of the study acknowledge some limitations. The segmentation and stage prediction tasks were trained and tested on the same datasets, which could affect generalizability. Additionally, the ploidy prediction excluded mosaic embryos and relied on data collected up to 112 hours post-insemination, which may overlook viable embryos that develop later.

Looking ahead, the design of FEMI as a foundational model suggests that it can be fine-tuned and adapted for broader clinical applications. The authors propose its use as a backbone for future prediction tasks, such as implantation or live birth, contingent upon access to relevant datasets.

The study positions FEMI as a significant advancement in standardizing embryo assessment in IVF. By employing self-supervised learning on a vast and diverse dataset, it demonstrates the potential to outperform traditional models and improve overall IVF success rates. With further validation and clinical trials, FEMI could emerge as a vital decision-support tool in reproductive medicine, providing hope for many individuals seeking fertility solutions.