These days, most people are aware that bacteria have benefits to our health and that not all bacteria are to be feared. Probiotic packed yogurts proudly proclaim their rich source of beneficial microbes. Health conscious Americans have taken the time to learn how to balance their intestinal flora based on research showing links between your gut and your mood. Most are now aware that the perfectly...

In late April of this year, there was an outbreak of botulism due to contaminated nacho cheese at a gas station outside of Sacramento, California. The issue is no longer a threat, as the lot of cheese has been recalled and was discarded on May 5, 2017. However, the outbreak took its toll on nine people which were hospitalized, and one person died. Incidents such as these remind us of the importance...

In the past year, there have been ongoing concerns that sanitizers commonly used to reduce pathogens on poultry carcasses can lead to false-negative test results for Salmonella.  Salmonella are bacteria that can make people sick with an infection called salmonellosis.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that Salmonella causes approximately...

If one antibiotic resistant bacteria that makes the news often, it is MRSA. Whether it be the recent

infection of newborns at a major clinic or the infection of a national football team due to improper cleaning of gym equipment, MRSA accrues a lot of airtime. MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is most commonly...

Next up for CHROM month, We examine HardyCHROM Vibrio and the risks of shooting back oysters on the half shell...

Summer is fast approaching and beach goers everywhere are rejoicing. Warmer weather, sunny skies, and fresh seafood: what's not to love about summer? Well, the warmer weather brings something else besides people to the coastal waters. Summer is prime time for Vibrio....

Some species of streptococci are unique in that they are classified or grouped according to the antigenic structure of their cell walls. Ever wondered how this was discovered? In this article, we will explore the history of how strep grouping came to be in common usage today.

The genus Streptococcus contains many pathogens from numerous body sites. Over 50 species of these gram-positive cocci...

Boyd Woodruff was the son of an East Coast farmer whose ground-breaking research served as a lynch pin for fellow scientists to be able to harvest a plethora of lifesaving antibiotics from every day soil.

Known simply as Boyd, he loved to read and explore the world around him. However, it was not until he was a senior in high school and had to take chemistry that he discovered his true passion...

With Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) on the rise among hospital acquired infections across America in hospitals and care facilities, infection control specialists have been scrambling to prevent the acceleration of this toxic and destructive bacterium. Where does CDI come from? Where is it going? How can we avoid it? With nearly half a million impacted yearly from this infection...

Since 1947, when the first drive-through restaurant was opened by Sheldon “Red” Chaney in Springfield, Missouri[1], the term “fast food” has become a staple of the American vocabulary.  McDonalds, Burger King, White Castle, In & Out, and Taco Bell: all of these have become so monolithically important to everyday life, that many can recite the menus by hear...

Microbiologists are a very opinionated group of individuals, and it is, at times, difficult to get consensus and standardization on certain procedures. Whether to heat fix or methanol fix slides in preparation for Gram staining is one of those controversial procedures....