A message from the Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) at Loughborough University, UK In response to current and recent climatic disasters, please be reminded that WHO Technical Notes on Drinking-water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Emergencies are available from WEDC in English and in French. READ MORE

Four billion people live under conditions of severe water shortages at least one month of the year, according to new research.   READ MORE

Post-publication peer review isn’t just for scientists. Newspaper reporters can help correct the scientific record, too. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has corrected a journal article on Legionnaire’s disease after the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed what seems to be efforts by the researchers to misrepresent their data.   READ MORE

ASHRAE is currently seeking public comment on Guideline 12-2000, Minimizing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems. Introduced on July 28, the 45-day public review is open until September 11, 2017. Those interested in reviewing and commenting on the guideline can do so at this link: www.ashrae.org/publicreviews  

Please note that the plastic pipe standards are up for public comment (BS EN ISO 15874 series):   LINK

Laboratory surveillance of Pseudomonas spp. and Stenotrophomonas spp. bacteraemia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: 2016 – PDF LINK

The precise mechanism used by Legionella bacteria to escape the body’s defences has been unpicked in intricate detail and is described for the first time in the journal eLife.   READ MORE    

Laboratory reports of respiratory infections made to PHE from PHE and NHS laboratories (E&W): weeks 14 to 17, 2017

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem, especially among a type of bacteria that are classified as “Gram-negative.” These bacteria have two cell membranes, making it more difficult for drugs to penetrate and kill the cells.   READ MORE

MOSCOW, July 12. /TASS/ An international research team from Mexico, India, and the Siberian Federal University (SFU) have mastered the synthesis of gold-containing nanoparticles by using bacteria residing inside the sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica), the press office said.   The compounds obtained show marked antibacterial properties. According to the researchers who initiated the study, the… Read more »