Last update:

Gastroenterology news

Gut-derived bacterial molecule may drive severe liver disease

Researchers at the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, together with international collaborators, have discovered that a small molecule made exclusively by gut bacteria can actively drive disease in the bile ...

C. difficile colonization in infants reshapes gut development, challenging a long-held assumption

Since its discovery, the highly contagious bacterium Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile or C. diff) has been reported not to cause symptoms in infants, leading to the assumption that colonization was not a serious health ...

Are petting zoos safe?

A 3-year-old girl has died from a rare illness after visiting a petting zoo in Victoria. She developed brain damage and kidney failure after spending weeks in intensive care.

Mini-tumors reveal new drug combinations for liver cancer

Liver cancer is difficult to treat because tumors vary greatly from patient to patient. Researchers at the University of Basel have captured this diversity by creating a collection of mini-tumors, which they use to systematically ...

Supplement plus chemotherapy boosts pancreatic cancer survival

When added to standard chemotherapy, a clinical version of the dietary supplement L-glutamine improved survival in an early-phase trial of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The study, led by Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences ...

Gut bacterium and its metabolite found to delay aging

A new study published in Nature Aging on Aug. 25 reports that a single gut bacterium—Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum (BP)—together with a small molecule it produces, 5-aminovaleric acid betaine (5-AVAB), can alleviate multiple ...

In cesarean birth, sex-specific effects occur in microbiota

The effects of cesarean delivery on the newborn microbiota appear to vary according to sex. A research team coordinated by INRAE has demonstrated this in a mouse model, showing increased susceptibility to colonic inflammation ...

Bacteriophages: Meet the viruses that hunt superbugs

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. These microscopic predators are found everywhere, from soil and water to food and the human gut. Because they attack only specific bacteria, researchers ...

Fruit and nuts fight non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Eating fruit and nuts can help protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)—but a popular fiber supplement can make the condition worse, research by Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found. The paper, "Ellagic ...

World going too slow on eliminating hepatitis: WHO

The World Health Organization on Tuesday said progress in eliminating hepatitis was too slow, with tools available to eliminate the disease that kills more than one million people annually.

Yellow food coloring changes gut microbiome in early life

A food coloring widely used in the U.S. and worldwide has been found to alter the balance of bacteria living in the gut and may cause low levels of inflammation. Researchers will present these findings at the 2026 American ...

New cellular target prevents hepatitis E infection

An international team of researchers has identified a promising new approach for treating infections with the Hepatitis E virus (HEV). At the center of the study is the drug Apilimod, which specifically blocks the entry of ...

Rectal cancer is striking earlier and killing faster

Rectal cancer deaths among older millennials are accelerating, with growth in mortality far outpacing colon cancer, suggesting primary care doctors should fully investigate early symptoms in patients under age 45, according ...