Scientists have discovered a bacteria ‘alarm clock’ that wakes dormant Salmonella in the body, allowing the bug to trigger a repeat infection. The researchers, from Imperial College London, say the ‘alarm clock’ is shared among different types of bacteria—including Salmonella and E. coli. The findings may explain why some people suffer repeated bouts of infections—for instance ear or urinary tract infections—despite taking antibiotics. The team now hope to use these findings to tackle hard-to-treat infections. The bacteria stop replicating and can remain in this dormant state for days, weeks or even months. When the immune system attack has passed, some bacterial cells spring back to life and trigger another infection.

Read More