How a superbug evades our immune system

E. faecalis, seen here through a scanning electron microscope, is able to change one of the components of its cell surface to evade recognition by our immune system. — US CDC

New research led by the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom has discovered how a hospital superbug evades the immune system to cause infection, paving the way for new treatments.

The study, led by the university’s Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, investigated how Enterococcus faecalis, a bacteria commonly found in the digestive tracts of humans, cause life-threatening infections.