Here we are with the May edition of Copan’s Microbiology Time. This month, the top three papers are:

• A study published on Microchimica Acta investigating a probing system based on dual-site ligation-assisted loop-mediated isothermal amplification (dLig-LAMP) for the selective colorimetric detection of SARS-CoV-2. With this method – and by designing a proprietary probe for sensing pyrophosphate – the group developed a colorimetric signaling system for point-of-care detection of SARS-CoV-2 which offers higher selectivity than RT-LAMP. This new method could be an option for improving the selectivity of point-of-care detection of SARS-CoV-2.
• An Israeli paper aiming at the isolation of bacteria secreting growth-inhibiting compounds. Guedj Dana and colleagues implanted cultures of Francisella tularensis in environmental samples and monitored for inhibition zones. As a result, the researchers isolated two bacterial strains secreting antibiotic-like compounds. The genomic sequence of these strains was deciphered, and taxonomic profiling analysis classified them as belonging to the Pantoea genus.
• In the last study, the Chilean researchers collected tracheal, cloacal swabs, and sera samples from domestic backyard poultry and fresh feces from wild birds during two sampling seasons in 2019 on Easter Island, to perform surveillance of the avian influenza virus. They detected antibodies against avian influenza in almost half of the samples collected and identified a novel low pathogenic H6N1 virus closely related to the one circulating in South America. The results of this research are the first evidence of avian influenza circulation in domestic birds on a Polynesian island.

Discover the complete studies below, and see you next June!