Dossier
hospital infections
Coverage of hospital infections in the Nexus archive.
- ‘Jumping genes’ help a bacterium that causes hospital infections to adapt quickly
Mobile DNA sequences called transposable elements have proliferated in the genome of Enterococcus faecium over three decades, enabling the bacterium to adapt its metabolism rapidly and contribute to hospital infections. These 'jumping genes' alter gene activity and replication, aiding clinical adaptation.