New research suggests that individuals who consistently carry Staphylococcus aureusin their noses have other nasal microbial community features that are distinct from those found in individuals without persistent S. aureus colonization.

To date, CRISPR enzymes have been used to edit the genomes of one type of cell at a time: They cut, delete or add genes to a specific kind of cell within a tissue or organ, for example, or to one kind of microbe growing in a test tube.

COVID-19 saliva testing kits that include a novel preservative can also be used to measure microscopic organisms in the mouth, a Rutgers study found. This enables study of the relationship between mouth and lung microbes and the SARS-CoV-2 virus that may allow for the development of new treatments.