The University of Otago formally launched its reconfigured line-up of 12 flagship research centres, including One Health Aotearoa, this week at an event during which each centre concisely showcased its often world-leading activities. The reconfiguration of the centres took place after a rigorous evaluation process that confirmed the breadth and excellence of research that will…

It may sometimes make sense for island nations like New Zealand to temporarily close their borders in extreme pandemic situations, a new study by Wellington researchers suggests. The study of costs and benefits of complete border closure in New Zealand in response to new pandemic threats has just been published in the international journal PLoS ONE.…

Washing hands after using compost could protect gardeners from contracting a common but dangerous strain of Legionnaire’s disease, new University of Otago research shows. The study results, recently published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, provide the first New Zealand confirmation of the link between compost or potting mix and contracting the form of pneumonia. Legionella longbeachae…

Massey University researchers have found that a strain of leptospirosis may be more frequent in New Zealand dairy herds than first thought, posing public health concerns for farmers, veterinarians and dairy workers. The study was the first to explore the effect of long-term vaccination in a nationally representative sample. Two hundred dairy herds randomly selected from…

A Massey professor of microbiology has led new research that could yield a vaccine against an emerging deadly pathogen that has proven resistant to various treatments. The possible strategy for a new vaccine has been developed for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a pathogen which causes severe wound and lung infections in patients with weak immune systems. The infection…