Science Media Centre

Both local and national eyes are closely trained on kiwifruit orchards in New Zealand, with the news that some have been infected by Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae (PSA), a vine-killing disease. The disease is caused by a bacterium (PSA) which can be spread through the air and on equipment.  Fears have arisen that the infection [...]

Scientists battle bacterial disease A week on from the discovery of the PSA bacterial disease in an orchard in the Bay of Plenty, scientists are completing tests that will determine what strain of the disease is present. The results will yield important information that will help determine the best way to limit and eradicate the [...]

Kiran Chug writes in the Dominion Post about concerns over whether Sirocco the kakapo should be allowed to continue his visits back to a kakapo sanctuary island. A new untreatable strain of a beak and feather virus has been  found in native parrots, and scientists are worried that the disease might spread to Sirocco and, [...]

Last Friday, Professor John Hamilton, from the University of Melbourne, gave a great talk entitled “Colony stimulating factors, macrophages and inflammatory/auto-immune disease” at the Malaghan Institue in Wellington. Professor Hamilton is Director of the Arthritis & Inflammation Research Centre at the University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Melbourne (Australia). Recent research has suggested that [...]