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NTU Singapore scientists harness dead bacteria to destroy colon tumours cells effectively

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University have successfully used dead bacteria to kill colorectal cancer cells. Harvesting the Clostridium sporogenes bacteria found commonly in soil, the NTU team was able to harness the bacteria in its dead form, and its secretions, to destroy colon tumours cells effectively.

9 Nov 2015

Rebiotix's RBX2660 receives FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for treatment of recurrent C diff infection

Rebiotix Inc. today announced that U.S. Food and Drug Administration has designated its lead Microbiota Restoration Therapy (MRT) RBX2660 as a Breakthrough Therapy for the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile (C diff) infection, a challenging to treat gastrointestinal (GI) infection that causes 29,000 deaths in the U.S. annually.

12 Oct 2015

UV robots help reduce rates of C. diff transmission among cancer inpatients

Robots are capable of all sorts of tasks to help better treat cancer: They connect oncologists to patients remotely, make incisions, staple them shut, deliver "nano" therapies--and they clean rooms. New research from Penn Medicine infection control specialists found that ultraviolet (UV) robots helped reduce the rates transmission of the common bacterial infection known as Clostridium difficile among cancer inpatients - mostly blood cancer patients, a group more vulnerable to hospital-acquired infections - by 25 percent. The interventions also saved about $150,000 in annual direct medical costs.

12 Oct 2015

New capsule form of FMT raises hopes for treating C. difficile infection

A new capsule form of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has raised hopes that this effective treatment for Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection and other bowel conditions might soon become mainstream. A recently-reported study confirmed that capsules containing a frozen suspension of faecal material harvested from healthy unrelated donors was well tolerated and effectively resolved diarrhoea in 90% of patients with difficult-to-treat C. difficile infection.

7 Oct 2015

Overall incidence of serious, highly drug-resistant group of bacteria relatively low in 2012-2013

The overall incidence in 2012-2013 was relatively low of a serious, highly drug-resistant group of bacteria (Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae [CRE]) that are an important cause for health-care associated infections, according to a study published online by JAMA. Most CRE cases were associated with prior hospitalizations and discharge to long-term care settings.

6 Oct 2015

BD Life Sciences announces FDA clearance for BD MAX Enteric Parasite Panel

BD Life Sciences, a segment of global medical technology company BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), today announced the availability of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared BD MAX Enteric Parasite Panel for use on the BD MAX System.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 24 Sep 2015

Stanford researchers successfully defeat C. difficile bacteria

Stanford University School of Medicine scientists successfully defeated a dangerous intestinal pathogen, Clostridium difficile, with a drug targeting its toxins rather than its life.

24 Sep 2015

New UC Davis study suggests that popular molecular tests over-diagnose C. difficile infections

Clostridium difficile is a common cause of infection and diarrhea in hospitalized patients, but a new study by UC Davis pathologists suggests that many patients are mistakenly diagnosed and do not need antibiotic treatment. As a result, patients are likely being over-diagnosed and over-treated, adding to concerns about antibiotic resistance, damage to the "good" bacteria that live in people's intestines, and increased health-care costs.

9 Sep 2015

Probiotics do not help prevent gastrointestinal colonization with MDROs in critically ill patients

Probiotics show no benefit for preventing or eliminating gastrointestinal colonization with drug-resistant organisms in patients in the intensive care unit compared to standard care, according to new research published online today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

29 Aug 2015

Probiotics show no benefit in preventing gastrointestinal colonization with drug-resistant microbes in ICU patients

Compared with routine medical care, probiotics administered to critically ill patients in intensive care units showed no benefit in preventing the colonization of drug-resistant microbes in the intestinal tract, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

28 Aug 2015

No single genetic strain associated with the worst cases of C. difficile infections

No single genetic strain of the widespread Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) bacteria appears to be any more harmful than other strains, according to new research published online today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

21 Aug 2015

Analysis of toilet waste from international aircraft may lead to global surveillance of infectious diseases

Current international disease surveillance systems are mainly based on reports made by doctors after treatment of infected patients. As a consequence, disease-causing microorganisms and resistance bacteria have time to spread and make large population groups sick before they are detected.

20 Aug 2015

U-M microbiome research may lead to new ways to prevent, fight lung infections in patients

With every breath you take, microbes have a chance of making it into your lungs. But what happens when they get there? And why do dangerous lung infections like pneumonia happen in some people, but not others? Researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School have started to answer these questions by studying the microbiome of the lungs - the community of microscopic organisms that are in constant contact with our respiratory system.

18 Aug 2015

Major gaps found in existing evidence for best practices for cleaning hospital room surfaces to prevent HAIs

Tray tables, bed rails, light switches, and toilets: All are common vectors for swapping germs between patients and health care workers. While a new systematic overview in this week's Annals of Internal Medicine points to several promising cleaning tactics of these "high-touch surfaces," there's a lack of evidence as to which is the most effective at reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

11 Aug 2015

IU scientists find evidence that invisible war between microorganisms may affect human health

Health experts have warned for years that the overuse of antibiotics is creating "superbugs" able to resist drugs treating infection.

31 Jul 2015

Hospitals can make patients sick, reveals Consumer Reports

Hospitals are thought to be sterile, safe environments where sick people get better, not sicker. But that's not always the case according to a new investigation by Consumer Reports into hospital-acquired infections.

29 Jul 2015

Mix of bacteria living in guts may band together to ward off dangerous infections

Like a collection of ragtag villagers fighting off an invading army, the mix of bacteria that live in our guts may band together to keep dangerous infections from taking hold, new research suggests.

24 Jul 2015

MGB Biopharma begins MGB-BP-3 Phase I clinical trial for treatment of Clostridium difficile infections

MGB Biopharma, a biopharmaceutical company developing a truly novel class of anti-infectives, to address the major global problem of antibiotic resistance today announces that the first group of healthy male volunteers have been dosed in a Phase I clinical trial assessing the safety and tolerability of an oral formulation of MGB-BP-3, for use in the treatment of Clostridium difficile infections.

21 Jul 2015

XIAFLEX approved in Japan for treatment of patients with Dupuytren's contracture

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp., a biopharmaceutical company developing first in class collagenase-based products, announced that Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation has received approval for its regulatory application to the Japanese Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Agency (PMDA) for XIAFLEX (collagenase clostridium histolyticum) for the treatment of patients with Dupuytren's contracture in Japan.

20 Jul 2015

Light-based technologies help improve food shelf life, guard against food contaminants

Light-based technologies are emerging as tools to enhance food shelf life and guard against food contaminants but more research needs to be done, warn food scientists at a July 13 panel discussion at IFT15: Where Science Feeds Innovation hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists in Chicago.

16 Jul 2015