Antibiotic News and Research

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Antibiotics are drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms.

Cancer drug can neutralize toxic RNA that causes myotonic dystrophy

A group of researchers has shown for the first time in cells and in a mouse model that a drug used to treat cancer can neutralize the toxic RNA that causes the prolonged muscle contractions and other symptoms of myotonic dystrophy type 1, the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy.

11 Dec 2015

Bacteriophage-based method may improve efficiency of bacteria detectors

Viruses that attack bacteria - bacteriophages - can be fussy: they only inject their genetic material into the bacteria that suit them. The fussiness of bacteriophages can be exploited in order to detect specific species of bacteria. Scientists from Warsaw have just demonstrated that bacteriophage-based biosensors will be much more efficient if prior to the deposition on the surface of the bacteriophage sensor their orientation is ordered in electric field.

9 Dec 2015

ESCMID’s EUCAST plays key role in defining antimicrobial resistance in Europe and globally

The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (ESCMID) – an organization that pursues science, explores risk assessment, knowledge sharing and best practices in the fight against infectious disease – is currently researching the new critical breakpoints for antimicrobial agents in clinical development through its European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST).

8 Dec 2015

Reduced antibiotic prescribing associated with lower patient satisfaction

Reduced antibiotic prescribing is associated with lower patient satisfaction on the national General Practice Patient Survey, according to a new study by King's College London. The study found a 25 per cent lower rate of antibiotic prescribing by a GP practice corresponded to a 5-6 point reduction on GP satisfaction rankings.

7 Dec 2015

Prophylactic antibiotics reduce risk of serious bacterial infections in children with ALL

Prophylactic antibiotics significantly reduce the risk of serious bacterial infections in children during the critical first month of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer, according to a U.S. and Canadian study led by investigators from Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.

7 Dec 2015

Bacteriophage therapy: an alternative to antibiotics? An interview Professor Clokie

A phage is a virus that infects a bacterium. People often get very confused about what the difference is between a virus and a bacterium. A virus, like a bacterium, is also a microorganism, but unlike bacteria, it needs to have a host to be able to replicate and propagate.

2 Dec 2015

Synthetic Biologics announces positive results from first SYN-004 Phase 2a study for prevention of CDI, AAD

Synthetic Biologics, Inc.), a clinical stage company focused on developing therapeutics to protect the gut microbiome while targeting pathogen specific diseases, announced positive topline results from the first Phase 2a study of SYN-004, the Company's candidate designed to protect the gut microbiome from the unintended effects of certain commonly used intravenous (IV) beta-lactam antibiotics for the prevention C. difficile infection (CDI) and antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD).

1 Dec 2015

Research highlights importance of controlling hospital and nursing home infection

A Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital study found that a small percentage of nursing home patients carrying multi drug-resistant bacteria are admitted to hospitals without showing symptoms caused by the bacteria. The research, published in the American Journal of Infection Control, highlights the importance of hospital and nursing home infection control practices.

1 Dec 2015

Innovative compound with anti-MRSA qualities may help develop new class of antibiotics

With global health services increasingly worried about the rise of antibiotic resistant diseases, researchers at Maynooth University have discovered a compound whose anti-MRSA qualities pave the way for the development of a new class of antibiotics.

1 Dec 2015

Scientists can accurately measure microbial growth rates inside gastrointestinal tracts

For the first time, scientists can accurately measure population growth rates of the microbes that live inside mammalian gastrointestinal tracts, according to a new method reported in Nature Communications by a team at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School.

1 Dec 2015

Seaweed extract shows promise in treating H. pylori-related diseases, gastric cancer

A unique seaweed extract shows promise for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori-related diseases and gastric cancer, according to new research undertaken at the University of Western Australia.

28 Nov 2015

TSO3, Getinge Infection Control ink global distributor agreement for STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer

TSO3 Inc., an innovator in sterilization technology for medical devices in healthcare settings, has granted Getinge Infection Control AB, a global leader in infection control solutions, exclusive global distributor rights to its FDA-cleared, STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer for US$7.5 million, plus performance minimums

25 Nov 2015

Scientists create detailed image of deadly toxin linked to bacterial pneumonia, meningitis, septicaemia

Scientists from the University of Leicester have for the first time created a detailed image of a toxin - called pneumolysin - associated with deadly infections such as bacterial pneumonia, meningitis and septicaemia.

25 Nov 2015

Pre-travel advice may not reduce risk of illnesses during travel

Travelling abroad involves risk of illnesses and carriage of antibiotic resistant bacteria, especially among students. Illnesses such as travellers' diarrhoea and respiratory tract infections are most common. Even if travellers follow the travel medicine clinics' advice on how to reduce risks during travel, the risk of falling ill is not reduced.

25 Nov 2015

Complex numeric data on hospital-acquired infections confuses consumers

Patients have difficulty deciphering complex numeric data on healthcare-associated infections used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help consumers choose hospitals, according to a new study published online today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).

24 Nov 2015

BioThrax approved to prevent disease after exposure to anthrax spores

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new indication for BioThrax (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed) to prevent disease following suspected or confirmed exposure to Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax disease. The vaccine's new use is approved for people 18 through 65 years of age in conjunction with recommended antibiotic treatment. BioThrax was initially approved by the FDA in 1970 for the prevention of anthrax disease in persons at high risk of exposure.

24 Nov 2015

Oxford University researchers unlock the secret behind bacterial sex

Migration between different communities of bacteria is the key to the type of gene transfer that can lead to the spread of traits such as antibiotic resistance, according to researchers at Oxford University.

23 Nov 2015

Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in horses, other companion animals may impact human health

Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents is a significant problem for both human and veterinary medicine, but little research has been done on the prevalence or mechanisms of resistance in horses and other companion animals, and how such resistance might impact human health.

23 Nov 2015

AHRQ releases new toolkit to help prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections in hospitals

As part of its ongoing efforts to make health care safer, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality today released a new toolkit to help hospitals prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs).

19 Nov 2015

Last resort antibiotics may no longer work

E.coli has become resistant to the last line of antibiotics we have left and untreatable bugs may already be circulating in Britain, warn scientists.

19 Nov 2015

Antibiotic News and Research

Further Reading

Cancer drug can neutralize toxic RNA that causes myotonic dystrophy

Bacteriophage-based method may improve efficiency of bacteria detectors

ESCMID’s EUCAST plays key role in defining antimicrobial resistance in Europe and globally

Reduced antibiotic prescribing associated with lower patient satisfaction

Prophylactic antibiotics reduce risk of serious bacterial infections in children with ALL

Bacteriophage therapy: an alternative to antibiotics? An interview Professor Clokie

Synthetic Biologics announces positive results from first SYN-004 Phase 2a study for prevention of CDI, AAD

Research highlights importance of controlling hospital and nursing home infection

Innovative compound with anti-MRSA qualities may help develop new class of antibiotics

Scientists can accurately measure microbial growth rates inside gastrointestinal tracts

Seaweed extract shows promise in treating H. pylori-related diseases, gastric cancer

TSO3, Getinge Infection Control ink global distributor agreement for STERIZONE VP4 Sterilizer

Scientists create detailed image of deadly toxin linked to bacterial pneumonia, meningitis, septicaemia

Pre-travel advice may not reduce risk of illnesses during travel

Complex numeric data on hospital-acquired infections confuses consumers

BioThrax approved to prevent disease after exposure to anthrax spores

Oxford University researchers unlock the secret behind bacterial sex

Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in horses, other companion animals may impact human health

AHRQ releases new toolkit to help prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections in hospitals

Last resort antibiotics may no longer work

Industry Focus eBook - Analytical Chemistry (2nd Edition) eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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