Skin Infection News and Research

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Study finds significant decline of MRSA infections in VA long-term care facilities

Four years after implementing a national initiative to reduce methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus rates in Veterans Affairs long-term care facilities, MRSA infections have declined significantly, according to a study in the January issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

7 Jan 2014

FDA accepts Cubist Pharmaceuticals' tedizolid phosphate NDA with Priority Review

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted the Company's New Drug Application for its investigational antibiotic tedizolid phosphate (TR-701) with Priority Review. The FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date of June 20, 2014. Cubist is seeking FDA approval of tedizolid for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections.

30 Dec 2013

Streptococcus biofilms persist on objects, surfaces in daycare center for longer periods after cleaning

Numerous scientific studies have concluded that two common bacteria that cause colds, ear infections, strep throat and more serious infections cannot live for long outside the human body.

27 Dec 2013

Researchers develop new vaccine that protects against lethal pneumonia caused by staph bacteria

University of Iowa researchers have developed a new vaccine that protects against lethal pneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria, including drug-resistant strains like MRSA.

23 Dec 2013

Scientists reveal how MRSA strain rapidly rises to prominence

Scientists believe they have an explanation for how the most common strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus rapidly rose to prominence. Research published in mBio-, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, suggests that the strain recently acquired a number of genes from common skin bacteria that allow it to grow and thrive on the skin where other strains of MRSA cannot.

17 Dec 2013

IBN and IBM discover new medical application for converted PET bottles

Researchers at Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) and California's IBM Research - Almaden (IBM) have discovered a new, potentially life-saving application for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is widely used to make plastic bottles.

10 Dec 2013

Nanosponge vaccine blocks adverse effects of alpha-haemolysin toxin from MRSA

Nanosponges that soak up a dangerous pore-forming toxin produced by MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) could serve as a safe and effective vaccine against this toxin. This "nanosponge vaccine" enabled the immune systems of mice to block the adverse effects of the alpha-haemolysin toxin from MRSA-both within the bloodstream and on the skin. Nanoengineers from the University of California, San Diego described the safety and efficacy of this nanosponge vaccine in the December 1 issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

2 Dec 2013

Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteria anticipates and turns immune defenses against the host

Around 20 percent of all humans are persistently colonized with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, a leading cause of skin infections and one of the major sources of hospital-acquired infections, including the antibiotic-resistant strain MRSA.

20 Nov 2013

Layers of skin that form first line of defence in body's fight against infection reveal secret

The layers of skin that form the first line of defence in the body's fight against infection have revealed a unanticipated secret.

19 Nov 2013

Skin infection on exposure to contaminated aquarium water is under-diagnosed, says study

A skin infection linked to exposure to contaminated water in home aquariums is frequently under-diagnosed, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.

7 Oct 2013

Scientists develop antibiotic whose activity can be controlled using light

Scientists at the University of Groningen have developed an antibiotic whose activity can be controlled using light. It is possible to 'switch on' the substance immediately before use, after which it will slowly lose its activity.

16 Sep 2013

CPT-F antibiotic drug may hold promise for treating potentially fatal MRSA pneumonia

A drug approved just two years ago for treating bacterial infections may hold promise for treating the potentially fatal MRSA pneumonia, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.

12 Sep 2013

Incidence of septicemia increasing among service members, study finds

The annual incidence rates of primary diagnosed septicemia among active component service members increased nearly 580 percent from 2004 to 2012, according to a new study.

6 Sep 2013

Hospital readmissions rates for children are not meaningful measures of quality of their care

Readmission rates of adult patients to the same hospital within 30 days are an area of national focus and a potential indicator of clinical failure and unnecessary expenditures.

27 Aug 2013

FDA approves first mass spectrometer system in U.S. for identification of bacteria, yeasts

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today allowed marketing in the U.S. of the first mass spectrometer system for automated identification of bacteria and yeasts that are known to cause serious illness in humans.

22 Aug 2013

Combating antibiotic resistance: an interview with Ron Najafi, CEO NovaBay Pharmaceuticals

Approximately 80 years ago the first antibiotic was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming, for which he was justifiably awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine.

2 Aug 2013

Physicians prescribe strongest antibiotics capable of killing multiple kinds of bacteria

When U.S. physicians prescribe antibiotics, more than 60 percent of the time they choose some of the strongest types of antibiotics, referred to as "broad spectrum," which are capable of killing multiple kinds of bacteria, University of Utah researchers show in a new study.

2 Aug 2013

Symptoms, first-aid treatments and prevention tips for insect bites

Whether they are invading your picnic, hitching a ride on your skin or just buzzing around your head, bugs are an annoying and unavoidable part of summer. Still, there are times when bugs are just a nuisance and times when they can cause serious illness or injury.

24 Jul 2013

FDA approves Gilotrif for patients with late stage non-small cell lung cancer

Companion test also approved to identify appropriate patients The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Gilotrif (afatinib) for patients with late stage (metastatic) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express specific types of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among men and women.

16 Jul 2013

Orlando Health's clinicians provide hospital-level care in patient's home

Instead of admitting patients to medical units at the hospital, clinicians at Orlando Regional Medical Center are providing health care to patients in the comfort of their homes. The new twist on modern medicine is being piloted in a project to provide hospital-level care in a patient's home through home visits, videoconferencing (virtual visit) and telemonitoring (remote vital signs monitoring).

28 Jun 2013