Antibiotic News and Research

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

TB jetsetter not as dangerous as first thought

It seems the jet setting air traveller with tuberculosis (TB) is not quite as dangerous as first thought. According to a federal health official, American lawyer Andrew Speaker has a less severe form of TB than previously diagnosed.

4 Jul 2007

Skin rash actually signifies better outcomes for pancreatic and lung cancer patients

The appearance of a rash in cancer patients treated with erlotinib (Tarceva) is strongly associated with longer survival, according to researchers from the drug's developer, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

3 Jul 2007

Yogurt drink helps patients avoid diarrhea caused by antibiotics

According to a new study by British researchers probiotic yogurt drinks containing "good" bacteria help patients avoid the diarrhea caused by antibiotics.

2 Jul 2007

FDA stops Chinese seafood importation

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced a broader import control of all farm-raised catfish, basa, shrimp, dace (related to carp), and eel from China.

29 Jun 2007

Meningococcal vaccine now recommended for ages 11 to 18

Recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), that all young people aged 11 to 18 should get a shot that protects them from the most dangerous type of meningitis, has been applauded by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).

28 Jun 2007

Summer's here so look out for Legionnaires disease

Summer's here and the living isn't always so easy especially if youre in the hospital. Patients who are vulnerable to infection run a greater risk of contracting Legionnaires disease, a severe form of pneumonia, during warm, humid weather, according to a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

28 Jun 2007

Tularemia-specific antibodies protect mice from developing respiratory tularemia

The respiratory form of tularemia, a potentially serious bacterial disease, is a significant public health concern because it is highly infectious, it has a high mortality rate if untreated, and it could be introduced into a population in an intentional act of bioterror.

28 Jun 2007

Childhood injections could be replaced with oral doses of the medicine

Children suffering from pneumonia could be spared the pain of the doctor's needle, thanks to new research funded by the British Lung Foundation.

27 Jun 2007

Threat of MRSA superbug under-estimated

According to the Center for Disease Control in the United States (CDC), MRSA (Methicillin-Associated Staphylococcus Aureus) infections continue to be a concern for hospitals worldwide and now account for more than 50% of hospital-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections.

26 Jun 2007

Stanford researchers get scoop on baby poop!

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine are as interested in a baby's poop as doting parents are, and for good reason.

26 Jun 2007

WHO ready to tackle drug resistant TB

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) some forms of tuberculosis (TB) are a threat to the security and stability of global health.

25 Jun 2007

New compound kills fungal pathogens

A new mechanism to attack hard-to-treat fungal infections has been revealed by scientists from the biotech company Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., California, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) outstation in Grenoble, France.

23 Jun 2007

Mushrooms show promise for creation of new drugs

Mushrooms might serve as biofactories for the production of various beneficial human drugs, according to plant pathologists who have inserted new genes into mushrooms.

23 Jun 2007

Arpida receives FDA approval to initiate Phase II trial with intravenous iclaprim

Arpida Ltd. has announced that it has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for a Phase II trial with intravenous iclaprim in the treatment of patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) or healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) suspected or confirmed to be due to Gram-positive pathogens.

23 Jun 2007

Anacor finds novel mechanism for lead anti-fungal drug, AN2690

Anacor Pharmaceuticals, a privately held pharmaceutical company, has announced that the journal Science will publish results of research that details how AN2690, the company's lead clinical candidate, kills fungal cells by interfering with synthesis of a specific protein required for fungal growth.

23 Jun 2007

RNA polymerase points to new targets for drug design

Researchers at UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) have new information on the structure of a key enzyme in bacteria that could lead to improved antibiotics and less antibiotic resistance.

23 Jun 2007

FDA approves Differin (adapalene) gel, 0.3% for acne

Galderma Laboratories, L.P., has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Differin (adapalene) Gel, 0.3%, a new, higher concentration formulation of Differin (adapalene) 0.1%, a topical retinoid indicated for the treatment of acne.

23 Jun 2007

Resistant gut bacteria will not go away by themselves

E. coli bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics will probably still be around even if we stop using antibiotics, as these strains have the same good chance as other bacteria of continuing to colonise the gut, according to a thesis at the Sahlgrenska Academy.

20 Jun 2007

Acquired DNA key to certain bacterial infection

Researchers announced this week the discovery of a mechanism by which Mycobacterium avium - a bacterium which can result in serious lung infections and is prevalent in emphysema and AIDS patients among others - infects tissue cells or macrophages and thus compromises the body's immunity.

19 Jun 2007