Antibiotic News and Research

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

Important advance in understanding the structure of phage viruses

An important advance in understanding the structure of phage viruses, which infect and destroy bacteria, has been made by a team of scientists from Oxford and Finland, which could help develop new strategies to combat bacterial infections.

11 Nov 2004

Nanogen announces clinical diagnostic to simultaneously detect multiple respiratory viruses

Nanogen announced today that it is developing new analyte specific reagents (ASRs) for clinical reference laboratories to develop and validate a single test to detect six of the most common respiratory viruses.

10 Nov 2004

Merck licenses new and improved methods for developing antibiotics from San Diego State University

Two new and improved methods of developing antibiotics discovered at San Diego State University have been licensed to Merck Pharmaceuticals for $300,000, the largest technology transfer agreement so far for SDSU.

9 Nov 2004

MRI technique for measuring blood volume helps distinguish between abscesses and tumors in the brain

Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI allows physicians to differentiate between cerebral abscesses—inflamed areas in the brain caused by infection—and malignant brain tumors without surgery, says a new preliminary study by researchers from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC.

8 Nov 2004

Infection rates from MRSA superbug will be halved by 2008, according to Health Secretary John Reid

Blood borne infection rates of the hospital superbug MRSA will be halved by 2008, Health Secretary John Reid said in a speech last week.

8 Nov 2004

Atomic switch capable of discriminating color in a bacterial membrane protein

Researchers using extremely high resolution imaging have found an atomic switch capable of discriminating color in a bacterial membrane protein.

5 Nov 2004

Study highlights the effectiveness of azithromycin (Zithromax) in reducing infection rates of trachoma

The New England Journal of Medicine published today a study entitled "Mass Treatment with Single-Dose Azithromycin for Trachoma."

4 Nov 2004

Study of infection prevention therapy for premature babies

Whether donated human antibodies can protect premature babies from a common and potentially dangerous bacterial infection is under study at the Medical College of Georgia Children’s Medical Center.

4 Nov 2004

Benefits to human health associated with the use of antibiotics in chicken may outweigh the potential risks

The potential benefits to human health associated with the use of antibiotics in chicken may outweigh the potential risks, according to a risk-benefit analysis conducted by a team of researchers led by Randall S. Singer, D.V.M., Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

4 Nov 2004

Wyeth shows new Phase III data about its investigational antibiotic, tigecycline

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals recently presented exciting new Phase III data about its investigational antibiotic, tigecycline, based on a clinical trial in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI).

4 Nov 2004

Studies show Pfizer's Azithromycin Microspheres effective as treatment for respiratory tract infections

Pfizer Inc.'s new investigational microsphere formulation of azithromycin, which is dosed as a one-time-only oral antibiotic, is comparable to other frequently prescribed treatments for some of the most common respiratory tract infections in adult patients.

1 Nov 2004

Study results suggest that metronidazole and clindamycin differ in their effects on microbes in women with bacterial vaginosis

In the first study to directly compare the emergence of antibiotic resistance following topical treatment between two antibiotics routinely prescribed for a common vaginal infection, researchers from the Magee-Womens Research Institute have found antibiotic-resistant bacteria more likely to develop with the drug clindamycin than metronidazole.

1 Nov 2004

New rapid gonorrhea test that does not require collection

Potential antimicrobial resistance in the bacteria that cause gonorrhea can be detected without culturing the organism, thanks to a rapid test developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins.

1 Nov 2004

Tamiflu significantly reduced the risk of pneumonia in patients diagnosed with flu

Treatment with the antiviral medication Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) significantly reduced the risk of pneumonia in patients diagnosed with flu, according to a new retrospective cohort study of over 70,000 Americans.

1 Nov 2004

More to MRSA infection than just exposure to antibiotics

Johns Hopkins researchers report potentially life-threatening hospital infections with bacteria resistant to the antibiotic methicillin can occur even if patients havent been treated with that drug.

1 Nov 2004

Nonprescription medications to treat upper respiratory infections could save $4.75 billion a year

Using nonprescription, or over-the-counter (OTC), medications to treat common upper respiratory infections could save $4.75 billion a year, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Northwestern University.

26 Oct 2004

Infectious diseases physicians call for financial incentives for industry

In the midst of the current national shortage of influenza vaccine, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has renewed its call for Congress and the Administration to implement innovative public policy geared toward removing financial disincentives that have caused pharmaceutical companies to leave the vaccine market.

25 Oct 2004

Antibiotic News and Research

Further Reading

Important advance in understanding the structure of phage viruses

Nanogen announces clinical diagnostic to simultaneously detect multiple respiratory viruses

Merck licenses new and improved methods for developing antibiotics from San Diego State University

MRI technique for measuring blood volume helps distinguish between abscesses and tumors in the brain

Infection rates from MRSA superbug will be halved by 2008, according to Health Secretary John Reid

Atomic switch capable of discriminating color in a bacterial membrane protein

Study highlights the effectiveness of azithromycin (Zithromax) in reducing infection rates of trachoma

Study of infection prevention therapy for premature babies

Benefits to human health associated with the use of antibiotics in chicken may outweigh the potential risks

Wyeth shows new Phase III data about its investigational antibiotic, tigecycline

Studies show Pfizer's Azithromycin Microspheres effective as treatment for respiratory tract infections

Study results suggest that metronidazole and clindamycin differ in their effects on microbes in women with bacterial vaginosis

New rapid gonorrhea test that does not require collection

Tamiflu significantly reduced the risk of pneumonia in patients diagnosed with flu

More to MRSA infection than just exposure to antibiotics

Nonprescription medications to treat upper respiratory infections could save $4.75 billion a year

Infectious diseases physicians call for financial incentives for industry

Insects implicated in the evolution of new human infectious diseases

New method for determining the presence of a type of strep that can cause fatal meningitis or pneumonia

Bactericidal (bacteria-killing) versus bacteriostatic (bacteria-inhibiting) drugs for treating infections

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