Antibiotic Resistance News and Research

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UC San Diego researchers develop rapid susceptibility test for Staphylococcus aureus

A team of biologists and biomedical researchers at UC San Diego has developed a new method to determine if bacteria are susceptible to antibiotics within a few hours, an advance that could slow the appearance of drug resistance and allow doctors to more rapidly identify the appropriate treatment for patients with life threatening bacterial infections.

25 Jan 2016

Researchers confirm that cranberry extract helps fight UTIs in breastfed children under age one

Researchers from the universities of Granada (Spain) and Kvopio (Finland) have confirmed that cranberry extract helps fighting urinary tract infections (UTIs) in breastfed babies under one year of age.

18 Jan 2016

UM SOM to team up with industry to develop vaccine for preventing deadly bacterial infections

The Center for Vaccine Development at the University of Maryland School of Medicine will participate in a partnership with industry to develop a vaccine to prevent a group of deadly bacterial infections that occur commonly among hospital patients.

13 Jan 2016

Newly discovered molecular mechanism may provide alternative explanation for antibiotic resistance

The bacterium B. cereus had so far been considered to be exclusively endospore-forming. In response to harsh conditions, the bacteria form protective endospores enabling them to remain dormant for extended periods. When conditions are more favourable, the endospores reactivate to become fully functioning bacteria.

28 Dec 2015

Environmental contaminants contributing to increase in bacterial resistance

While the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has prompted the medical community, non-profit organizations, public health officials and the national media to educate the public to the dangers of misusing and overusing antibiotics, the University of Georgia's J. Vaun McArthur is concerned that there's more to the problem than the misuse of common medications.

24 Dec 2015

Inorganic mercury can damage key cell processes, finds UGA study

University of Georgia research has found that inorganic mercury, which was previously thought to be a less harmful form of the toxic metal, is very damaging to key cell processes.

22 Dec 2015

New easy-to-use computer program can quickly identify drug-resistant infections

Scientists have developed an easy-to-use computer program that can quickly analyse bacterial DNA from a patient's infection and predict which antibiotics will work, and which will fail due to drug resistance. The software is currently being trialled in three UK hospitals to see whether it could help speed up diagnosis of drug-resistant infections and enable doctors to better target the prescription of antibiotics.

21 Dec 2015

Australian researchers develop new technique to combat chronic bacterial infections in hospitals

One of the scourges of infections in hospitals – biofilms formed by bacteria that stick to each other on living tissue and medical instruments, making them harder to remove – can be tricked into dispersing with the targeted application of nanoparticles and heat, researchers have found.

21 Dec 2015

Five research centres get £10 million to explore how maths, statistics can help tackle serious health challenges

Life Sciences Minister George Freeman today (16 December) announced £10 million investment in five new research centres around the UK that will explore how mathematics and statistics can help clinicians to tackle serious health challenges such as cancer, heart disease and antibiotic resistant bacteria.

17 Dec 2015

Antibiotic resistance may help find drugs to combat amyloid formation

Amyloid diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and type-2 diabetes pose a particular problem for drug designers because they do not present a clear target structure to aim at.

15 Dec 2015

UC San Diego biologists develop a method to screen natural products for new antibiotics

Biologists at UC San Diego have found that a method they developed to identify and characterize new antibiotics can be employed to screen natural products quickly for compounds capable of controlling antibiotic resistant bacteria.

11 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

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

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

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

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

Use of azithromycin early reduces risk of recurrent, severe LRTI among young children

Among young children with histories of recurrent severe lower respiratory tract illness (LRTI), the use of azithromycin early during an apparent RTI compared with placebo significantly reduced the risk of experiencing progression to severe LRTI, according to a study in the November 17 issue of JAMA.

18 Nov 2015

Giving antibiotics early can reduce risk of severe lower respiratory tract illness in children

Respiratory infections are common in preschoolers, but while most children recover fairly easily from the typical coughs and congestion, a significant number develop illnesses severe enough to interfere with breathing and warrant trips to urgent care clinics or emergency rooms.

18 Nov 2015

Antibiotic Resistance News and Research

UC San Diego researchers develop rapid susceptibility test for Staphylococcus aureus

Researchers confirm that cranberry extract helps fight UTIs in breastfed children under age one

UM SOM to team up with industry to develop vaccine for preventing deadly bacterial infections

Newly discovered molecular mechanism may provide alternative explanation for antibiotic resistance

Environmental contaminants contributing to increase in bacterial resistance

Inorganic mercury can damage key cell processes, finds UGA study

New easy-to-use computer program can quickly identify drug-resistant infections

Australian researchers develop new technique to combat chronic bacterial infections in hospitals

Five research centres get £10 million to explore how maths, statistics can help tackle serious health challenges

Antibiotic resistance may help find drugs to combat amyloid formation

UC San Diego biologists develop a method to screen natural products for new antibiotics

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

Research highlights importance of controlling hospital and nursing home infection

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

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

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

Oxford University researchers unlock the secret behind bacterial sex

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

Use of azithromycin early reduces risk of recurrent, severe LRTI among young children

Giving antibiotics early can reduce risk of severe lower respiratory tract illness in children

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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