Antibiotic Resistance News and Research

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Accelr8 Technology to present results of culture-free, quantitative pathogen identification study at 110th ASM

Accelr8 Technology Corporation today announced that it has received acceptance to present results for a study on 2-hour, culture-free, quantitative pathogen identification. The study was co-authored with principal investigators at the Denver Health Medical Center and the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

10 Mar 2010

Increasing antibiotic resistance among soil microbes

A team of scientists in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are reporting disturbing evidence that soil microbes have become progressively more resistant to antibiotics over the last 60 years. Surprisingly, this trend continues despite apparent more stringent rules on use of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture, and improved sewage treatment technology that broadly improves water quality in surrounding environments. Their report appears in ACS' bi-weekly journal Environmental Science and Technology.

4 Mar 2010

Hospital-acquired infections increase mortality rate and healthcare costs

Two common conditions caused by hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) killed 48,000 people and ramped up health care costs by $8.1 billion in 2006 alone, according to a study released today in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Feb 2010

Poor prescription practices among doctors may increase antibiotic resistance

A new paper in the February 17th edition of the journal Molecular Cell describes how exposure to low levels of antibiotics increases mutations in E. coli and Staphylococcus bacteria hundreds of times more than normal, making the creation of drug-resistant strains more likely.

19 Feb 2010

Loyola University Chicago offers new research-intensive program for healthcare industry

Registration is underway for Loyola University Chicago's new infectious disease & immunology master's degree program that will prepare graduates for challenging health-related positions in government, research and private industry.

10 Feb 2010

Study: New mechanism may allow bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotics

Scientists have shown that cells' DNA-reading machinery can skim through certain kinds of damaged DNA without skipping any letters in the genetic "text." The studies, performed in bacteria, suggest a new mechanism that can allow bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotics.

10 Feb 2010

Overview of newly evolving technologies for diagnosing and monitoring HIV infections

Rising consumer awareness that early diagnosis and treatment can delay the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to anti-immuno deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has had a telling impact on the sales of HIV tests.

2 Feb 2010

Special issue explores how evolution can help doctors understand and treat diseases

What does evolution - a field that often deals with changes over many generations - have to do with preventing and treating disease in our lifetime?

28 Jan 2010

Antibiotics can reduce infections post-Caesarean section

Having a baby by Caesarean section is becoming increasingly common, despite the higher risks associated with the surgery compared to a vaginal birth. One important concern is the risk of infection, which is between five and 20 times greater for women who undergo scheduled or emergency Caesarean section.

20 Jan 2010

Sorrento Therapeutics, Scripps Research Institute announce antibody development collaboration

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. today announced an antibody discovery and development collaboration with The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA. Under the terms of the agreement, Sorrento Therapeutics obtains an exclusive, worldwide license to the Institute's novel technology, based on quorum sensing, for the prevention and treatment of Staphylococcus aureus ('Staph') infections, including Methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA).

12 Jan 2010

Galderma S.A. offers $3.75 million to NovaBay Pharmaceuticals

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of anti-infectives for treating multi-drug resistant pathogens, announced today that it has received $3.75 million in milestone payments from partner Galderma S.A.

11 Jan 2010

Disinfectants can promote growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Using disinfectants could cause bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics as well as the disinfectant itself, according to research published in the January issue of Microbiology.

28 Dec 2009

Growing public health threat from surge in drug-resistant strains of acinetobacter

A new study in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology reports a surge in drug-resistant strains of Acinetobacter, a dangerous type of bacteria that is becoming increasingly common in U.S. hospitals. This study is being posted online today and will appear in the journal's February print edition.

24 Dec 2009

Bacterial DNA reveals a rise in antibiotic resistant genes

Antibiotic resistance in the natural environment is rising despite tighter controls over our use of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture, Newcastle University scientists have found.

24 Dec 2009

GlobalPost examines antibiotic resistance in China

GlobalPost examines antibiotic resistance and overprescribing in China. The country "has high rates of antibiotic resistance and a health care system that provides strong financial incentives for over-prescribing antibiotics.

23 Dec 2009

New community-associated strain of MRSA more apt to cause serious problems

The often feared and sometimes deadly infections caused by MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - are now moving out of hospitals and emerging as an even more virulent strain in community settings and on athletic teams, and raising new concerns about antibiotic resistance.

23 Dec 2009

New ways of treating infections identified by researchers at Binghamton University

Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York, have identified three key regulators required for the formation and development of biofilms. The discovery could lead to new ways of treating chronic infections.

19 Dec 2009

European scientists discuss strategies to strengthen the role of EU in promoting global public health

Taken together, the EU's member states constitute the world's largest aid donor to the low and middle-income countries, and the largest trade zone. This puts the EU in a unique position to contribute to better global health. But first, its member states must decide on their goals and how they can work together to achieve them.

5 Dec 2009

Study shows herbal medicine is effective for treating acute rhinosinusitis

Rhinosinusitis is an inflammatory process involving one or more of the paranasal sinuses that typically follows a viral upper respiratory tract infection (RTI). The term ‘acute rhinosinusitis’ is used instead of ‘acute sinusitis’ because it is the currently internationally accepted terminology.

4 Dec 2009

Infections remain a common problem in ICU patients

An international study that examined the extent of infections in nearly 1,300 intensive care units (ICUs) in 75 countries found that about 50 percent of the patients were considered infected, with infection associated with an increased risk of death in the hospital, according to a study in the December 2 issue of JAMA.

2 Dec 2009