Antimicrobial Resistance News and Research

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BioSense Technologies' Z-Sense Differential Impedance Sensing diagnostic system rapidly identifies drug susceptibility

BioSense Technologies, a pioneer in the development of diagnostic systems for rapid drug susceptibility testing, announced today that it presented key scientific findings at the National Foundation for Infection Disease 2010 Annual Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance, held in Bethesda, MD in early February.

19 Mar 2010

IDSA calls for global commitment to develop 10 new antibiotics by 2020

As the deaths and suffering caused by antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections continue to rise around the world, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is urging a global commitment to develop 10 new antibiotics by 2020, known as the 10 x '20 initiative, to address this public health crisis and safeguard patients' health.

17 Mar 2010

bioMerieux introduces FDA cleared chromID VRE for detecting Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis

bioMerieux – a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics – today announced the launch of the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared chromID™ VRE, a simple and cost-effective solution in the struggle against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). chromID VRE is the first to receive an FDA 510(k) clearance for the qualitative detection of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis showing acquired resistance to vancomycin in stool specimens.

12 Mar 2010

NCCID to host consultation with national and international experts to discuss ways to fight superbugs

The National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) is hosting a consultation with national and international experts in Winnipeg on February 10th and 11th, 2010 to discuss ways to fight the threat posed by "superbugs," or bacteria that are increasingly resistant to conventional treatment with antibiotics.

11 Feb 2010

Antimalarial medicines in African countries are substandard, says QAMSA study

The first results from a large-scale study of key antimalarial medicines in ten Sub-Saharan African countries reveal that a high percentage of medicines circulating on national markets are of substandard quality and thus may contribute to the growth of drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent form of malaria.

10 Feb 2010

Eating contaminated chicken causes UTI in women

Chicken sold in supermarkets, restaurants and other outlets may place young women at risk of urinary tract infections (UTI), McGill researcher Amee Manges has discovered.

21 Jan 2010

Children’s vaccination coverage rises substantially in U.S.

About three-quarters of U.S. children received recommended vaccinations in 2008, up from about half in 2000, reports a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

5 Jan 2010

AdvanDx receives FDA clearance for its 90 minutes PNA FISH protocol

AdvanDx today announced that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for a fast, 90 minutes protocol for its E. coli/P. aeruginosa PNA FISH® and EK/P. aeruginosa PNA FISH® tests. The faster protocol reduces the PNA FISH turn-around time from the original 2.5 hours to 90 minutes by reducing PNA probe hybridization from 90 minutes to 30 minutes.

22 Dec 2009

10 x '20 Initiative calls for global commitment to develop 10 new antibiotics by 2020

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has asked for a commitment from the Obama administration and the European Union to further the Society's mission to achieve the development of 10 new antibiotics within the next 10 years, known as the 10 x '20 Initiative. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antimicrobial resistance as one of the three greatest threats to human health.

24 Nov 2009

Recent releases in Global Health

As a follow-up to a survey conducted in May 2009, this poll examines Americans' attitudes toward U.S. global health investments and priorities.

16 Nov 2009

Transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance established, experts welcome initiative

Experts on both sides of the Atlantic applaud President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the European Union (EU) Presidency, for establishing a transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance, an urgent and growing problem that threatens patient safety and public health worldwide.

7 Nov 2009

Experts applaud the EU Presidency for establishing a transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance

7 Nov 2009

International human migration needs to be factored into infectious disease policy

When people travel, bacteria and other infectious agents travel with them. As about a billion people cross international borders each year, many more billions of the bugs come along for the ride.

19 Oct 2009

MRSA awareness event to be held at Loyola University Chicago

MRSA Survivors Network, the Chicago-based nonprofit and official organization for World MRSA Day, along with fellow MRSA activists will lift the veil of secrecy surrounding MRSA. The history making inaugural kick-off event will be held at Loyola University Chicago on October 1st. The 2009 theme is "You Can Not Change What You Do Not Acknowledge."

9 Sep 2009

New clinical trials to address the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs

Scientists are addressing the threat of antimicrobial drug resistance by launching two new clinical trials aimed at prolonging the effectiveness of currently available antibacterial drugs. The concept underlying both studies: Less is more.

3 Sep 2009

Antimicrobial-resistant typhoid fever in U.S. patients is associated with international travel

Infection with an antimicrobial-resistant strain of typhoid fever among patients in the United States is associated with international travel, especially to the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh), according to a study in the August 26 issue of JAMA. The study also shows an increase in certain strains of typhoid fever that are resistant to the most commonly used medications for treatment.

26 Aug 2009

Biologist demystifies Acinetobacter baumannii

Tao Weitao, a researcher in the College of Sciences' Department of Biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio is making great strides in a project that was funded one year ago by the San Antonio Area Foundation. The professor in the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases is researching Acinetobacter baumannii, a soil-dwelling bacterium that threatens the health of military personnel in the Middle East and can also infect their family members once the soldiers have returned home following battle.

17 Aug 2009

CDC analysis finds unique social and behavior intervention helps reduce MRSA rates up to 62 percent

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Plexus Institute (Plexus) today announce results from an analysis of a multifaceted methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevention program that employed positive deviance (PD), a novel approach to social and behavioral change, to trigger significant reductions in MRSA incidence ranging from 26 to 62 percent at participating hospitals.

23 Mar 2009

Interventions helped reduce MRSA rates up to 62% in study hospitals

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Plexus Institute (Plexus) has announced results from an analysis of a multifaceted methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevention program that employed positive deviance (PD), a novel approach to social and behavioral change, to trigger significant reductions in MRSA incidence ranging from 26 to 62 percent at participating hospitals.

20 Mar 2009

Pharmacies offering no-cost antibiotics should promote responsible use, CDC says

CDC last week sent out letters to several chain pharmacies that offer no-cost prescription antibiotics to low-income consumers urging them to promote responsible use of antibiotics, the New York Times reports.

5 Mar 2009