Penicillin News and Research

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Penicillin (sometimes abbreviated PCN or pen) is a group of antibiotics derived from ''Penicillium'' fungi. Penicillin antibiotics are historically significant because they are the first drugs that were effective against many previously serious diseases such as syphilis and Staphylococcus infections.

London's canals and ponds contain high levels of antibiotic-resistant genes

Central London's freshwater sources contain high levels of antibiotic resistant genes, with the River Thames having the highest amount, according to research by UCL.

26 Jul 2019

Antibiotic combination effective against drug-resistant Pseudomonas

Two well known and used antibiotics when combined have been found to be more effective against a deadly bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common cause of hospital-based infections.

8 Jul 2019

Flying insects in hospitals harbor pathogenic bacteria

More than 50% of bacteria recovered from flying insects in a group of English hospitals were resistant to one or more antibiotics, posing a potential infection risk to patients, according to a new study.

20 Jun 2019

Highlights and key takeaways from the 2019 Boston Bacterial Meeting (BBM)

Missed out on the 2019 Boston Bacterial Meeting (BBM)? Read our round-up of the key takeaways, areas of discussion, speakers and more.

19 Jun 2019

Warning issued by FDA after patient dies following fecal transplant

A warning from the U.S FDA was issued yesterday after a patient died due to receiving a fecal transplant that contained drug-resistant bacteria.

14 Jun 2019

More screening and new treatments needed for sickle cell disease

The promise of new treatments for sickle cell disease, a group of inherited red blood cell disorders, has never been so great, but it will only be realized if there is constant investment in health policies such as programs for screening newborns, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases occur.

13 Jun 2019

Electronic consultations in allergy and immunology may reduce need for specialist visits

A study from Massachusetts General Hospital researchers finds that electronic consultations in allergy and immunology can simplify the process of providing the most appropriate care, often reducing the need for in-person specialist visits.

12 Jun 2019

A million a day: STIs are a worldwide epidemic, declares WHO

STIs continue to rise globally, with more than 1 million new STIs of just four types being reported every day, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). This comes to over 376 million new STIs a year among people between 15 and 49 years.

6 Jun 2019

New research uncovers how superbug evades the immune system to cause infection

New research led by the University of Sheffield has discovered how a hospital superbug evades the immune system to cause infection - paving the way for new treatments.

30 Apr 2019

As syphilis invades rural America, a fraying health safety net is failing to stop it

When Karolyn Schrage first heard about the "dominoes gang" in the health clinic she runs in Joplin, Mo., she assumed it had to do with pizza.

19 Apr 2019

Study identifies how enterococci bacteria cause antibiotic-resistant bloodstream infections

A new study led by a research team from Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School describes how bacteria adapted to the modern hospital environment and repeatedly cause antibiotic-resistant bloodstream infections.

17 Apr 2019

Could garlic oil represent an alternative to antibiotics in the food industry?

Using gas chromatography, scientists have been able to determine the burden of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in common food items and have discovered that garlic oil may be a viable alternative to chemical antibiotics.

5 Apr 2019

Scientists create novel tool to advance search for antibacterial drugs

Indiana University researchers are advancing knowledge about how bacteria build their cell walls that could contribute to the search for new antibacterial drugs. They have created a new tool to observe living cells in real time under a microscope.

4 Mar 2019

European researchers develop biophotonic system to detect antibiotic allergies

The detection of allergies to antibiotics is currently conducted with a series of in vivo skin tests; they are invasive, and as such, entail inconveniences.

27 Feb 2019

Paying more attention to antibiotic dosing could improve clinical outcomes for CF patients

Children and young adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) whose lung infections were treated with suboptimal doses of antibiotics had fewer changes in lung microbial diversity during the IV treatment, and their microbial diversity levels were higher 30 days later, a multi-institutional study that includes Children's researchers shows.

23 Feb 2019

Kansas geologist reveals startling global spread of antibiotic-resistant microbes

A University of Kansas geologist's work in the remote High Arctic of Norway has exposed the startling global spread of antibiotic-resistant microbes -- including multidrug-resistant "superbugs" -- that could have dire implications for human health worldwide.

6 Feb 2019

New approach helps clinicians to decide most effective antibiotic treatment courses

A scientific team from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Cleveland Clinic has developed a new way to identify second-line antibiotics that may be effective in killing germs already resistant to a first-line antibiotic - potentially helping overcome antibiotic resistance.

31 Jan 2019