As intravenous antibiotics dripped into his arm, David Carmody seemed to be recovering nicely from a bad bladder infection. But then out of the blue things got worse as he lay in bed at a rehabilitation center: He felt weaker and began suffering uncontrollable diarrhea. (more)
Meat producers should use certain antibiotics only to assure animal health and stop using the drugs to increase production and promote growth, the Food and Drug Administration said Monday. (more)
Spanish researchers have discovered a key component of infectious bacteria’s battle plan, identifying a protein that tells bacteria in a colony to halt their forward march when antibiotics are present, waiting until the coast is clear before resuming the infection. The finding shows how bacteria outmaneuver antibiotics in the body to continue infecting an organ even after treatment, but it also pinpoints a vulnerability that researchers may be able to exploit to make antibiotics more effective. (more)
The discovery of anti-infective agents such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, and antibacterials in the 1930s and 1940s represents a transformative moment in human history. They have made an invaluable contribution to the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Since their introduction, anti-infectives have revolutionized healthcare and saved millions of lives. Unfortunately, over time, bacterium inevitably develops resistance to existing drugs, making infections difficult if not impossible to treat. (more)
The human body has a natural block to keep out bacteria that would cause infections: skin. But when the skin gets burned, it’s not only painful, it’s bad for the body. Burned skin cannot keep the bacteria out, so infections are common. That’s why doctors who treat burn victims have to look out for the slightest sign of dangerous infection. (more)
Listed by the World Health Organization as one of the three greatest threats to human health, antibiotic resistance has become a growing concern to infectious disease experts who fear that we are no more than two generations away from being nearly defenseless against various bacterial infections. (more)
Among the many exaggerated claims made in favor of the health care legislation before Congress is the idea that it would improve the public health system’s ability to manage public health crises like HIV and swine flu. (more)
