Online Discussion on 4th March 2021 from 17:00-19:00 (IST)

WHO cancer Centre for LMIC, Mumbai and Indian Initiative for Management of Antibiotic Resistance, India 

Present

Online Discussion on 4th March 2021 from 17:00-19:00 (IST) 

 

Venue: Online: https://ki-se.zoom.us/j/654354616

Theme: Drugs, Antimicrobial Resistance and allied 

 

Moderators: Dr. Ashok Tamhankar and Dr. Nishtha Khatri

 

Agenda:

1.Challenges of One Health Antibiotic Stewardship in rural community settings

Presentation: 17:00 – 17:40 & and Q&A: 17:40 – 18:00

Speaker: Dr. Meenakshi Gautham

London School of hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Discussants: Dr. Vishal Diwan: Scientist at ICMR- National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH) & Dr. KV Arulalan: Primary care pediatrician, chief consultant, A A Childcare, Vellore; Former President, IMA, Vellore

2. Bacteriophage therapy as an alternative therapeutic strategy for MRSA infections

Presentation: 18:00 – 18:30; and Q&A: 18:30 – 19:00

Speaker: Dr. Archana L., PhD scholar, Antibiotic Resistance and Phage Therapy Lab, VIT, Vellore

Discussants: Dr. Geetu Bhandoria: Gyne-Oncologist and Obstetrician, Command Hospital, Kolkata and  Member, Junior Editorial Board, International Journal of Gyn Cancer & Dr. Bhakti Sarang,  Consultant WHOCC for research in surgical care delivery in LMICs, Mumbai & Associate Professor, Surgery, Terna Medical College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai

Artificial sweeteners promote dissemination of antibiotic resistance

Contributed by Dr. Ashok Tamhankar & Dr. Nishtha Khatri 

Laboratory studies on four commonly used artificial sweeteners (saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium), indicate that they can exist in human body in concentrations of up to hundreds of mg/L. This occurs these sweeteners  are not generally metabolized and are also found in sub-surface water and the effluent of wastewater treatment plants where they can promote Antimicrobial Gene Transfer by conjugation at environmentally and clinically relevant concentrations to other microbes. More research is necessary to determine how much this can occur in the human gut and urinary systems. Sweeteners have recently been found to be associated with shifts in the gut microbiota similar to those caused by antibiotics. When we think about antimicrobial resistance, we must keep in mind the potential risk posed by artificial sweeteners. 

New pipeline anti-viral drug against COVID-19

 Contributed by: Dr. Nishtha Khatri & Dr. Tamhankar

Molnupiravir (EIDD-2801) is a new therapeutic and prophylactic drug being evaluated against COVID-19. It is a ribonucleoside analogue inhibitor of influenza virus and its mechanism of action is based on induction of error catastrophe in virus replication. The journal nature has published that in vivo research studies have shown that EIDD-2801 is efficacious in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication. Currently, phase II/III clinical trials are being conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EIDD-2801 in prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Since we still do not have a definitive treatment against COVID-19, immediate research initiatives as above are needed to explore the potential anti-viral treatments to combat SARS-CoV-2.