Global scenario of microbes, infections, antibiotics and resistance - By Dr. A.J. Tamhankar

-APP Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fresenius Kabi Pharmaceuticals Holding, Inc., (NASDAQ: APCVZ) announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market Aztreonam for Injection, USP in two dosage strengths. Aztreonam is therapeutically equivalent to the reference-listed drug Azactam®, which is marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

-Sampling of pigeons captured on the streets of Madrid has revealed that Chlamydophila psittaci and Campylobacter jejuni were highly prevalent in the bird population, , both of which cause illness in humans-e.g.Diorrhea.

-Scientists have completed the most comprehensive comparative analysis to date of bacterial communities inhabiting the human nose and throat, which could provide new insights into why some individuals become colonized with pathogens while others do not. They released their findings in mBio™ the online open-access journal published by the American Society for Microbiology.

-shift in the balance between the "good" bacteria and the "bad" bacteria that populate our gut could be a harbinger of colon cancer.

-Discovery Of the mechanisms by which pathogenic bacterial populations control the way they spread over the surface of the organs they infect and stop when they detect the presence of an antibiotic, Could Help To Design New Strategies To Increase Their Sensitivity To Antibiotics.

-Hospira Receives FDA Approval For Meropenem For Injection, USP (I.V.)

-New, high-powered genomic analytical techniques have established that as many as 1,000 different single-celled species coexist in relative harmony in every healthy human gut.

-United States (U.S.) CDC has issued new and important guidelines on the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). In these landmark guidelines, CDC advises that Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) blood tests are now preferred over the 100+-year-old tuberculin skin test (TST) for diagnosing TB infection in certain populations

-Survival Rate Up To 100% For Late Stage Treatment Of Anthrax Infections

-A new study indicates different delivery methods of newborn babies has a big effect on the types of microbial communities they harbor

-In a bid to reduce levels of the sexually transmitted infection (STI) chlamydia among young people in London, sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust will be inviting young people attending this year's Pride London to take a free chlamydia test during their day out.
-FDA seeks less use of antibiotics in animals to keep them effective for humans (The Washington post)
-News from Europe-A cross-border project including MRSA surveillance and prophylaxis is launched in the European Region of Maas-Rhein, a region including parts of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands; Norway –New routines for how to report a patient with previously diagnosed MRSA, when he/she is again found positive suggested. Denmark- Decision for stopping the use of cephalosporins in pig farming and doctors demand tougher rules for veterinary AB use; the head of doctors’ union points out that in Denmark 130 tons of ABs are used annually for animals, while only 48 tons for humans. ; Comparison of the sales of veterinary antibacterial agents between 10 European countries

Global scenario of microbes, infections, antibiotics and resistance - By Dr. A.J. Tamhankar

-New antibiotics-Antibacterial NXL103 (flopristin/linopristin) starts Phase II clinical trial--- Novexel, a speciality pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel antibiotics designed to overcome the significant global problem of microbial resistance, announces that its most advanced oral antibacterial NXL103 (flopristin/linopristin), has started a Phase II clinical trial in adults with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). The trial is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of NXL103 in comparison to oral linezolid.
- Eschar With Cellulitis as a Clinical Predictor in Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Skin Abscess -A central black eschar with cellulitis has good specificity and high positive predictive value in diagnosing CA-MRSA infection. (The Journal of Emergency Medicine, May 2010)
-'Hidden' tuberculosis raises drug-resistance fears ;New study doubles known rate of infection at a South African hospital.
-MRSA in Patients With Cystic Fibrosis Linked to Shorter Survival Time (CME)
-Extensive Drug Resistance found in Malaria and Tuberculosis
-Tackling antimicrobial resistance- WHO Patient Safety is working towards finding solutions how best to support ongoing international activities to address AMR. Activities are also ongoing to finalize an AMR work plan document during the first half of 2010.
-Bacterial Burden and Wound Outcomes as Influenced by Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
-Vancomycin Dosing: Guidance for Clinicians
-Infection Control Practices in Ambulatory Surgical Centers
-Contraceptive Use to stop infections: New Clinical Guidance From the CDC

Global scenario of microbes, infections, antibiotics and resistance - By Dr. A.J. Tamhankar

-Azithromycin May Not Improve Lung Function in Patients With CF Uninfected With Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Predicting Colorectal Cancer With The Help Of Bacteria -Recent findings suggest that bacteria residing in the the human intestinal tract may be associated with an individual's risk of developing colon cancer. Say Scientists from the University of Florida
-New Bacterial Signaling Molecule Could Lead To Improved Vaccines.
-Early Antibiotic Treatment Associated With Improved Outcomes For Patients With Acute Exacerbations Of COPD
-An active compound - plectasin - found in fungi and lower animals could well be an effective weapon against hazardous bacteria. Plectasin, a small protein molecule, can even destroy extremely resistant bacteria . Scientists at the Universities of Bonn, Utrecht, Aalborg and of the Danish company Novozymes AS are able to explain how the substance does this. The researchers believe plectasin is a promising lead compound for new antibiotics.
-AdvanDx To Offer BinaxNOW® PBP2a Test For Rapid Detection Of PBP2a In Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
-Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PGNX) announced the presentation of preclinical data on novel monoclonal antibodies against toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile).
-Unlocking The Keys To H. pylori's Helical Structure May Lead To Better Antibiotic Drugs For Diseases From Ulcers To Diarrhea And Cholera : Say researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
-Researchers in the US have developed a new type of treatment that could herald a new approach to fighting infectious diseases that stimulates the immune system to protect the body against a range of bacteria instead of relying on antibiotics to attack them directly, (which leads to the emergence of resistant strains of pathogens.
-A defective, mutant strain of the bacterium that causes gum disease could provide a clue to potential treatments for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and a number of other diseases. Say Researchers from the University of Florida
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/189933.php
-A new "tree of life" has been constructed by researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech for the gamma-proteobacteria, a large group of medically and scientifically important bacteria that includes Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and other disease-causing organisms.
-A research appearing in Nature, with the participation of doctors Susana Campoy and Jordi Barbé from the Department of Genetics and Microbiology at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, demonstrates that bacteria have a surprising mechanism to transfer virulent genes causing infections. The research describes an unprecedented evolutionary adaptation and could contribute to finding new ways of treating and preventing bacterial infections.
-The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) has published an analysis of 178 genomes from microbes that live in or on the human body.
-What Is Cholera? What Causes Cholera?
-US Army scientists have discovered a way to "trick" the bacterium that causes anthrax into shedding its protective covering, making it easier for the body's immune system to mount a defense. The study, which appears in this month's issue of the journal MICROBIOLOGY, could lead to new approaches for treating anthrax infection.
-Prevention strategies for antimicrobial resistance: A review
-ReAct Urges Transatlantic Taskforce to take Global Approach on AMR
-UK – new PM Cameron: HAI figures to be published every week, for every hospital – move to give patients the ability to choose according to performance of NHS hospitals - Telegraph