July 19, 2013
A roundup of news on drug resistance and other topics in global health.
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology describes a rapid and reliable method to differentiate the clinically important strains of Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause chronic infections, from those that cannot. [CNET]
At Abuja +12, the African Union s Special Summit, leaders from African countries reviewed the past progress against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, and pledged actions for further improvement. [UNFPA]
Results from a study published in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases suggest that increased biodiversity of both mosquito species and other vertebrates can help control malaria in tropical forests. [European Commission Science for Environment Policy]
In an interview with US News, authors of The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills explain their findings on how austere fiscal policy negatively impacts public health. [US News]
An article in Nature Medicine states that the Tuberculosis Trials Consortium and other major TB research organizations will experience budget cuts up to 30% in this upcoming year as a result of the US federal sequester, delaying treatment trials and shutting down clinics. [Nature Medicine]
Research suggests that new antibiotic targets, like regulatory proteins in Enterococcus, could allow the body s immune system to fight off previously resistant bacteria. [Science Codex]
A new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and presented at the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Disease Research meeting finds that two combination antibiotic treatments are very effective at curing multidrug resistant gonorrhea. [Bloomberg]
Highlighting the global progress made in treating HIV/AIDS, an article in the Washington Post writes on the possibility of achieving and maintaining an AIDS-free generation in the near future. [Washington Post]
An analysis of the H7N9 avian flu has found that some strains of the virus carry a mutation that makes them not only resistant to common antivirals, but also keeps the virus from showing resistance on standard sensitivity tests. [University of Minnesota]
A team at MIT has produced liver tissue models in which they can grow malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax, potentially providing a foundation for vaccine and drug development and other malaria research. [Science Codex]
A new study published in the American Journal of Infection Control has found that pregnant women suffering from pre-pregnancy diabetes are three times more likely to contract Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in U.S. hospitals. [US News, Examiner]
A new infographic produced by the Al Jazeera depicts the state of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB in Africa, highlighting the progress as well as challenges in controlling the three biggest killers. [Al Jazeera]
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Plasmodium sporozoite image via Wellcome Images/Flickr
