February 21, 2014
A roundup of news on drug resistance and other topics in global health.
An article co-authored by CDDEP researchers and published this month in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy suggests that reducing the use of fluoroquinolones and other broad-spectrum antibiotics in both healthcare and community settings could play a critical role in reducing drug resistance. [CDDEP]
Fecal transplants have shown success in treating recurrent Clostridium difficile infections, but their effects have been difficult to study due to regulatory barriers. An article in Nature discusses some of these regulatory barriers. [Nature]
NPR featured two discussions on antibiotics this week: Kevin Outterson, professor of law at Boston University and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, spoke about the development of new antibiotics on KGOU s Here and Now; and a discussion on curbing the overuse of antibiotics on the Kojo Nnamdi Show featured several experts in the field, including Arjun Srinivasan, the CDC s Associate Director for Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Programs.
Annual spring pilgrimages to Rishikesh and Haridwar, which are situated along the Upper Ganges River in India, may lead to increased rates of antibiotic resistance in the area. [Science Codex]
A Danish chemist has acquired a US patent for a drug that can make drug-resistant bacteria sensitive to antibiotics. [ScienceDaily]
Many US hospitals aren t following proper protocol for protecting their patients from preventable infections, according to a new study in the American Journal of Infection Control. [HealthDay]
While doctors have traditionally waited to administer antiretroviral drugs to patients who suffer from both tuberculosis and AIDS due to fears about the effects of the on patients lungs, a new study has shown that simultaneous treatment for both diseases increases survival rates. [NY Times]
A study published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE shows that paper medical records could put patients at risk for infection, with records in general and special wards testing positive for bacteria 63.5% and 83.2% of the time, respectively, in a recent Taiwanese study. [Examiner]
