November 07, 2014
A roundup of news on drug resistance and other topics in global health.
CDDEP Director Ramanan Laxminarayan’s talk from the TEDMED 2014 Conference will be one of a select few from the event to be made available for viewing online. The video will be posted next week on the TED and TEDMED websites. [TEDMED]
A new study published this week in Oxford Development Studies examines the consequences of a sex-selective abortion ban in India. The paper, authored by CDDEP fellow Arindam Nandi, concluded that the ban accomplished its intended effect of increasing the likelihood of a female birth, and did not create the potential unintended effect of increasing post-natal discrimination against infant girls. [CDDEP]
The most recent Ebola update from the World Health Organization found that the spread of the disease is rising Sierra Leone, declining slightly in Liberia and stable in Guinea. The US military response in West Africa continues this week, with two new hospitals expected to open by the weekend in Liberia. WHO warned that the outbreak “remains persistent and widespread”. [NPR]
There have been more US measles cases reported between January and August 2014 than any other entire year in the previous two decades, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. [NEJM]
Berkeley, California became the first city in the US to pass a “soda tax” on sugar-sweetened beverages this week. The tax, which amounts to one cent per ounce of sugary drink, received favor from 75 percent of voters in the city and is hoped to help combat the dual epidemics of diabetes and obesity in the US. [Los Angeles Times]
Micreos, a Dutch biotech company, announced a new antibacterial therapy this week that could be an alternative to antibiotics. The drug, Staphefket, uses specific enzymes to kill bacteria by breaking down bacterial walls—a method that scientists expect to be less prone to resistance. [The Washington Post]
An increase in cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has been reported in Saudi Arabia this month, with six new cases reported in 24 hours on Wednesday. Officials faulted relaxed hospital infection control procedures for the uptick in new cases. [Reuters]
The market for antibiotic-free meat is growing, according to an investigation done this week by the Wall Street Journal. Consumer spending on antibiotic-free chicken is expected to pass $1.0 billion this year, as some meat producers take steps toward using fewer antibiotics and larger retailers like Wal-Mart have started selling antibiotic-free meat in stores. [The Wall Street Journal]
A group of Brazilian scientists are investigating yet another novel way to fight malaria—with “trojan cows”. This strategy would give cows a lactic acid treatment that renders their scent similar to humans; mosquitoes then feed on the cow, fly off and are soon poisoned by another compound in the cow’s blood. [TakePart]
CDDEP is currently hiring Research Analysts for our New Delhi, India office. For more information and to apply, visit CDDEP’s jobs page.
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