May 17, 2013
A roundup of news on drug resistance and other topics in global health.
In a story on the dearth of new antibiotics, the Times of India cites a CDDEP study on the overuse of antibiotics in India. [Times of India]
Canada s Minister of International Cooperation, Julian Fantino, announced continued support for the Global Fund and additional funding for the Fund s Affordable Medicines Facility – Malaria (AMFm) program. [Canada News Centre]
A new MIT study published in the journal Scientific Reports identifies several strains of H3N2 circulating in birds and pigs that are genetically similar to the strain that killed an estimated 1 million people over the world in 1968. The study warns that current flu vaccinations might not work against these strains, which have the potential to generate a pandemic if they leap to humans. [MIT News]
According to a recent press release (pdf), WHO s Prequalification of Medicines Programme (PQP) has accepted the first source of non-plant-derived-artemisinin to manufacture antimalarial drugs. The availability of the semi-synthetic version is expected to make artemisinin more readily available, while also driving down the cost of artemisinin-based antimalarial drugs. [SciDev]
A new study published in the journal PLoS One reports that malaria-infected mosquitoes are three times more likely than uninfected mosquitoes to be attracted to human odor, thereby ensuring an easier passage of the malaria parasites into the human bloodstream for their survival and spread of malaria. [BBC]
A new study published in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology shows that the US has made significant progress in reducing central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and suggests the need for a targeted approach to achieve further reductions in critical care CLABSIs. [ICHE]
Research published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology describes the development of a nanoparticle hybridization device that enables universal and specific detection of various clinically relevant bacterial species, with sensitivity down to single bacteria. The study reports that the device was able to detect 13 bacterial species in clinical specimens within 2 hours. [Forbes]
Citing results from the first national survey to estimate the magnitude of antibiotic resistance in Canada, The Canadian Press reports that about one in 12 Canadian adults are either colonized or infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), VRE vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) or Clostridium difficile. [CBC Canada]
A CNN article summarizes a recent study that found that covering key surfaces in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) with copper alloy was associated with lower infection rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). [CNN]
The Atlantic reports on the resurgence of malaria and a 200 percent increase in new HIV infections due to cuts in public health programs in Greece. [The Atlantic]
An article in The Hindu highlights the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in India and suggests roles that patients, doctors, hospitals, and specific policies could play in combating the threat of antibiotic resistance. [The Hindu]
Highlighting the shortage of TB drugs in the US, amidst funding cuts for the disease, an article in Bloomberg calls for strengthening of the US s public health system to deliver essential TB services in the US and abroad. [Bloomberg]
Image via adaduitokla/Flickr
