 |
|
Disinfectants can make bacteria resistant to treatment
October 06, 2008Chemicals used in the environment to kill bacteria could be making them stronger, according to a paper published in the October issue of the journal Microbiology. Low levels of these chemicals, called biocides, can make the potentially lethal bacterium Staphylococcus aureus remove toxic chemicals from the cell even more efficiently, potentially making it resistant to being killed by some antibiotics.
Biocides are used in disinfectants and antiseptics to kill microbes. They are commonly used in cleaning hospitals and home environments, sterilizing medical equipment and decontaminating skin before surgery. At the correct strength, biocides kill bacteria and other microbes. However, if lower levels are used the bacteria can survive and become resistant to treatment.
"Bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus make proteins that pump many different toxic chemicals out of the cell to interfere with their antibacterial effects," said Dr Glenn Kaatz from the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Detroit, USA. "These efflux pumps can remove antibiotics from the cell and have been shown to make bacteria resistant to those drugs. We wanted to find out if exposure to biocides could also make bacteria resistant to being killed by the action of efflux pumps."
The researchers exposed S. aureus taken from the blood of patients to low concentrations of several biocides and dyes, which are also used frequently in hospitals. They looked at the effect of exposure on the bacteria and found that mutants that make more efflux pumps than normal were produced.
"We found that exposure to low concentrations of a variety of biocides and dyes resulted in the appearance of resistant mutants," said Dr Kaatz. "The number of efflux pumps in the bacteria increased. Because the efflux pumps can also rid the cell of some antibiotics, pathogenic bacteria with more pumps are a threat to patients as they could be more resistant to treatment."
If bacteria that live in protected environments are exposed to biocides repeatedly, for example during cleaning, they can build up resistance to disinfectants and antibiotics. Such bacteria have been shown to contribute to hospital-acquired infections.
"Scientists are trying to develop inhibitors of efflux pumps. Effective inhibitors would reduce the likelihood of additional resistance mechanisms emerging in bacteria," said Dr Kaatz. "Unfortunately, inhibitors evaluated to date do not work on a wide range of pathogens so they are not ideal to prevent resistance."
"Careful use of antibiotics and the use of biocides that are not known to be recognised by efflux pumps may reduce the frequency at which resistant strains are found," said Dr Kaatz. "Alternatively, the combination of a pump inhibitor with an antimicrobial agent or biocide will reduce the emergence of such strains and their clinical impact."
Society for General Microbiology
The researchers exposed S. aureus taken from the blood of patients to low concentrations of several biocides and dyes, which are also used frequently in hospitals. They looked at the effect of exposure on the bacteria and found that mutants that make more efflux pumps than normal were produced.
"We found that exposure to low concentrations of a variety of biocides and dyes resulted in the appearance of resistant mutants," said Dr Kaatz. "The number of efflux pumps in the bacteria increased. Because the efflux pumps can also rid the cell of some antibiotics, pathogenic bacteria with more pumps are a threat to patients as they could be more resistant to treatment."
If bacteria that live in protected environments are exposed to biocides repeatedly, for example during cleaning, they can build up resistance to disinfectants and antibiotics. Such bacteria have been shown to contribute to hospital-acquired infections.
"Scientists are trying to develop inhibitors of efflux pumps. Effective inhibitors would reduce the likelihood of additional resistance mechanisms emerging in bacteria," said Dr Kaatz. "Unfortunately, inhibitors evaluated to date do not work on a wide range of pathogens so they are not ideal to prevent resistance."
"Careful use of antibiotics and the use of biocides that are not known to be recognised by efflux pumps may reduce the frequency at which resistant strains are found," said Dr Kaatz. "Alternatively, the combination of a pump inhibitor with an antimicrobial agent or biocide will reduce the emergence of such strains and their clinical impact."
Society for General Microbiology
Antibiotics Current Events and Antibiotics News RSSA Second Skin
Despite advances in treatment regimens and the best efforts of nurses and doctors, about 70% of all people with severe burns die from related infections.
Study reveals why certain drug combinations backfire
Combination drug therapy has become a staple for treating many infections. For instance, doctors treat extensively drug resistant forms of tuberculosis with one drug that breaks down the pathogen's protective barriers and opens the door for another to deliver the deathblow.
New imagining technique could lead to better antibiotics and cancer drugs
A recently devised method of imaging the chemical communication and warfare between microorganisms could lead to new antibiotics, antifungal, antiviral and anti-cancer drugs, said a Texas AgriLife Research scientist.
UCLA researchers reconstitute enzyme that synthesizes cholesterol drug lovastatin
Researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have for the first time successfully reconstituted in the laboratory the enzyme responsible for producing the blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin.
Progress made on group B streptococcus vaccine
Scientists supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have completed a Phase II clinical study that indicates a vaccine to prevent Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection is possible.
Henry Ford Hospital study: A MRSA strain linked to high death rates
A strain of MRSA that causes bloodstream infections is five times more lethal than other strains and has shown to have some resistance to the potent antibiotic drug vancomycin used to treat MRSA, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.
Bacteria 'launch a shield' to resist attack
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark along with other collaborators in Denmark and the US found that the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa can 'switch on' production of molecules that kill white blood cells - preventing the bacteria being eliminated by the body's immune system.
Pumpkin skin may scare away germs
The skin of that pumpkin you carve into a Jack-o'-Lantern to scare away ghosts and goblins on Halloween contains a substance that could put a scare into microbes that cause millions of cases of yeast infections in adults and infants each year.
Deadly stomach infection rising in community settings, Mayo Clinic study finds
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that a sometimes deadly stomach bug, Clostridium difficile is on the rise in outpatient settings.
New clinical guidelines for exacerbations in cystic fibrosis
The American Thoracic Society has released new clinical guidelines for the treatment of exacerbations in cystic fibrosis based on a review of the literature on current clinical practices.
More Antibiotics Current Events and Antibiotics News Articles
 |
Antibiotics Simplified by Jason Gallagher (Author) Antibiotics Simplified is a succinct guide designed to bridge knowledge gained in basic sciences courses with clinical practice in infectious diseases. Introductory chapters explain the rationale behind the treatment of infectious diseases, describe a system for selecting antimicrobial agents and briefly review basic microbiology. Later chapters present relevant characteristics of drug classes, emphasizing clinical "pearls" for individual agents, and also include content on antifungals. The concise nature of the text allows for emphasis on key points, allowing readers to extract the most important characteristics of anti-infective drugs from the larger mass of material that they learn from detailed pharmacology textbooks. This is an ideal handbook for students as well as practicing... |
 |
Fish Mox (Amoxicillin 250 mg) - 100 Caps by THOMAS LABS Fish-Mox exerts a bactericidal action on gram positive and some gram negative bacteria. Useful for control of some common bacterial diseases of fish including aeromonas and pseudomonas genera and mysobacterial group (gill diseases, chondrococcus). Add contents of one capsule (250 mg) into aquarium for each 10 gallons of water to be treated. Repeat in 24 hours. It is suggested that a partial water change be made between treatments. While duration of treatment depends on type and severity of infection, it is recommended that extended medication baths continue for a minimum of 5 days & for not more than 10 days. Discontinue treatment if no improvement is noted within 5 days. To remove harmless yellow color, change 20% of water and use charcoal filter until clear. |
 |
Antibiotics Pocketcard 2009 by H. Hof (Author) Antibiotics pocketcard provides an initial choice of antimicrobial therapy for most common infections. These empirical therapies cover more than 90% of everyday scenarios. The reverse side of this durable plastic card shows a table of antimicrobial spectra for the most important antibiotics. **2009 edition, completely updated! **Initial choice of antimicrobials for: CNS, heart, blood, gastrointestinal tract, bones/joints, urogenital tract, eye, ENT, skin/soft tissue diseases, fever of unknown origin. **Antimicrobial agents against selected bacteria, e.g. streptococci, staphylococci. |
 |
First Aid Only Triple Antibiotic Ointment Pack, 0.5 Gram, 25-Count Boxes (Pack of 3) by First Aid Only Use this triple antibiotic ointment pack to treat all kinds of minor cuts, burns and abrasions. Helps prevent infection while it promotes healing. May be applied 2 to 3 times daily as the condition indicates. Active ingredients: neomycin and polymyxin B sulfates and bacitracin zinc ointment USP. |
 |
Antibiotic Essentials 2009 by Burke Cunha MD (Author) Antibiotic Essentials is a concise, practical, and authoritative guide to the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases commonly encountered in adults. It covers 542 clinical infectious disease syndromes, HIV infection, 134 detailed drug summaries, pediatric infectious diseases, and a chest x-ray atlas. Topics include: Empiric Therapy Based on Clinical Syndrome; Initial Therapy Based on Isolates; Pending Susceptibility Testing; HIV Infection; Fungi, Parasites, Unusual Organisms; Antibiotic Prophylaxis and Immunizations; Drug Summaries |
 |
Fish Flex Cephalexin - 250 mg 100 capsules by THOMAS LABS Fish-Flex is for use in aquariums for treatment of bacterial activity. Add contents of one capsule (250 mg) into aquarium for each 10 gallons of water to be treated. Repeat in 24 hours. It is suggested that a partial water change be made between treatments. While duration of treatment depends on type and severity of infection, it is recommended that extended medication baths continue for a minimum of 5 days & for not more than 10 days. Discontinue treatment if no improvement is noted within 5 days. |
 |
Antibiotic Basics for Clinicians: Choosing the Right Antibacterial Agent (Point (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)) by Alan R Hauser (Author) Designed for quick, easy comprehension, this handbook reference will assist medical students in understanding the rationale behind antibiotic selection for common bacterial pathogens and infectious disease presentations. By supplying the rationale for choosing antibiotics, the book reduces the amount of memorization necessary for proper antibiotic prescribing. The book is heavily illustrated with two-color figures and includes fact-anecdotes, interesting ancillary information, mnemonics, and questions to test understanding. Appendices include dosing in adults and children; antibacterial agents in pregnancy; generic and trade names of commonly used antibacterial agents; and treatment of infections caused by bacterial agents of bioterrorism. |
 |
Antibiotics: Actions, Origins, Resistance by Christopher Walsh (Author) Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Text analyzes how small molecules interfere selectively with the processes central to the survival of bacterial cells. Focuses on the relatively few molecules in antibiotics having an impact on human infectious disease. DNLM: Antibiotics--pharmacology. |
 |
Neosporin Plus Pain Relief First Aid Antibiotic/Pain Relieving Cream, Maximum Strength 0.5-Ounce Tubes (Pack of 4) by Neosporin This first-aid antibiotic and pain relief cream helps soothe painful cuts, scrapes and burns while preventing infection. Contains neomycin sulfate, polymyxin B sulfate, and pramoxine HCI. Maximum strength pain relief formula. Doctor-recommended brand. |
 |
Fish Mox Forte 500 mg x 100 ct by THOMAS LABS Fish-Mox Forte (Amoxicillin) exerts a bacterial action on gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |