Research on how bacteria evade antibiotics. Covers adaptive metabolism, water-source resistance, drug-efflux pumps, and microplastic pollutant shuttles.
Bacteria can become highly resistant to antibiotics when exposed to their environment in the body, not just in lab tests. The study suggests incorporating animal models and biochemical environments into antibiotic development to improve accuracy.
Researchers discovered a significant increase in antibiotic resistance genes among Swedish exchange students returning from India and central Africa. The study highlights the role of human gut microbiomes in dispersing resistant bacteria, emphasizing the need for societal-level interventions to reduce further spread.
Researchers analyzed toilet waste from international flights to identify disease-causing microorganisms and resistance genes. The study found geographical differences in resistance genes and microorganism prevalence, highlighting the potential for airports as global surveillance sites.
Researchers are uncovering how bacteria acquire antibiotic resistance genes through conjugation, a process that involves exchanging genetic material with other microbes. Understanding this mechanism could lead to the development of more effective treatments, such as phage therapy, which uses viruses to target bacterial infections.
Researchers at Rice University have identified a genetic mechanism that enables bacteria to become more resistant to antibiotics while also spreading their resistance rapidly. The discovery highlights the need for new strategies to predict and prevent the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, potentially halting or slowing down t...
Researchers at Duke University have discovered the role of HipA in recurring urinary tract infections, finding that mutant versions of the protein can cause multidrug tolerance by putting bacterial cells into dormancy. The study provides a new method for combating drug-tolerant infections.
Researchers found that multidrug-resistant bacteria were widespread among African wildlife, including species with high exposure to antibiotics through diet. These findings suggest that wildlife may serve as sentinels for antimicrobial resistance in ecosystems, providing clues to the spread of resistant microbes.
A $4.8 million NIH study will provide essential information to clinicians on the proper intravenous dosing of polymyxin B in critically ill patients. The study aims to minimize unnecessary toxic side effects and preserve the drug's efficacy against superbug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
A study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that 47% of grocery store-bought meat products contained Klebsiella bacteria, with many strains resistant to antibiotics. This increase poses a significant risk to human health, particularly for urinary and blood infections.
A new study found that UK investment in pneumonia research was less than £43.08 per death, despite rising substantially since 2010. Total funding for pneumonia between 2011-2013 exceeded total investment across the previous 14 years for tuberculosis and influenza.
A Stanford study found that high out-of-pocket costs for antimicrobial drugs in developing countries lead to increased drug-resistant pathogens. Patients often turn to the black market or informal clinics, where poor-quality drugs and inadequate care contribute to resistance.
A new study suggests that restricting specific antibiotics could lead to an increased frequency of multi-drug resistance. The study found that using restricted antibiotics can facilitate the spread of resistant pathogens, despite potential short-term benefits in treatment effectiveness.
A study found that household contacts of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) patients were 44% less likely to contract tuberculosis than those of drug-susceptible cases. The researchers suggest this may be due to a lower relative fitness of MDRTB strains.
The Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery aims to screen over 50,000 chemical compounds in the next 18 months to combat superbug-resistant bacteria, with the goal of preventing millions of deaths by 2050.
Researchers detected MRSA bacteria in UK supermarket sausages and minced pork through a survey of frozen meat products. The bacteria were identified as LA-MRSA CC398, associated with pigs and poultry, and pose a potential route of transmission from farms to the wider population.
Scientists from HIPS and HZI discover cyclohexylgriselimycin, a variant of griselimycin, effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis with low risk of resistance development. The new agent targets DNA clamp, preventing bacterial proliferation and offering potential therapeutic approach to drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Scientists have discovered new antifungal compounds that selectively kill pathogens without evoking drug resistance. These novel compounds were designed to act as molecular sponges for ergosterol, found exclusively on fungi surfaces, and exhibit undetectable binding to human cells.
Researchers have developed new anti-microbial compounds that specifically target fungal infections without harming human cells. These derivatives of the antifungal drug amphotericin B are highly effective in killing invasive yeast infections while showing minimal toxicity to humans.
Research published in BMJ Open found that many UK patients with gonorrhoea are being prescribed outdated antibiotics. The study analyzed electronic health records and found that between 2000 and 2011, nearly 17,000 people were diagnosed with gonorrhoea, accounting for 6-9% of all cases in England.
A recent study reveals the emergence of a highly resistant strain of typhoid in Africa, with data showing its rapid spread across the continent. The H58-strain has been found to acquire resistance to commonly available antibiotics, making it easier for the bacteria to retain these genes.
Researchers found phages in 49 out of 50 chicken samples that can transduce antimicrobial resistance genes to E. coli bacteria, highlighting the need for phage therapy and improved disinfection methods.
A Virginia Tech team, led by Amy Pruden and Monica Ponder, is examining the impact of antibiotic use in agriculture on human health. They aim to identify ways to control the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes in the food chain.
Researchers found that nearly half of chicken meat samples contained viruses capable of transferring antibiotic resistance genes. Phages were able to transfer resistance to multiple antibiotics, including extended spectrum betalactam antibiotics.
A new test developed by a UCL-led team can identify drug-resistant tuberculosis strains in days, reducing the time needed for genetic sequencing from weeks to days. This could lead to better treatment outcomes and control of transmission.
A landmark genomic study reveals a single clade of typhoid bacteria, H58, is driving global spread, displacing other strains and creating a previously underappreciated epidemic. The study highlights the urgent need for global surveillance and coordinated efforts to prevent and control antimicrobial-resistant typhoid.
A fecal microbiota transplant successfully cured a patient's C. difficile infection, eliminating populations of multi-drug resistant organisms from the gut and other body sites. The treatment method replenishes normal gut flora, stopping the release of antibiotic-resistant microbes and potentially saving lives.
A team of researchers from UC Merced and American University has discovered a way to restore the efficacy of antibiotics and help doctors deal with resistant bacteria in a clinical setting. The study found that combining lab work with mathematics and computer technology can reverse bacterial resistance and provide optimal treatment opt...
Researchers found antibiotic resistance genes in Yanomami tribespeople who had never been exposed to antibiotics, suggesting that bacteria have resisted antibiotics since long before their use. The study reveals a link between decreased bacterial diversity and increased diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
Researchers at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine discovered a genetic mutation in the ap2mu gene that makes Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites less susceptible to artemisinin and quinine. This finding suggests a different route to drug resistance may be developing independently in Africa.
Case Western Reserve University is leading an international team studying resistance to bacteria causing TB. The goal is to develop a new approach to treating and curing the disease by understanding how resistant individuals fight off infections.
The University of Texas at Austin researcher is working on developing small-molecule inhibitors that counter antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. The goal is to create a suite of drugs for treating bacterial infections resistant to most antibiotics.
The article highlights the importance of antimicrobial resistance, citing its impact on human and animal health. Global collaboration and innovative approaches are necessary to tackle this complex issue.
A study published this week found that over 6.3 million people may be exposed to antibiotic-resistant bacteria while engaging in water sports, with surfers and swimmers at highest risk. The research highlights the importance of maintaining good water quality standards to minimize exposure to these harmful microbes.
Researchers warn that increased antibiotic use in livestock could lead to decreased effectiveness in humans. A study found that global demand for animal protein is rising dramatically, driving antimicrobial consumption.
Two antibiotic resistance genes, KPC and NDM-1, can be shared among bacteria responsible for hospital-associated infections. The study found that genetic similarity between US and South Asian strains suggests easy transmission of these superbugs.
The FDA approves new antibiotics with minimal evidence of efficacy against antimicrobial resistance. Despite this, industry and medical societies claim the drugs address the issue, sparking concerns over safety and efficacy standards.
Researchers used genetic analysis to trace the source of infection in a British patient with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). The study found that the patient caught the infection from a healthcare worker who had worked in South Africa, highlighting the need for effective infection prevention measures.
Antibiotics are widely used in lab experiments for microbiology, molecular biology, and genetic research. However, this practice contributes to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, posing a catastrophic threat to modern medicine. Researchers must use antibiotics more responsibly and sparingly.
Researchers have linked antibiotic resistance with poor governance and corruption around the world, citing alarming rates of 23,000 deaths annually in the US due to antibiotic-resistant infections. The study suggests that addressing corruption and control of antibiotics could help lower resistance levels and save lives.
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism of antibiotic resistance in bacterial cells, which could help develop solutions to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. The study found that a mutation in the efflux pump makes it more efficient at pumping antibiotics out of bacterial cells.
Scientists have found a tool that could help fight bacterial infections, including strep throat and flesh-eating disease. A drug approved to treat HIV has been shown to inhibit the production of a deadly toxin in lab tests, offering new hope for developing therapies against these deadly pathogens.
A study on the Thames river found that greater numbers of resistant bacteria exist close to waste water treatment works, which are likely responsible for increasing antibiotic resistance. The researchers suggest that improvements in treatment processes could hold the key to reducing the prevalence of resistant bacteria in the environment.
High school students Anya Dunaif and Nell Kirchberger collected bacteria from NYC subway stations that resisted two common antibiotics. The samples are part of a city-scale environmental DNA sampling effort to profile the microbiome and assess biological threats.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have found a new type of antibiotic resistance that doesn't rely on genetic mutations. Bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics without DNA changes by altering their cell wall, making them harder to treat with standard tests.
A study of critically ill patients found that chlorhexidine bathing did not decrease the incidence of health care-associated infections. The study involved over 9,300 patients and found no significant difference between groups in infection rates, suggesting that such bathing may not be necessary.
A broadly neutralizing cross-reactive antibody targets multiple virulence factors of Staphylococcus aureus, including alpha-hemolysin. The antibody shows high protective efficacy in animal models and is being developed as Arsanis' ASN100 product candidate.
Researchers at Northeastern University have discovered a novel antibiotic called teixobactin that eliminates pathogens without developing detectable resistance. This breakthrough presents a promising new opportunity to treat chronic infections caused by staphylococcus aureus and tuberculosis, two highly resistant bacterial strains.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have developed a new treatment strategy that allows lower doses of the toxic tuberculosis drug bedaquiline to retain potency while reducing side effects. This approach, which combines bedaquiline with verapamil, has shown promising results in mouse studies and is poised for clinical trials.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals that mutations can converge on similar physical changes in bacteria, leading to resistance to multiple antibiotics. The researchers found a common set of features responsible for the development of resistance, which could help combat this growing problem.
Researchers explore how bacteria survive destruction from antimicrobial peptides and uncover a strategy that can be disabled. A two-component system helps bacteria remove antimicrobial peptides, blocking their bactericidal effect.
A treatment pioneered at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research is far more effective than traditional antibiotics in inhibiting the growth of drug-resistant bacteria. The new drug, called engineered cationic antimicrobial peptides (eCAPs), inhibited growth in about 90% of test bacterial strains.
New nanopore DNA sequencing technology has been shown to revolutionize genomic sequencing of drug-resistant bacteria, enabling rapid diagnosis and identification. The technology, called MinION, is small, affordable and accessible, and can produce accurate results in just 18 hours.
Researchers have created a new method to quickly identify bacteria causing infections and determine antibiotic resistance, which could lead to timely treatment and reduced antibiotic use. The innovative approach enables rapid identification of bacterial species and resistance patterns in under four hours.
A new study has identified a human gene that provides natural resistance to typhoid fever. The HLA-DRB1 gene codes for a receptor important in the immune response against invading bacteria. This finding holds promise for developing improved vaccines and treatments for typhoid fever.
A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows a significant decline in invasive pneumococcal disease cases caused by bacteria resistant to one or more antibiotics. The introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in South Africa has led to substantial reductions in antibiotic-resistant invasive pneumococ...
Researchers found that 85% of antibiotic prescriptions were made empirically without culture data, leading to 65% being inappropriate treatments. Wider use of antibiograms improved prescribing by 40%, but addressing the issue requires combined efforts with better monitoring and limiting certain drug usage.
Researchers have identified a new treatment using specially engineered liposomes to neutralize bacterial toxins, preventing cell death and disease progression. This treatment offers an alternative to current medications for infections resistant to antibiotics.
This Special Issue examines the evolution of knowledge on infectious diseases, military psychiatry, and surgical pain since World War I. Research highlights the need for new antimicrobial drugs and improved treatments for post-amputation pain, while also discussing the impact of war on healthcare and public health policy.
A new EU-funded consortium aims to develop new economic models for antibiotic R&D and define responsible use of dwindling antibiotics. The DRIVE-AB project involves 11 European countries and partners across industries to address the global threat of antibiotic resistance.
Researchers at Arizona State University found traces of 5 antibiotics in shrimp, salmon, and other seafood samples from 11 countries. The study highlights the need for regulation on antibiotic use in aquaculture to prevent resistance development.