Hospital cleaning chemical fears Oct 6, 2008
The NHS has recently met a target for the reduction of MRSA cases, but the rise of antibiotic resistance remains a problem. Doctors have been told to use antibiotics sparingly, as overuse can allow harmful bacteria to develop resistance, but the new research suggests that some cleaning chemicals may also cause a problem. (BBC News -- Health)
Hospitals to pay for own surgical mistakes Oct 6, 2008
Also, hospitals have raised awareness about the dangers of MRSA (Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus) infections in a campaign sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, said Adda Alexander, executive vice president of the Arizona hospital association ... Yet other patients may arrive at a hospital and already be infected with MRSA.. (AZCentral -- Business)
Hospital bacteria such as MRSA becoming resistant to disinfectants Oct 6, 2008
The discovery is bad news for hospitals trying to tackle the spread of superbugs such as MRSA, a superbug version of the common bacterium staphylococcus aureus, by ensuring wards and equipment are kept clean ... Researchers also exposed MRSA taken from the blood of patients to low concentrations of several biocides and bacteria-killing dyes ... There is no clear figure for how many people hospital infections such MRSA kills, but it is estimated to be as many as 5,000 a year. (Telegraph.co.uk)
FDA approves Cepheid staph test Oct 6, 2008
announced Monday that it received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to market its Xpert MRSA/SA skin and soft tissue infection test. Sunnyvale-based Cepheid (NASDAQ:CPHD) said the test is designed to rapidly detect methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and staphylococcus aureus ... "In less than one hour, Cepheid's Xpert MRSA/SA SSTI test processes specimens from suspected skin and soft tissue infection swabs to determine if a patient is infected with MRSA or SA,... (San Jose Business Journal, CA)
Public potty problems Oct 5, 2008
Public bathrooms may contain several kinds of harmful bacteria, including E. coli, salmonella, coliform, rotavirus, cold virus and the potentially deadly form of staph known as MRSA, experts say. But people are more likely to pick up these nasty bugs through touching things in the bathroom with their hands, not their behinds. (CNN -- US)
Student has MRSA infection; school alerts kids, parents Oct 3, 2008
HARLAN -- School officials at Harlan Community are alerting students, parents and the community that a student at Harlan Community High Schools has a staph infection known as MRSA. MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), although common, can be a problem as it has, over decades, become resistant to some antibiotics that once destroyed it ... Officials said while antibiotics still work, MRSA is constantly adapting, and caution is urged to keep the infection from spreading through the... (Harlan Tribune, IA)
Prep Rally Blog Oct 3, 2008
Pep Rally: Covering High School Sports Across America. Thursday, October 2, 2008 Super 25 and TV games: Oct. 2-4. (USA Today -- Sports)
Principal: Student with MRSA to return to class soon Oct 3, 2008
Franklin Square high school, Franklin, MRSA -- Newsday ... A Franklin Square high school student diagnosed with a MRSA infection is doing "great" and could be back at school Friday or Monday, H. Frank Carey High School Principal Valerie Angelillo said late Thursday ... No other students in the high school have been diagnosed with MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, she said. (Newsday)
Classes resume after MRSA safely contained Oct 3, 2008
MRSA is a strain of staph that's resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat it and can be fatal. The Mayo Clinic describes the symptoms of MRSA as generally starting as small red bumps that resemble pimples, boils or spider bites ... Webutuck School District Nurse Cathy Christopfel can be reached at 845-373-4122 for more information on the MRSA infection. (Henrietta Post, NY)
Mass. Maritime linebacker had tough illness to tackle Oct 3, 2008
That's when Audette learned he had MRSA - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, an antibiotic-resistant staph infection that can be fatal ... In the last week, two high school football players have died from MRSA infections, one in Philadelphia and one in Florida. (Boston Globe -- Sports)
Labour conference Alan Johnson sets out plans for NHS Sep 25, 2008
There will also be a further drive to combat MRSA and other hospital superbugs. Johnson said: "We will spearhead a new public awareness campaign aimed at visitors as well as staff to bring the infection rate even lower." Patients would be encouraged to challenge doctors and nurses who do not wash their hands between every contact with patients, the health secretary said. (guardian.co.uk)
Brown in free prescriptions vow Sep 24, 2008
Page last updated at 14:06 GMT, Tuesday, 23 September 2008 15:06 UK. Prescriptions are already free in Wales. (BBC News -- Health)
New Diagnostic Tool For Arthritis Could Stop Irreversible Damage Sep 24, 2008
27, 2005) The discovery of a 'molecular switch' could lead to new ways of treating infections such as MRSA, and inflammatory diseases like. (Jan. (Science Daily)
MRSA case confirmed at Tucson school Sep 24, 2008
(AP) - A strain of the dangerous and drug resistant bacterial known as MRSA has been confirmed at Tucson's Desert View High School. Sunnyside Unified School District officials say a student is being treated for a skin infection that yesterday was confirmed was due to MRSA. ... After MRSA was confirmed yesterday, school officials say the entire school was disinfected. (KOLD.com, AZ)
Fury at MRSA ring rules for nurses Sep 24, 2008
Nurses fear they may be sacked after refusing to take off their fancy wedding rings in an MRSA clampdown ... Mrsa cases are down 57 per cent in four years, official figures show. (Mirror.co.uk)
The doctor's hands are germ-free. the scrubs too? Sep 23, 2008
Another study at a Connecticut hospital sought to gauge the role that clothing plays in the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The study found that if a worker entered a room where the patient had MRSA, the bacteria would end up on the worker's clothes about 70 percent of the time, even if the person never actually touched the patient. "We know it can live for long periods of time on fabrics," said Marcia Patrick, an infection control expert in Tacoma, Washington,... (International Herald Tribune -- Health)
Albany College of Pharmacy Sep 23, 2008
VA doctor to work on MRSA - Business First of Buffalo ... VA doctor to work on MRSA ... An infectious disease doctor at the VA is among a group of researchers that has received grant funding to study the MRSA bug. (Buffalo Business First, NY)
Trius Doses First Patient in Antibacterial Phase 2 Trial Sep 22, 2008
"The intent of Phase 2 will be to validate these observations in a patient population and to select a therapeutic dosing regimen from the three doses being tested." "The growing epidemic of MRSA in the hospital and community leaves few viable treatment options for patients requiring an oral drug," said Jeffrey Stein, Ph. D., Chief Executive Officer of Trius. (PR Newswire)
Light Therapy Cures Man's Lung Cancer Sep 22, 2008
Scientists have come up with bright new ways to combat cancer, tuberculosis and MRSA.. It was miraculous, said Moulden, 76, from Buntingford, Herfordshire in England. (Fox News)
A battle we can win: Reducing Healthcare Associated Infections by 50% Sep 22, 2008
"It is time - past time - Canada develops a National Commitment and National Strategy to reduce C.difficile and MRSA infections by 50%" said Dr. Raphael Saginur, Chair of the National Infectious Diseases Day (NIDD) coalition of Canada's infectious disease experts and practitioners. "A comprehensive National Strategy to control HAIs has been successful in many other countries." NIDD members called this week for the Government of Canada to provide $200 Million in federal funding to bolster the... (Canada Newswire)
Hospital winning the MRSA battle Sep 21, 2008
"The statistics reveal that superbug cases fell by 18 per cent across the region from April to June.But the worst performing Trust was County Durham and Darlington, with 14 cases of MRSA in that three-month spell.This was particularly embarrassing for the Trust, as it was selected by the Department of Health as one of seven "Showcase Trusts" given the task of disinfecting hospital wards.Nationally, cases of MRSA in hospitals across England have fallen by more than a third over the past year.And... (Shields Gazette)
NHS chief welcomes cleaner hospitals Sep 20, 2008
ADVERTISEMENT Published Date: 19 September 2008 By Kate Lahive Health reporter THE chief executive of the entire NHS chatted with patients in Rotherham - as new figures revealed hospitals in South Yorkshire have some of the lowest levels of MRSA superbug infections in the country ... NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson dropped in on Rotherham Hospital - which had just two cases of MRSA - to congratulate staff and meet patients including 79-year-old Grace Hartley ... The organisation has cut the... (The Star)
Resistant Microbe Often Seen with Genital Abscess Sep 20, 2008
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Abscesses of the vulva, the area around the opening of the vagina, often contain methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to a report in the journal Obstetrics ology. As the name implies, MRSA is a microbe that is resistant to the antibiotic methicillin ... To prevent the spread of this organism, hospitalized patients with MRSA are usually placed in isolation until the infection has cleared. (MEDLINEplus)
England meets MRSA target Sep 19, 2008
Target to halve MRSA cases is met ... How one hospital in Harrogate is beating MRSA ... A target to halve MRSA infections in England has been hit, figures show. (BBC News -- Health)
Parents: Tips on Caring for Cuts and Scrapes Sep 19, 2008
5) Most minor cuts and scrapes will heal just fine without antibiotic ointment, but applying a product such as SilvaSorb Gel can speed healing and has been shown to be effective against MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant organisms. 6) Although some people may say to let the wound "breathe," the most current medical advice is to cover it up with an adhesive bandage. (Pekin Times, IL)
MRSA superbug cases fall by half in four years Sep 19, 2008
The government yesterday claimed success in its war on hospital infections with news that cases of the superbug MRSA had halved between 2004 and 2008 ... The official figures came from the Health Protection Agency, which collects reports both of MRSA and Clostridium difficile infections ... In the past, both results have been announced together, but for the first time yesterday, the MRSA figures were declared a month ahead of C difficile - a bug which is harder to deal with. (guardian.co.uk)
Couple Claims Airline Risks Exposing Passengers To MRSA Sep 19, 2008
While the Javans' doctor wrote a letter to the airline calling his condition "highly contagious" and recommending he should not fly with others, some infectious disease specialists claim the MRSA diagnosis should not prevent Pirooz from boarding a plane. "The likelihood of acquiring MRSA from a neighbor is extremely small," said Dr. Henry Masur, a NIH infectious disease specialist ... "If you have an MRSA skin infection and you have good personal hygiene and keep the lesion covered, the... (W-USA News, DC)
American Biotech Labs New Wound Care Products Receive Indian Government Approval for Sale Sep 18, 2008
Separately, recently-completed rigorous efficacy testing of these products has shown strong results against a broad variety of resistant microbes, including the multi-drug-resistant staph infection MRSA (methycillin-resistant staph aureus), VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci) and numerous other pathogens. About American Biotech Labs American Biotech Labs (ABL; ), founded in 1998, utilizes patented processes and SilverSol Technology(TM) to create singularly powerful and effective... (PR Newswire)
Stop infectious diseases -- Wash your hands! Sep 18, 2008
"We're going to have someone talk on Lyme Disease, which we see occasionally, and we're having a speaker on MRSA, which is a Staphylococcus type of infection that's more resistant to antibiotics," she said ... "-- Dr. Mark E. Rupp, clinical professor of the departments of medicine and medical microbiology at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha and a hospital epidemiologist and medical director for the department of healthcare epidemiology at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, will... (Sioux City Journal, IO)
MIGENIX Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2009 Financial Results Sep 16, 2008
MX-2401 (IV lipopeptide; treatment of gram-positive bacterial infections): MX-2401, an injectable lipopeptide, is being developed for the treatment of serious gram positive bacterial infections, including highly publicized treatment resistant hospital bacteria such as MRSA. We expect MX- 2401 to be our next clinical candidate as it represents a highly competitive intravenous agent for treating serious infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria for which there are currently very few effective... (PR Newswire)
Fears voiced over new superbugs Sep 16, 2008
PVL-MRSA is not the only bug concerning doctors ... Unlike hospital-acquired MRSA, which mainly affects older people and those who are vulnerable, it strikes children and people under 40 who are otherwise fit and healthy ... But PVL-MRSA is not the only strain worrying doctors as earlier this year Scotland had its first case of community MRSA which was transmitted from animals to humans. (BBC News -- UK)
Hospitals assessing superbug threat Sep 16, 2008
With results expected to influence future public health decisions, area hospitals are taking part in a statewide effort this week to discern the prevalence of the headline-grabbing, drug-resistant bacterium known as MRSA. ... Once found only in hospitals, MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, emerged into communities through discharged patients during the 1990s, soon spreading in close-quarter environments like locker rooms ... Resistant to common antibiotics, MRSA is carried in... (Marlborough Enterprise, MA)
Is re-emerging superbug the next MRSA? Sep 16, 2008
Is re-emerging superbug the next MRSA ... Is re-emerging superbug the next MRSA ... Dr. Clifford McDonald told him the infection his mother probably had was of the NAP1 type of the bacteria Clostridium difficile, a virulent strain of a common intestinal bacteria currently plaguing hospitals that now rivals the superbug Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as one of the top emerging disease threats to humans. (EurekAlert!)
Amazing discovery 80 years later Sep 15, 2008
Eighty years after the Scottish researcher noticed the antibacterial properties of a fungal spore in one of his petri dishes, penicillin now is powerless to defeat strains of "superbugs" such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile - two potentially deadly infectious bacteria that in recent years have caused serious public health issues. Tuberculosis even has returned in isolated cases. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Mars Area athlete has MRSA (Today) Sep 14, 2008
Mars Area athlete has MRSA ... The Mars Area School District confirmed last week that a Mars Area High School football player has contracted MRSA -- methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus -- bacteria ... Mars Area parents who suspect that their child has contracted MRSA should notify the child's doctor and the school nurse immediately. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA -- Sports)
Program makes hygiene exciting for kids Sep 13, 2008
com will teach elementary school children how to wash their hands properly to prevent the spread of the antibody resistant germ staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA. ... "MRSA spreads very easily, especially throughout elementary schools, and the Clean Hands are Cool Hands Web site is a great way to teach them now how to properly wash their hands and hopefully it will become a habit in the future." ... MRSA, often referred to as "staph," is bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the... (The Daily Universe, UT)
Sue Nelson has all the banter from the BA Science Festival Sep 12, 2008
It displayed the white outline of a body, crime scene style, saying it showed the "MRSA genetic code of three million letters". It also asked if you could see from the code how it killed a 64-year-old woman. (BBC News -- Science)
Switched-on New Nanotechnology Paints For Hospitals Could Kill Superbugs Sep 12, 2008
(June 4, 2008) A new study looked into the ability of antimicrobial-surface wipes to remove, kill and prevent the spread of such infections as MRSA. They found that current protocols utilized by hospital staff have. (Sep. (Science Daily)
Light-activated Treatments Could Solve MRSA Problems After Surgery Sep 12, 2008
This makes it ideal and possibly the only option - for treating infections with multiple drug resistant bacteria, including MRSA." Infected wounds are a major problem for thousands of hospital patients every year, and up to 9% of hospital acquired infections occur during surgery, contributing to 77% of deaths from surgical operations. These infections increase the length of time patients must remain in hospital by an average of 10 days, increasing the cost to the NHS by up to two and a half... (Science Daily)
Health InfoCenter Sep 12, 2008
Here is a list of health-related web links and contact information mentioned on the Channel 3 News HealthWatch recently. For more on the health benefits of tai chi -- or. (WCAX.com, VT)
Antibiotic resistance rise fears Sep 11, 2008
The Health Protection Agency said while the focus on infections such as MRSA had been largely successful, new trends in other bugs were now posing a threat ... There are two main families of bacteria known as Gram-positive, such as MRSA, and Gram-negative, which includes E. coli and other less common bugs Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas ... The HPA said there had been a drive to tackle MRSA in recent years which had helped reduce infection rates and led to a host of new antibiotics to be... (BBC News -- Health)
Health Buzz: Expected Primary Care Shortage and Other Health News Sep 11, 2008
CDC Launches Anti-MRSA Campaign. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a this week to help caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, which is resistant to some antibiotics and can cause severe infections ... The new National MRSA Education Initiative informs parents of steps they can take to protect their families from MRSA. The effort will include websites, fact sheets, brochures, posters, public service announcements, mom blogging sites, Web... (U.S. News & World Report)
Bacteria's Sticky Glue Is Clue To Vaccine, Says Scientist Sep 11, 2008
10, 2008) Sticky glue secreted by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus could be the clue scientists have been searching for to make an effective vaccine against MRSA, medical researchers heard at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn meeting being held this week at Trinity College, Dublin ... 23, 2008) A new comparative study suggests that rates of MRSA infection in injection drug users in Vancouver have significantly increased over the last six years highlighting the need for... (Science Daily)
Doctors running out of antibiotics to fight some infections, say ... Sep 11, 2008
Although the pharmaceutical industry has developed new antibiotics to treat the so-called hospital superbug MRSA (methycillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), the pipeline for drugs to treat some other infections was practically dry, said Dr David Livermore, laboratory director of the Health Protection Agency's centre for infections ... "The cost of developing a new drug is usually said to be somewhere between $500m (285m) and $1bn, depending on whether the many drugs that fail are costed in... (guardian.co.uk)
Health concerns lurk after Gustav Sep 11, 2008
And remember, those cuts and scrapes make you susceptible to bacterial infections such as tetanus and MRSA, the kind that is resistant to common anti-biotics. "So any wound that turns red or produces puss should be seen by a physician," adds Dr. Diaz. (WWLTV.com, LA)
Bacteria glue helps fight superbugs Sep 11, 2008
LONDON: A sticky glue secreted by drug-resistant bacteria could help scientists develop an effective vaccine against superbugs", US researchers told a conference on Wednesday. The sticky substance is a complex sugar called PNAG which the researchers said was a promising vaccine target because animal studies have shown it produces a protective immune response when manipulated chemically. The bacteria produces the substance when growing a biofilm that protects them from antibiotics, Gerald Pier... (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Grant Hill to Battle Staph Infections in Children Sep 10, 2008
Children are now back in the full swing of the fall school schedule but Phoenix Sun Grant Hill is trying to warn kids and families about methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a potentially life-threatening antibiotic resistant Staph infection that is becoming increasingly common in places like locker rooms, gyms and schools and it affects more than 90,000 Americans every year, according to the STOP MRSA Now organization. "When I was diagnosed with an MRSA infection, it was hard to... (Blackvoices)
Rattlesnake-type Poisons Used By Superbug Bacteria To Beat Our Defenses Sep 10, 2008
28, 2008) Researchers have uncovered how the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, including the notorious MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staph aureus) "superbug" strains, resists our body's natural defenses against. (Apr. (Science Daily)
How Bacteria Recycle Their Cell Wall: New Insights Sep 10, 2008
(July 29, 2008) Researchers provide important insights into promising new antibiotics aimed at combating MRSA. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major global health threat that kills. (Nov. (Science Daily)
Drug watchdog NICE 'spends more on 'spin' than tests on new ... Sep 10, 2008
They should have kept the old way of running the NHS when Matrons ran the wards without MRSA and the like and the doctors ran the medical and surgery without interference and we had a good system where you could get health care without the doctors worrying about "How Much" and people actually were treated and not left with symptoms unknown, in pain, or without any help for their problem including mental health and things ran smoothly and we had less killings by mental patients. Oh the good ol'... (Daily Mail)
Doctor Dress Codes Could Cut Infection Rates Sep 10, 2008
No Evidence That Clothing Spreads MRSA, Doctor Says ... Jones said that it's not clear if the latest policies will make a difference in rates of infections such as MRSA.. (Click2Houston, TX)
CDC's Latest Information on MRSA Sep 9, 2008
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention medical epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Gorwitz shares the latest information about MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. . (WOKR13 Rochester)
Study Warns about Threatening Levels of Fire Retardants in Kids Blood Sep 9, 2008
Study Warns about Threatening Levels of Fire Retardants in Kids Blood. Study Warns about Threatening Levels of Fire Retardants in Kids Blood. (eFluxMedia)
Teacher found to have MRSA Sep 9, 2008
Although the infection known as MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is ''very common,'' Leanne Beavers, the Barberton Health Department's nursing director, said she wanted to give parents information about MRSA before rumors took over ... The school nurse also sent MRSA information home with students ... Although the infection known as MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is ''very common,'' Leanne Beavers, the Barberton Health Department's nursing director, said... (Akron Beacon Journal)
Will The 'Bare Below The Elbows' Rule For Doctors Cut Infection Rates Or Just Patient Confidence? Sep 9, 2008
Charting the history and attire of surgeons from the early nineteenth century, he points out that it is hard to find significant evidence that the bare below the elbows rule outside the operating theatre will reduce hospital-acquired infections like MRSA and C.difficile ... The introduction of the bare below the elbows policy by the UK Government is a response to rising rates of hospital-acquired infections like MRSA and C.difficile says Mr Jones ... 26, 2006) An antibiotic-resistant bacteria... (Science Daily)
Marijuana Ingredients Show Promise In Battling Superbugs Sep 9, 2008
To close that gap, researchers tested five major marijuana ingredients termed cannabinoids on different strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a "superbug" increasingly resistant to antibiotics. All five substances showed potent germ-killing activity against these drug-resistant strains, as did some synthetic non-natural cannabinoids, they say. (Science Daily)
CDC Wants Parents, Schools To Prevent MRSA Sep 9, 2008
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday launched a national campaign to teach parents how to keep their children safe from skin infections caused by the potentially dangerous bacteria methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA.. MRSA, a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics, has been in the news because it can cause severe infections in health care settings, such as hospitals ... The National MRSA Education Initiative is aimed at... (KCRA 3, CA)
Scientists Confirm That Brain is Sexier Than Hormones Sep 9, 2008
MRSA is a microbe that causes nasty skin infections and it is resistant to some antibiotics as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a list of actions parents can take in order to. (eFluxMedia)
Marijuana ingredient may fight bacteria Sep 8, 2008
But the compounds may prove useful sooner as a topical agent against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, to prevent the microbes from colonizing on the skin. Today in Health & Science. (International Herald Tribune -- Technology)
When bugs outwit drugs Sep 8, 2008
Over the years, the infamous "superbug" Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the multiple-drug resistant enterococci, and many others, including the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii (causes hospital-acquired pneumonia), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (causes hospital-acquired pneumonia, urinary tract infection and blood infection), Streptococcus pneumoniae (causes community-acquired pneumonia) and Clostridium difficile (causes antibiotic-associated colitis) have been found to show... (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Vein tubes 'fitted needlessly' Sep 7, 2008
Page last updated at 00:07 GMT, Sunday, 7 September 2008 01:07 UK. Vein tubes 'fitted needlessly. (BBC News)
Funding cut for fight against 'superbug' Sep 7, 2008
Experts from around the world gathered in Cairns this week to work together on resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), more commonly known as the superbug. However Australian MRSA's experts are complaining about the federal government's decision two weeks ago to cut funding for the 32 laboratories fighting the potentially fatal bacteria-caused disease. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Promising Method For Reducing MRSA Infections In Hospitals Sep 6, 2008
5, 2008) Doctors at the University of Virginia Health System have significantly reduced MRSA infections among surgical intensive care patients by using antibiotic cycling, a method of rotating drugs at regular intervals ... UVA researchers report that switching between two antibiotics, linezolid and vancomycin, every three months in the surgical ICU decreased the MRSA infection rate from 1 ... In-hospital mortality from surgical ICU-acquired MRSA infections fell from 3. (Science Daily)
Energy-saving Bacteria Resist Antibiotics Sep 4, 2008
A family of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones target this enzyme, killing the bacteria that cause infections such as cholera, anthrax, gonorrhoea, meningitis, E. coli and MRSA. The researchers found that when MurI binds to DNA gyrase, it takes gyrase away from substrate DNA. Because of this, antibiotics cannot bind and stop it from working, so the bacteria become resistant to treatment. "Our findings suggest that MurI has a role in safeguarding DNA gyrase from attack by antibiotics," said... (Science Daily)
High Schools Preventing Staph Sep 4, 2008
You may remember, a number of cases of MRSA, strains of staph infection resistant to common antibiotics, caused a lot of concern in Tulsa last school year. This year, the Tulsa Public School District says its doing more to prevent outbreaks. (FOX23.com, OK)