Bacteria Research: Monitoring chicken flock behaviour could help combat leading cause of food poisoning ♦ Antibiotics pave way for C. diff infections by killing bile acid-altering bacteria

Efficacy of major chlamydia drug confirmed In one of the most tightly controlled trials ever conducted of drugs used to treat sexually transmitted infections, researchers have confirmed that azithromycin remains effective in the treatment of urogenital chlamydia.

Ecologist finds another cause of antibiotic resistance One researcher is concerned that there's more to the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria than the misuse of common medications. A senior research ecologist, this scientist believes environmental contaminants may be partly to blame for the rise in bacterial resistance, and he tested this hypothesis in streams on the US Department of Energy's Savannah River Site

Antibiotics pave way for C. diff infections by killing bile acid-altering bacteria Bile acids, which are altered by bacteria normally living in the large intestine, inhibit the growth of Clostridium difficile, new research indicates. The work sheds light on the ways in which some commonly used antibiotics can promote C. diff infections by killing off the bile acid-altering microbes.

Monitoring chicken flock behaviour could help combat leading cause of food poisoning A new technique that monitors the movement of chickens can be used to predict which flocks are at risk of becoming infected with Campylobacter -- the most common bacterial source of food poisoning in humans in the UK.

Health News: E. COLI can transfer antibiotic resistance to other bacteria ♦ An easy pill to swallow ♦ Erectile dysfunction drug may benefit patients at risk for diabetes

E. COLI can transfer antibiotic resistance to other bacteria Scientists have discovered a gene in E. coli that makes it resistant to a class of “last-resort” antibiotics known as polymyxins. The gene can also transfer resistance to other epidemic pathogens such as K. pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. According to research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, the mcr-1 gene is widespread in Enterobacteriaceae samples from pigs

New study on patterns of electronic cigarette use among adults in the US Adding to a growing body of research on patterns of e-cigarette use, researchers have found evidence that among US adults, some recent cigarette quitters may have done so with the assistance of electronic cigarettes

Erectile dysfunction drug may benefit patients at risk for diabetes The drug sildenafil, sold as Viagra and other brand names, improves insulin sensitivity in people at risk for diabetes, researchers report.

An easy pill to swallow An insulin pill being developed by researchers may in the near future give another blood sugar management option to those who suffer from diabetes. The novel drug delivery technology may also apply to a wide spectrum of other therapies.

Health News: Alarming New ‘Superbug’ Gene found in animals and people ♦ DOJ: Consumers must remain on guard about supplement risks ♦ Electronic cigarettes need restrictions

Alarming New ‘Superbug’ Gene found in animals and people in China A new gene that makes bacteria highly resistant to a last-resort class of antibiotics has been found in people and pigs in China - including in samples of bacteria with epidemic potential, researchers said on Wednesday.The discovery was described as "alarming" by scientists, who called for urgent restrictions on the use of polymyxins - a class of antibiotics

DOJ: Consumers must remain on guard about supplement risks Putting out too much information is rarely a problem for the government, but most reports about Tuesday’s announcement by federal agencies of their new and ongoing “sweep” against unlawful dietary supplements overlooked some important consumer information. In addition to the criminal and civil actions made public Nov. 17, 2015, by the U.S. Department of Justice

New microscopy technology may help surgeons save more lives Biomedical engineers and neurosurgeons have developed an augmented microscopy technology to help surgeons operate with greater precision and reduced risk of harming patients.

Teens and parents agree: Electronic cigarettes need restrictions More than three fourths of both teens and adults say e-cigarettes should be restricted in public spaces, come with health warnings and be taxed like conventional cigarettes.

Health News: Uneviscerated Russian dried fish carries Botulism risk ♦ Botulism suspected: Two adults hospitalized ♦ High flavoring content in some e-cigarettes may be cause for concern

Uneviscerated Russian dried fish carries Botulism risk The New York Department of Agriculture today warned consumers not to eat “Dry Bream-lesh (fish)” sold by Tatuka Inc. of Brooklyn, NY, and distributed by Royal Sweet Bakery, also of Brooklyn, because the fish were uneviscerated.

Botulism suspected: Two adults hospitalized The New Mexico Department of Health is cooperating with the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on an investigation of two patients who are hospitalized in Texas with suspected botulism. The source is likely contaminated food,

High flavoring content in some e-cigarettes may be cause for concern The levels of chemicals used to flavor some brands of e-cigarette fluid exceed recommended exposure limits and could be respiratory irritants, in some cases. The electronic cigarette market has developed rapidly in recent years, with global sales in 2014 estimated to be in the region of US$7 billion.

Mouth, as well as gut, could hold key to liver disease flare-ups  In a recent study, researchers predicted which cirrhosis patients would suffer inflammations and require hospitalization by analyzing their saliva, revealing a new target for research into the disease
Bacterial flora of remote tribes people carries antibiotic resistance genes Scientists have found antibiotic resistance genes in the bacterial flora of a South American tribe that never before had been exposed to antibiotic drugs. The findings suggest that bacteria in the human body have had the ability to resist antibiotics since long before such drugs were ever used to treat disease

Health News:FDA withdraw approval for arsenic based drugs ♦ T-cell slow down run-away immune system ♦ Exercise outweighs harmful effects of air pollution

FDA to withdraw approval for arsenic based drugs used in poultry The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday that it has received a letter of commitment from Zoetis Animal Health that, by this coming fall, the company will suspend the sale of Histostat (nitarsone) and formally request that FDA withdrew approval for the drug by the end of the year. Nitarsone is the only arsenic-based animal.

Newly enlisted T-cell 'policemen' can slow down run-away immune system Researchers have discovered that potentially aggressive T-cells that might lead to autoimmune disease can instead be enlisted to help "police" over-active immune responses, via the molecule CD5. This new breakthrough may open the door to design better treatments for autoimmune diseases

Exercise can outweigh harmful effects of air pollution The beneficial effects of exercise are more important for our health than the negative effects of air pollution, in relation to the risk of premature mortality.

Antibiotic resistance risk for coastal water users in UK Recreational users of coastal waters around the United Kingdom, such as swimmers and surfers, are at risk of exposure to antibiotic resistant bacteria, according to new research published this week.

Major hand hygiene problems in operating rooms observed 2,393 opportunities for hand disinfection and/or aseptic techniques were identified by researchers in a recent study. Doctors and nurses missed 90% of the opportunities, they report.

Health News: Why did Gov’t OK notorious Monsanto pesticide ♦ Critics call White House antibiotic resistance inadequate ♦ Nearly 100 people sickened after banquet

Why did Gov’t give big thumbs up to notorious Monsanto pesticide  The World Health Organization, the U.N.'s public health agency, said on Friday that glyphosate, an herbicide widely used on genetically modified crops such as corn and soybeans, The report presents the findings of 17 biochemists, 

Arrowhead, Kauffman stadiums’ food service fires manager who complained about dirty conditions  A food safety manager at Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums in Kansas City says he was fired after complaining about dirty conditions.

Critics call White House Antibiotic resistance action plan a missed opportunity The White House released its National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria on Friday, but some critics say it doesn’t do enough to tackle antibiotic use on farms. Antibiotic resistance causes tens of thousands of deaths and millions of illnesses every year

Nearly 100 people sickened after attending Philadelphia banquet  Dozens of lawyers and law students fell ill after attending a Feb. 27 banquet in Philadelphia, and the incident is now a suspected foodborne illness outbreak, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The restaurant, Joy Tsin Lau, a dim-sum hotspot, reportedly has..

Stem cells may improve tendon healing, reduce retear risk in rotator cuff surgery An injection of a patient's bone marrow stem cells during rotator cuff surgery significantly improved healing and tendon durability, according to a new study

Health Research: Antibiotic resistance linked to corruption ♦ Towels top kitchen hazards ♦ Missing culprit' in heart failure + more

Antibiotic resistance linked to corruption, experts suggest  Researchers have linked antibiotic resistance with poor governance and corruption around the world. "We found poor governance and higher levels of corruption are associated with higher levels of antibiotic resistance," "It is a finding that will be surprising to people in  Medicine."  Continue Reading

Towels top kitchen contamination hazards list  Food safety research used video observations to show people touching kitchen towels before washing their hands or using towels after washing their hands inadequately. Even after properly washing their hands, they would reuse the infected towels and contaminate themselves all over again. Continue Reading

Missing culprit' in heart failure identified by researchers  Working with lab animals and human heart cells, scientists have identified a cell-signaling breakdown that triggers heart failure. An enzyme called PDE-9 interferes with the body's natural "braking" system needed to neutralize stress on the heart, Continue Reading

Backup system that helps sustain liver during crisis discovered  An antioxidant system that helps sustain the liver when other systems are missing or compromised has been discovered by scientists.Continue Reading

Apple of the mind's eye: how good is our memory of everyday visual stimuli?  In our world of branding and repetitive advertising, it is feasible that we dutifully soak up visuals and messages and store them accurately in our mind’s eye. New research tests this theory by examining our memory of the ubiquitous Apple logo and our perceived ability for recall. Researchers ask ‘are we really paying attention?’ Their experiment reveals some surprising insights  Continue Reading

2/21/15 Health News: Safety and efficacy of statins exaggerated-- Rivers source antibiotic resistance--Higher risk of second stroke identified-- higher risk of second stroke identified

Safety, life-saving efficacy of statins have been exaggerated, says scientist  Statins, the cholesterol-lowering drugs prescribed to prevent heart attacks, are not as effective nor as safe as we have been led to believe, researchers say. Statins produce a dramatic reduction in cholesterol levels, but have failed to substantially improve cardiovascular outcomes, they add, stating that 'statistical deception' has been used to inflate claims Continue Reading

Thames study: Rivers can be a major source antibiotic resistance  Rivers and streams could be a major source of antibiotic resistance in the environment. A new study found that greater numbers of resistant bacteria exist close to some waste water treatment works, and that these plants are likely to be responsible for at least half of the increase observed. Continue Reading

Patients at higher risk of second stroke identified  Risk of recurrent stroke is higher in patients who have low blood flow to the back of the brain, a six-year, multi-center trial has found, and the condition can be visualized using specialized software that analyzes blood flow using standard MRI. Continue Reading

Immune cells commit suicide to prevent allergy  Scientists have demonstrated that the production of type E immunoglobulins (IgE) by B lymphocytes induces a loss in their mobility and the initiation of cell death mechanisms. These antibodies, present in small quantities, are the most powerful "weapons" in the immune system and can trigger extremely violent immune reactions or immediate allergies (asthma, urticaria, allergic shock) as soon as their levels rise, even slightly. Continue Reading

Anti-inflammatory mechanism of dieting and fasting revealed  Researchers have found that a compound produced by the body when dieting or fasting can block a part of the immune system involved in several inflammatory disorders such as type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease Continue Reading

12/11/14 Health News:IS BPA SAFE? ♦ STAGGERING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PREDICTIONS ♦ BOY DIES FROM RAW MILK ♦ SHOULD FDA BAN BULK CAFFEINE SALES

FDA SAYS BPA-LINED CONTAINERS ARE SAFE, BUT NEW STUDY RAISES CONCERNS

It might be easy to dismiss the latest study about spiking one’s blood pressure by drinking soy milk from cans lined with bisphenol A (more commonly known as BPA). After all, serious hypertension is more likely to occur from the sodium contained in whatever food or beverage is in the can. But the new Korean... Continue Reading

UK REVIEW MAKES STAGGERING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PREDICTIONS

Projections of the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) paint a grim picture for what could happen to the world’s economy if the problem is left unchecked. Research commissioned by the U.K.’s Review on Antimicrobial Resistance show that a continued rise in resistance would, by 2050, lead to 10 million deaths every year and a reduction...Continue Reading

AUSTRALIAN BOY, 3, DIES IN E. COLI OUTBREAK FROM RAW MILK

A 3-year old boy has died and four other children have fallen ill in an E. coli and Cryptosporidium outbreak linked to raw milk sold by a company based in Victoria, Australia. The milk, Mountain View Organic Bath Milk, was labeled as being “for cosmetic use only” and “not for human consumption,” as well as... Continue Reading

CSPI WANTS FDA TO BAN SALES OF BULK CAFFEINE

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the sale of pure, powdered or liquid caffeine as a dietary supplement. “CSPI believes that highly concentrated caffeine presents a unique, self-evident danger to consumers that justifies an immediate ban and corresponding adjustments to FDA’s regulations,”... Continue Reading

10/30/14 Health News: CHILE PEPPER REMOVED - SALMONELLA ♦ DUNG BEETLES HELP ORGANIC FOOD SAFETY ♦ FISH SOURCE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

RETAIL OUTLETS REMOVE CHILE PEPPER VARIETIES FROM SALE DUE TO POTENTIAL SALMONELLA

Following last week’s recall of fresh Serrano chile peppers by Bailey Farms Inc., Giant Food Stores LLC and Martin’s Food Markets announced that they removed from sale Serrano, Anaheim, Red Cherry Hot and Finger Hot peppers sold in a variety case due to potential Salmonella contamination. The following product is included in this recall: Serrano, Anaheim, Red... Continue Reading

DUNG BEETLES: FUTURE HEROES OF ORGANIC FOOD SAFETY?

In 2011, an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in Oregon killed one person and sickened more than a dozen people. The outbreak was eventually traced back to organic strawberries grown at an Oregon farm, but how E. coli had managed to contaminate the strawberries remained a mystery for some time afterward. Eventually, state health officials... Continue Reading

STUDY: FARMED FISH COULD BE ANOTHER SOURCE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

The concern surrounding animal antibiotics focuses on meat and poultry production, but a new study suggests we should also be paying attention to fish. Researchers at Arizona State University investigated 47 antibiotics in U.S.-purchased shrimp, salmon, catfish, trout, tilapia and swai originating from 11 different countries. Their findings, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, identified... Continue Reading

9/19/14 Health News: How Can Diet Sodas Make You Fat? ♦ Flame Retardants in Baby Food ♦ WHITE HOUSE ADDRESSES ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Study: Flame Retardants in Baby Food Well Below Unsafe Levels

The levels of flame retardant chemicals in baby food from the U.S. and China are well below levels considered unsafe, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental  Continue Reading

How Can Diet Sodas Make You Fat? Study May Explain It

Researchers trying to figure out whether artificial sweeteners really do make people fat think they’ve found a possible explanation — they may disrupt the bacteria in some people’s bodies. Continue Reading

WHITE HOUSE CALLS FOR ACTION PLAN TO ADDRESS ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

The White House announced Thursday its plan to make the issue of antibiotic resistance a national priority. In addition to the release of the much-anticipated President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report on antibiotic resistance requested by President Obama last year, there are three related developments. These include an Executive Order (EO)... Continue Reading

9/14/14 Health News :157 sick from crypto ♦ Cinnamon oil kills E.coli strains ♦ ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE ♦ CONTROLLING FOOD ALLERGENS

157 sick, up from 11 last year; reports of crypto rise in Florida county

The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County is asking for the public’s help to prevent the spread of Cryptosporidiosis, a disease that spreads easily person to person in in households, child-care settings and schools, and through swimming in contaminated water or from contact with animal Continue Reading

Cinnamon oil kills pathogenic E. coli strains

A newly published study by researchers at Washington State University in the USA has found that an essential oil from cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) is an effective antibacterial agent against several strains of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Continue reading

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE – a global food safety problem

The development of antibiotics in the 1940s led to a revolution in the treatment of infectious diseases. But after more than 60 years of use and misuse, many antibiotics have lost much of their effectiveness as bacteria develop resistance to them. This situation has arisen partly as a result of overuse in clinical medicine, but also as a consequence of the huge quantities of antibiotics used in agriculture, not only to treat infections in animals, but also to increase productivity in the meat industry by promoting animal growth. Continue Reading

CONTROLLING FOOD ALLERGENS

The issue of food allergy has become an increasingly important one for the food industry over the last ten years. The prevalence of allergic reactions to certain foods seems to be increasing in the population and legislation has been introduced requiring food businesses to label foods containing major allergens. Continue Reading

Antibiotic Resistance in Foodborne Germs is an Ongoing Threat

Antibiotic resistance in foodborne germs, an ongoing public health threat, showed both positive and troubling trends, according to data tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2012. Each year, antibiotic-resistant infections from foodborne germs cause an estimated 430,000 illnesses in the United States. Multi-drug resistant Salmonella, from food and other sources, causes about 100,000 illnesses in the United States each year.

The most recent data showed that multi-drug resistant Salmonella decreased during the past 10 years and resistance to two important groups of drugs – cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones – remained low in 2012. However, in Salmonella typhi, the germ that causes typhoid fever, resistance to quinolone drugs increased to 68 percent in 2012, raising concerns that one of the common treatments for typhoid fever may not work in many cases.

About 1 in 5 Salmonella Heidelberg infections was resistant to ceftriaxone, a cephalapsorin drug. This is the same Salmonella serotype that has been linked to recent outbreaks associated with poultry. Ceftriaxone resistance is a problem because it makes severe Salmonella infections harder to treat, especially in children.

The data are part of the latest report of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), a tri-agency surveillance system that has tracked antibiotic resistance in humans (CDC), retail meats (Food and Drug Administration), and food animals (U.S. Department of Agriculture) since 1996.  The report from CDC NARMS compares resistance levels in human samples in 2012 to a baseline period of 2003-2007.

“Our latest data show some progress in reducing resistance among some germs that make people sick but unfortunately we’re also seeing greater resistance in some pathogens, like certain types of Salmonella,” said Robert Tauxe, M.D., M.P.H, deputy director of CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases. “Infections with antibiotic-resistant germs are often more severe. These data will help doctors prescribe treatments that work and to help CDC and our public health partners identify and stop outbreaks caused by resistant germs faster and protect people’s health.”

Among the other findings in the 2012 report:

• Campylobacter resistance to ciprofloxacin remained at 25 percent, despite FDA’s 2005 withdrawal of its approval for the use of enrofloxacin in poultry. Ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin are both in the fluoroquinolone class of drugs.
• Shigella resistance to ciprofloxacin (2 percent) and azithromycin (4 percent) is growing. However, no Shigella strains were resistant to both drugs.
• Although fluoroquinolone resistance remained low in 2012, Salmonella enteritidis – the most common Salmonella type – accounted for 50 percent of infections resistant to the fluoroquinolone drug nalidixic acid, which is used in laboratory testing for resistance. Resistance to nalidixic acid relates to decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, a widely used fluoroquinolone drug. Other work shows that many of the nalidixic acid resistant Salmonella enteritidis infections are acquired during travel abroad.

The report introduces a new method for interpreting Campylobacter data and includes links to online interactive graphs where users can choose an organism and an antibiotic and see the “bug-drug” trends from year-to-year in NARMS.

CDC NARMS monitors antibiotic resistance among clinical isolates of six types of common foodborne germs reported from all 50 states. In 2012, NARMS tested over 5,000 isolates for antibiotic resistance. By comparing results in 2012 with the baseline period of 2003-2007, NARMS provides important information on whether foodborne germs are gaining or losing resistance.

Where Are The Hot Spots For Antibiotic Resistance?

In July, CDC will roll out a new way every hospital in the country can track and control drug resistant bacteria.CDC already operates the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), with more than 12,000 health care facilities participating.  Now we are implementing a breakthrough program that will take control of drug resistance to the next level – the Antibiotic Use and Resistance (AUR) reporting module.  The module is fully automated, capturing antibiotic prescriptions and drug susceptibility test results electronically.

With this module, we’ll be able to create the first antibiotic prescribing index. This index will help benchmark antibiotic use across health care facilities for the first time, allowing facilities to compare their data with similar facilities. It will help facilities and local and state health departments as well as CDC to  identify hot spots within a city or a region.

We’ll be able to answer the questions: Which facilities are prescribing more antibiotics? How many types of resistant bacteria and fungi are they seeing? Do prescribing practices predict the number of resistant infections and outbreaks a facility will face?  Ultimately with this information, we’ll be able to both improve prescribing practices and identify and stop outbreaks in a way we have never done before.

This will help deploy supportive and evidence-based interventions at each facility as well as at regional levels to help stop spread among various facilities.

The need for a comprehensive system to collect local, regional, and national data on antibiotic resistance is more critical than ever. The system now exists, and we need quick and widespread uptake.

Rapid and full implementation of this system is supported through the proposed increase of $14 million contained in CDC’s 2015 budget request to Congress.

With the requested funding increase in future years, CDC would look to develop web-based tools and provider apps so physicians will gain access to facility- and community-specific data via NHSN on the most effective empiric antibiotic for the patient in front of them. For example, a physician in a burn unit treating a patient with a possible staph infection will know what antibiotics that particular microbe is likely susceptible TO and which ones are likely to be most effective.

Instead of broad-spectrum antibiotics being the default choice, as is often the case now, doctors will see recommendations for targeted narrow-spectrum antibiotics that are more likely to be effective and less likely to lead to potentially deadly infections such as C. difficile.

In addition to improving patient care, this information has an economic impact. Health care facilities that have evaluated their prescribing and resistance patterns and instituted effective antibiotic stewardship programs have saved money by reducing the amount of antibiotics they need to purchase and reducing complications, thus reducing their facility-specific cost of treatment.

There’s a great deal of interest in the development of new antibiotics, and some discussion of fast-tracking development of new antibiotics for limited populations. With the new electronic module, we’ll be able to track the use of almost any antibiotic to improve prescribing and prolong the life of new antibiotics as well as those currently in use.  The new module can also contribute to research adverse events related to newly approved antibiotics.

These changes won’t happen overnight, and all of this data won’t be available immediately upon the launch of the module. But with expanded investment, within five years, we should be able to make a real difference and save thousands of live

You Can Help Reduce Antibiotic Resistance

A new WebMD/Medscape survey found that some clinicians reported antibiotic prescribing habits that may contribute to the public health crisis of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, the survey found that about 1 in 4 patients (23%) has asked their physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant for an antibiotic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that each year, in the United States, at least 2 million people become infected with bacteria resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die as a direct result of antibiotic-resistant infections. According to CDC Director Tom Frieden, “Its clear we’re approaching a cliff with antibiotic resistance. But it’s not too late. Clinicians and healthcare systems need to improve prescribing practices. And patients need to recognize that there are both risks and benefits to antibiotics – more medicine isn’t best, the right medicine at the right time is best.”

CDC has a variety of resources to help providers and patients use antibiotics wisely.

Provider Resources

• Resources by setting
• Treatment guidelines and detailing sheets

Patient Education Materials

• Print materials
• Symptomatic “prescription” pad
• Fact sheet on antibiotic use, including potential harms
• Symptom relief webpage
• Webpages on Upper Respiratory Infections, including when to seek treatment

Resources for Healthcare Systems

• Materials about improving prescribing practices in hospitals
• Get Smart: Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs
• Get Smart: Checklist for Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs