Saturday, January 31, 2009

Occurrence of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria in hospital associated waters in India

A team of Indian scientists from R.D.Gardi Medical College, Ujjain and a Swedish scientist from Karolinska Institute recently presented preliminary findings of their collaborative study at the National Conference of IPHA, (Bangalore, 9-11 January 2009) and at the IAPSM Conference, (Aurangabad, 21-23 January 2009), in which they reported occurrence of Metronidazole, sulfamethoxazole, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, levofloxacin, tinidazole and ciprofloxacin in the range of 1.4 to 236.00 µg/L in the waste water of two Indian hospitals. E. coli isolates from the hospital waste water samples showed resistance to third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. The impact of such an occurrence on public health and environment of India needs to be evaluated.
The scientists will soon start communicating their results to Research Journals.

Antibiotics in Pharma waste water

World's highest drug levels entering India stream - Yahoo! News
Enough of a single, powerful antibiotic was being spewed into one stream ... The water in a river in India could be the rain coming down in your town in a news. yahoo.com/s/ap/20090125/ap_on_re_as/pharmawater_india - 107k
PMO orders testing of Patancheru water
28 Jan 2009, TNN
NEW DELHI: Concerned over reports of water at Patancheru in Medak near Hyderabad containing drug residues that are as high as 150 times the levels
detected in US, PMO has asked for testing of samples and a report on the composition of the pharmaceutical cocktail within a week.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

National conference On Antimicrobial Resistance

Announcement
National conference On Antimicrobial Resiatance: from emerging Threat to Reality.
Dates: 23-25 March 2009.
Venue: Allahabad Agricultural Institute.
website- http://www.aaidu.org/
email: antimicro09@gmail com

Last Date for sending Abstracts: 10th February 2009

Sunday, January 4, 2009

ABR gene in genetically engineered Brinjal

Dear friends
Dr. Mira Shiva informs that
A company in India is developing genetically engineered Brinjal incorporating the Bacillus thuringiesis gene.
The Antibiotic Resistant Marker being used for Bt Brinjal is NEOMYCIN . Horizontal transfer of genes & Genetic pollution & other Public Health Concerns need to be addressed as Biosafety studies done by the Company are inadequate. The GEAC Meets on 14th Jan 09.
All of you need to comment on this proposal in this space so that Dr. Mira Shiva takes it up at the appropriate forum.