Indo-Asian scenario of microbes, infections, antibiotics and resistance - By Dr. A. J. Tamhankar (Research Associate: Sandeep Nerkar)

Bacteria growing increasingly resistant to drugs......Daily News & Analysis.....When a patient develops resistance towards a drug, he might need stronger antibiotics the next time he gets a bacterial infection, and the side-effects and ... 


Aurora Sinai patient has 'nightmare bacteria' infection..... Milwaukee Journal Sentinel....A patient with an infection caused by a deadly superbug that federal officials ... they infect because the bacteria are highly resistant to antibiotics, ... 

Aurora Sinai patient has 'nightmare bacteria' infection MENAFN.COM.....Those countries where CRE are an issue includeIndia, Greece, Italy, Pakistan and ... they infect because the bacteria are highly resistant to antibiotics, ... 

Medical curriculum must be modernised, says Chennai doctor.....The Hindu.....The Indian medical curriculum must be modernised to provide training in rational antibiotic use and infection control for all medical students, Abdul Ghafur ... 

Socialize Big Pharma! Salon... in India a few years ago. Ricci suffered infections from drug-resistant bacteria that even highly toxic last-resort antibiotics could not treat. 

Extensive use of antibiotics may lead Kolkata to a disaster ...Times of India  

Cluster of two CA-MRSA cases under CHP investigation.... Hong-Kong SAR 

Improved understanding of factors driving methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidemic waves

http://www.dovepress.com/articles.php?article_id=13563


Improved understanding of factors driving methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidemic waves

Abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains one of the most important causes of nosocomial infections worldwide. Since the global spread of MRSA in the 1960s, MRSA strains have evolved with increased pathogenic potential. Notably, some strains are now capable of causing persistent infections not only in hospitalized patients but also in healthy individuals in the community. Furthermore, MRSA is increasingly associated with infections among livestock-associated workers, primarily because of transmission from animals to humans. Moreover, many MRSA strains have gained resistance to most available antibiotics. In this review, we will present current knowledge on MRSA epidemiology and discuss new endeavors being undertaken to understand better the molecular and epidemiological underpinnings of MRSA outbreaks.

Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, nosocomial infection, community-associated infection

Govt mulling ban on sale of TB drugs in open market

 

[http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/policy-and-issues/govt-mulling-ban-on-sale-of-tb-drugs-in-open-market/article4880960.ece]

BL A protest in Mumbai against the developed countries move to block access to HIV and TB drugs.

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Sale of tuberculosis drugs could be prohibited in open market as part of efforts to ensure calibrated and monitored administration of these medicines which would then only be given on daily basis free of cost by government registered outlets to patients.

The Health Ministry is proposing changes in view of irregularity in administration of these drugs to patients and lack of proper monitoring which is hindering efforts to check the disease, sources told PTI.

According to a WHO estimate, India is home to the largest number of TB patients - 2.2 million of the world’s 8.7 million.

Patients are administered TB medicines either through government-run hospitals and clinics free of cost or by private practitioners.

According to the Health Ministry, about 65 per cent of the TB patients avail these drugs under the government’s DOT (Daily Observed Therapy) System while the rest opt for treatment by private practitioners and buy drugs from the chemists based on their prescription.

The latter results in irregularity of treatment which leads to relapse of the ailment as there is lack of proper monitoring, the sources said citing experts.

To address this, the government is planning to prohibit sale of drugs in open market.

Under the new initiative, patients going to private practitioners for treatment will get medicines free of cost from chemists but only after the doctor informs them through a dedicated call centre to be set up by the government.

The changes are being brought to ensure that all TB patients are administered the drugs on daily basis instead of intermittently as at present.

Recently, Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad had expressed concern on the issue saying that the irregular regime is leading to growing resistance to anti-TB drugs.

The Health Ministry officials recently had held a meeting with WHO and other experts who had emphasised on changing intermittent dosage system to daily regime.

During the meeting, it was informed that many other countries including Brazil, China, which were following the intermittent dosage system, have now turned to daily regime.

 

Keywords: Health Ministry, WHO, TB drugs, Government hospitals, Treatment schedule, Sale of drugs, DOTS