Scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru have developed two new, potent molecules that can severely impact the survival of mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis that causes TB. The results were published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Unlike most antibiotics that target the bacterial metabolism by aiming at the cellular components, the... Continue Reading →
Indian researchers find a new bacterial target for drug development
Indian researchers have found a new target that can potentially be used for developing new antibiotics that will be effective against many bacteria. The new target is made of two proteins — which form a complex that is responsible for the formation of biofilm — that perform very important functions and are critical for bacterial... Continue Reading →
Now, ‘qualified’ quacks will treat rural folks in West Bengal
If everything works to plan, health care in rural West Bengal may soon see a change for the better. Nearly 3,000 quacks — informal health-care providers with no formal medical education — are to be trained for six months. The crash course in medicine, and to be conducted by 130 trained nurses, is to begin... Continue Reading →
Pharmacies in India may not be causing TB drug-resistance
If an earlier study revealed the tendency of private practitioners to liberally use antibiotics to treat tuberculosis leading to a delay in TB diagnosis and treatment and increase the chances of TB spreading within a community, pharmacies in Delhi, Mumbai and Patna are no better. A study published on August 25, 2016 in the journal... Continue Reading →
A novel, powerful antibiotic found inside human nose
A novel antibiotic — lugdunin — produced by a bacterium found inside the human nose has been found to kill the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, including drug-resistant forms such as the methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The study found S. aureus does not develop resistance against the novel antibiotic. The findings could aid the development of new... Continue Reading →
Will mcr-1 gene cause a new superbug?
Alarm bells have been sounded after a woman in the U.S. was detected with bacteria resistant to a last-resort antibiotic. The 49-year-old was carrying E. coli bearing a new gene, mcr-1, which is resistant to colistin, the last available antibiotic that works against strains that have acquired protection against all other medication. This is the... Continue Reading →
Drug resistance: The antibiotic red line of control
A much-needed public awareness campaign to highlight the dangers of misuse and irrational use of antibiotics was recently launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Called ‘Medicines with the Red Line’, it comes at a time when the consumption of antibiotics in India has increased sharply while the effectiveness of these drugs to... Continue Reading →
