Antibiotics vs Surgery: Equally Effective for Appendicitis? Antibiotics vs Surgery: Equally Effective for Appendicitis?
Dr Lowenfels comments on a study examining whether antibiotic therapy is an effective replacement for standard surgical appendectomy, published in Annals of Surgery.Medscape General Surgery (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - June 2, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: General Surgery Viewpoint Source Type: news
New approach to antibiotic therapy is a dead end for pathogens
(Molecular Biology and Evolution (Oxford University Press)) In the case of the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the evolution of resistance to certain antibiotics leads to an increased susceptibility to other drugs. This concept of so-called 'collateral sensitivity' opens up new perspectives in the fight against multi-resistant pathogens. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - June 1, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Long-term antibiotic prophylaxis reduces mortality in people with advanced liver disease
(European Association for the Study of the Liver) A multicenter, randomized, controlled study presented today found that long-term oral antibiotic therapy with norfloxacin improved the prognosis of people with life-threatening advanced liver disease. The study, presented at The International Liver Congress 2017 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, showed that norfloxacin administration for six months was associated with a reduced risk of death and infection at six months in patients with Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis, a very severe and advanced stage of liver disease. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - April 20, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing by online pharmacies 'reckless'
Conclusion
Worryingly, most of the online pharmacies had no evidence of the registration required by current UK and European legislation.
This could be because some of the operators were based outside Europe – but regardless of where they are based, they are still subject to UK legislation if selling to the UK public.
The study raises concerns about the effectiveness of current UK legislation and the regulation of companies selling antibiotics over the internet.
This research does have some limitations, however:
Google and Yahoo searches are not identical when different browsers are used or when searches are pe...
Source: NHS News Feed - February 17, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medication Medical practice Source Type: news
Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock updated
This updated guideline was produced by 55 international experts; with the most important changes and advances in the guideline being in the domains of initial resuscitation and antibiotic therapy. (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - February 1, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Surviving Sepsis Guidelines: A Continuous Move Toward Better Care of Patients With Sepsis
The updated guideline was generated by 55 international experts representing 25 international organizations involved in the care of patients with sepsis and providing 93 recommendations on early management of sepsis and septic shock. There are numerous major advances in the revision of the guidelines. Among the various topics covered, initial resuscitation and antibiotic therapy are the domains in which the most important changes and advances were made. (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - January 26, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Is it Harmful to Not Finish Antibiotics?
Is it harmful to not finish antibiotics? originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights.
Answer by Drew Smith, former R&D director at MicroPhage and SomaLogic, on Quora:
Doctors are taught that it is important to finish out a course of antibiotics, and they dutifully relay this information to their patients. But the determination of therapy duration is usually based on almost no evidence at all. This is especially true for our understanding of the risk of the development of resistance, which is rarely a measured outcome in the clini...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - January 10, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Researchers find gene mutation that helps bacteria tolerate antibiotics
Amy WallaceMEMPHIS, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital uncovered a gene mutation that allows bacteria to tolerate normally effective antibiotic therapy. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)
Source: Health News - UPI.com - January 3, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Antibiotic resistance just became more complex
Bacteria that are susceptible to antibiotics can survive when enough resistant cells around them are expressing an antibiotic-deactivating factor. This new take on how the microbial context can compromise antibiotic therapy was just published by a team of microbiologists. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - December 29, 2016 Category: Science Source Type: news
Antibiotic resistance just became more complex
(University of Groningen) Bacteria that are susceptible to antibiotics can survive when enough resistant cells around them are expressing an antibiotic-deactivating factor. This new take on how the microbial context can compromise antibiotic therapy was published by a team of microbiologists from the University of Groningen microbiologists, together with colleagues from San Diego, in the journal PLOS Biology on Dec. 27. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - December 27, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
New Recommendations On How Long Ear Infections Should Be Treated
BOSTON (CBS) – Ear infections are incredibly common among young kids and many get them multiple times a year, but for how long do they need to be treated?
In children under 2, ear infections are usually treated with oral antibiotics for 10 days. But antibiotics can cause an upset stomach and rashes and there’s always the concern for antibiotic resistance, so doctors wanted to see if kids would do just as well with 5 days of treatment instead of 10.
The answer is probably “no”.
In a recent study they found that children less than 2 years of age treated with only 5 days of antibiotic therapy were more likely ...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - December 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Health – CBS Boston Tags: Health Local Dr. Mallika Marshall Ear Infections Source Type: news
Stingray Injuries
Dr. Nabil Ebraheim would like to thank his employee Cherie Martzke, for her contribution to this article.
Most stingrays have one or more barbed stings on the tail, which are used in self-defense. They will not attack humans but they will defend themselves when threatened, especially when stepped on (Figure 1).
Stingrays cause around 1,500 injuries per year and are caused by puncture from their strong serrated, boney spines or barbs. The tail contains a sheath that will discharge venom once it is ruptured (Figure 2).
If you are stung by a stingray, clean the injury with soap and water. Make sure the spine is co...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - December 5, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Steroid use linked to worse outcomes in Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis
Researchers have found that patients who were prescribed corticosteroids as part of treatment for Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis had worse long-term outcomes of regaining facial function than those who were prescribed antibiotic therapy alone. Based on these findings the researchers urge caution in prescribing corticosteroids to patients with acute Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - September 6, 2016 Category: Science Source Type: news
Steroid use linked to worse outcomes in Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis
(Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary) Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School have found that patients who were prescribed corticosteroids as part of treatment for Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis had worse long-term outcomes of regaining facial function than those who were prescribed antibiotic therapy alone. Based on these findings, which were published online today in Laryngoscope, the researchers urge caution in prescribing corticosteroids to patients with acute Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - September 6, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
