Preserve the Power – taking the fight against antimicrobial resistance to the big screen

Attention, movie fans and aspiring filmmakers of Australia – a generous cash prize is on offer for the winners of a national short film competition, called ‘Preserve the Power’. The contest, created in partnership between NPS MedicineWise and American Express Openair Cinemas, is intended to spread awareness about the danger of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Each … Read more

New study highlights the prevalence of resistance genes in Kenya

The bacterial species Klebsiella may contribute to a dangerously high level of antibiotic resistance in Kenya, a recent study suggests. Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study is a collaborative effort between institutions including the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). In many developing nations, the occurrence of … Read more

A major source of antibiotics may also contribute to antibiotic resistance, new research suggests

Could pathogens obtain antibiotic resistance genes from the same organisms that we use to produce our antibiotics? A new study suggests that this could indeed be the case, as resistance genes bearing striking similarity to one another are found in two key groups of microorganisms. In addition, the study resulted in the proposal of a … Read more

WHO’s Essential Medicine List updated, with new guidelines on how antibiotics should used

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has updated their Essential Medicines List (EML), adding 10 new antibiotics which should be used in adults, and 12 for children. In addition, they’ve also decided to try a new approach to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria by dividing antibiotics into three different categories; access, watch and reserve. It’s hoped that … Read more

A triple modified form of vancomycin boosts the drug’s antibacterial power

A modified form of vancomycin gives the drug key advantages which could greatly boost its efficiency against dangerous bacteria and reduce the chances of resistant strains developing, new research shows. The study, conducted by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in the US, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of … Read more

New test could rapidly identify colistin-resistant bacteria

Researchers have found a method to identify bacteria showing one of the most dangerous forms of antibiotic resistance, in a test that’s both quick and cheap to run. Dr Laurent Dortet, an Associate Professor at South Paris University and his colleagues at Imperial College London, Dr Gerald Larrouy-Maumus and Professor Alain Filloux, presented their work … Read more

Pentamidine, wingman for the antibiotics: A new two-step approach to fight infections

A new dual therapy approach to fight multi-drug resistant gram-negative bacteria has been uncovered – and, interestingly, it involves an existing antifungal and antiprotozoal drug. Dr. Eric Brown, professor of biochemistry at McMaster University, and his team showed that pentamidine, a drug normally used to treat protozoan and fungal infections, is effective against drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria when … Read more

WHO produces a list of the 12 most dangerous bacteria

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published a list of the 12 bacterial families against which new antibiotics are desperately needed. Unveiling the list on the 27th February 2017, WHO hopes that this list will spur the research and development of new antibiotics at a time when the drugs we’ve come to rely on to … Read more