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

Dangerous genes above Beijing

Polluted air could be a major way for resistance-allowing genes to be spread across bacteria, as researchers have determined using air samples taken from smog in Beijing. Joakim Larsson, director of the University of Gothenburg’s Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research, and his team analysed 864 DNA samples from a range of human, animal and environmental … Read more