News: Antibiotic Resistance in the News

2016 - 2017

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) has issued four-point recommendations from its panel of experts concerning elimination of contact precautions for antibiotic-resistant infections in acute care hospital.
The first Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Surveillance System (GLASS) report was released—with surveillance data provided by 40 countries and AMR data from 22 countries.
Theme of International Infection Prevention Week (15 - 21 October 2017) is antibiotic resistance.
WHO’s Antibacterial Agents in Clinical Development report confirms dire status of antibiotics.
EU releases guidelines on the prudent use of antimicrobials in human health.
G20 summit commits to combating antimicrobial resistance.
INCREMENT project yields findings on BSI treatment. The INCREMENT project is an international, restrospective study involving 37 hospitals in 11 countries.
A paper from Center for Global Development (CGD) proposes global treaty to reduce antibiotic use in livestock.
EU phases out zinc supplements in swine.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services has begun penalizing hospitals for certain hospital-acquired conditions.
ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) released its 2015 analysis of antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and indicator bacteria from 28 EU member states.
Study in Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society reveals 750% increase in multidrug resistance among Enterobacteriaceae (Salmonella, E. coli and Klebsiella) infections in U.S. children under age 18.
WHO releases first list of global superbugs.
CDC reports 5 improvements in healthcare associated (HA) infections between 2014 - 2016:
 A 50% decrease in central line-associated blood-stream infections (between 2008 and 2014);
 A 13% decrease in hospital-onset MRSA bacteremia (from 2011-2014) and a 36% decrease in HA- invasive MRSA (between 2008 -2014);
 A 17% decrease in certain surgical site infections;
 A decrease of 8% in C-diff infections (2011-2014);
 A 16% and a 24% decrease in catheter-acquired UTI in hospital intensive care units and acute care hospital wards respectively (2009 -2014).
ResistanceOpen, a global map of antimicrobial resistance, launches. The team is comprised of epidemiologists, clinicians, and developers from HealthMap at Boston Children’s Hospital.

December 2016
A team of UCLA researchers has developed an automated diagnostic test reader for antimicrobial resistance using a smartphone.
New diagnostic tool, ImmunoXpert, differentiates between viral and bacterial infection.
Australian hospitals report shortages of first-line antimicrobials.
Study shows that urban dirt bacteria yield promising medical compounds.

October 2016
British study itemises cost of superbug out-break at one million pounds ($1.2 million U.S.).

August 2016
Chinese scientists succeed in synthesizing Teixobactin.

July 2016
7/20/16: WHO Ranking of Antimicrobials According to their Importance in Human Medicine
7/14/16: The Superbugs are Quietly Amassing their Forces -- and We're Helping Them
7/12/16: Superbug Gene Detected in a Second Person in the U.S.
7/6/16: Do You Really Need Antibiotics? This Test Can Tell

April 2016
The £10 million Longitude Prize has been offered for the development of a diagnostic test that helps solve the problem of global antibiotic resistance.

February 2016
2/27/16: Antibiotic-free Chicken Chasing Cage-free Eggs
2/22/16: 'Pandemic' Asks: Is a Disease that will Kill Tens of Millions Coming?

December 2015
12/29/15: Opinion: Stop Giving Antibiotics to Cows, Pigs and Chickens Now
12/10/15: How to Use Antibiotics Responsibly

September 2015
9/8/15: Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance at Global and Local Scales

February 2015
2/26/15: Emanuel Proposes $2B Prize to Address Antibiotic Crisis
2/10/15: We are Stopping Antibiotic Resistance Evolution: Wastewater & Health

December 2014
12/23/14: FDA Backs Cubist's antibiotic Zerbaxa
12/22/14: 2014 in Review: Animal Antibiotics

September 2014
9/18/2014: REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT ON COMBATING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE
9/7/2014: Each Day in the Hospital Raises Risk of Multidrug-Resistant Infection
9/7/2014: Inexpensive Lab Test Identifies Resistant Infections in Hours
9/6/2014: Antibiotic Stewardship Programs Reduce Costs, Improve Outcomes
9/4/14: IDSA Convenes New National Stakeholder Group on Antimicrobial Resistance; Calls for Comprehensive and Coordinated U.S. Strategy
9/3/14: Antibiotics Eliminated in Hatchery, Perdue Says
9/3/14: CDC Releases New Statement on Sepsis, Calls for More Education, Action

August 2014
8/13/14: MRSA is a Major Global Health Threat
8/13/14: California Antibiotics Bill Closer to Becoming Law
8/12/14: FDA's National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) 2011 Executive Report
8/8/14: Global leaders raise alarm on antibiotic resistance
8/5/14: STOP THE SUPERBUGS:MASSPIRG Calls for End to Antibiotic Abuse on Factory Farms
8/5/14: ENDING THE ABUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION The Case for Reform

July 2014
7/25/14: Ruling on FDA’s Oversight of Animal Antibiotic Use Called a ‘Big Blow to Public Health
7/23/14: Antibiotic-resistant Infections on the Rise
7/15/14: $17.1 Million Dollar Prize for Solving Antibiotic Resistance
7/15/14: Updated UTI Guidelines-Ignorance Might Be Bliss: Asymptomatic Bacteriuria; read the 2005 guidelines
7/15/14: Antibiotic Resistant Salmonella Paves the Way for Typhoid Fever Resurgence
7/11/14: What the Forthcoming PCAST White House Report on Antibiotic Resistance Will Ask For
7/10/14: Global antibiotic consumption 2000 to 2010: an analysis of national pharmaceutical sales data
7/9/14: Last-Resort Antibiotics In Jeopardy As Use Rises Globally

June 2014
6/30/14: FDA Secures Full Industry Engagement on Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy
6/30/14: Keeping You Informed: An Update on FDA’s Judicious Use Strategy for Antimicrobial Drugs in Food-Producing Animals
6/24/14: US and EU policies on sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics in food animals
6/13/14: Antibiotic-Resistant 'Nightmare Germs' Found Across Florida
6/12/14: Pets may transmit antibiotic-resistant infections to humans
6/12/14: Doctors Urge Quick Action on Bill to Develop New Antibiotics
6/11/14: Very Serious Superbugs in Imported Seafood
6/6/14: When the worst medical advice comes from the patient
6/6/14: Early Exposure To Bacteria Protects Children From Asthma And Allergies
6/4/14: Cloaked "Phantom" Bacteria Threaten the Middle East
6/4/14: NOT ALL GERMS ARE CREATED EQUAL: New Documentary Resistance, presented by Applegate, Sounds the Alarm on Superbugs
6/4/14: The Grim Prospect Of Life Without Antibiotics
6/4/14: Single Dose of Antibiotic Found Effective in Quelling MRSA
6/2/14: E-cigarettes are making drug-resistant bacteria more aggressive
6/1/14: Why antibiotics are making us all ill

April 2014
4/30/14: WHO's Antimicrobial Resistance global report on surveillance 2014
4/4/14: Sneak Peek: What the White House is Thinking About Antibiotic Resistance
4/4/14: PCAST webinar on antimicrobial resistance

March 2014
3/26/14: FDA Update on Animal Pharmaceutical Industry Response to Guidance #213

September 2013
09/18/13: New test aims to better detect viral infections
09/18/13: UK's new AMR strategy calls for global action
09/18/13: US CDC releases extensive report quantifying the threat of antibiotic resistance
09/12/13: Researchers make major breakthrough in understanding antibiotic-resistant bacteria
09/09/13: 5 important developments in C. difficile management
09/06/13: Antibiotic resistant Salmonella can now be tracked from farm to fork
09/04/13: New FDA warnings for fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics
09/01/13: Is handling money making you sick? Study aims to find out

August 2013
08/28/13: New system paves the way for antibiotic-free poultry
08/26/13: WHO hand hygiene strategy aims to reduce HAIs
08/22/13: Former FDA commissioner cautions against antibiotic use on farms
08/20/13: Antibiotics Do's and Don'ts Doctors Too Often Prescribe 'Big Guns'; Impatient Patients Demand a Quick Fix
08/15/13: Antibiotic class changes should be considered to reduce resistance
08/12/13: FDA says certain livestock antibiotics will now require veterinary oversight
08/05/13: Nightmare Bacteria Attack an ICU and Close a Burn Unit
08/01/13: Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases to host Gram Negative "Superbug" meeting

July 2013
07/31/13: Internet-based training could help in the fight against antibiotic resistance
07/30/13: Reducing antibiotics consumption does not necessarily reduce resistance, research says
07/18/13: Pharmacist-driven ASP can decrease antimicrobial expenditure, shorten duration of therapy
07/17/13: Stopgap for antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea found, CDC says
07/15/13: "Is my kid's infection viral or bacterial?" New test may offer clues
07/08/13: Eight solutions from the G8 summit to curb antibiotic resistance
07/02/13: Study says MRSA can jump from animals to humans
07/01/13: Interventions Improve Cleaning of C. difficile Isolation Rooms

June 2013
6/27/13: Oral antibiotics correlated with antibiotic resistance
6/24/13: Kids' Sinusitis Might Not Need Antibiotics, New Guidelines Say
6/20/13: APUA published in NEJM: Nutrition Group cautions the misuse of antibiotics to treat malnutrition
6/19/13: Children given antibiotics in first year 'more likely to develop eczema'
6/18/13: FDA backs off on regulation of fecal transplants
6/17/13: CDC study finds fecal contamination in pools
6/13/13: Britain urges G8 nations to crack down on antibiotics
6/12/13: Program helped pediatricians limit antibiotic use
6/11/13: Gonorrhea drug resistance recedes with new U.K. approach
6/7/13: STAAR Act introduced to Congress to combat antimicrobial resistance
6/6/13: Azithromycin, a popular antibiotic receives stronger heart risk warning
6/5/13: Obama administration seeks To ease approvals for antibiotics
6/4/13: Fecal transplants may stall as FDA cracks down on docs
6/3/13: Pressure Grows to Create Drugs for Superbugs;
6/1/13: Should The FDA Mess With The Success Of Fecal Transplants And Tighten Regulations?

May 2013
5/31/13: Probiotics with antibiotics may prevent diarrhea
5/30/13: Winning the MRSA battle in hospitals
5/29/13: NYT article on how hospitals are pushing staff to wash hands
5/28/13: Changing gut bacteria through diet affects brain function
5/24/13: FDA cracks down on fecal transplants
5/22/13: Vitamin C boosts antibiotics, may kill drug-resistant TB
5/21/13: UK government preparing to launch five-year plan for tackling antibiotic resistance
5/20/13: Schizophrenia drugs that can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria
5/17/13: Tetracycline resistance transported via air movement
5/16/13: Fecal Transplant: FDA Wants Regulation
5/15/13: Could Adaptable Bacteria Cause Repeat Urinary Tract Infections?
5/14/13: Antibiotics for back pain: hope or hype?
5/13/13: Nanoparticle hybridization device to detect antimicrobial resistance
5/10/13: Bacteria are becoming bolder
5/9/13: 1 in 12 Canadian patients have a superbug
5/8/13: Copper alloy in lowering MRSA and VRE infection rates
5/7/13: Anti-depressants link to CDI
5/6/13: Dr. Sanjay Gupta weighs in on the prudent use of antibiotics
5/2/13: CDI is misdiagnosed in 23% of patients in Europe
5/1/13: FDA Cautions Against Antibiotics for People with Heart Problems

April 2013
4/29/13: A surge in hospital superbug-fighting products
4/27/13: Senators ask FDA for more transparency in food animal antibiotics data
4/26/13: MDR-TB and the antibiotic drought
4/25/13: $53.5M request for federal funds to fight gonorrhea-resistance
4/22/13: APUA mentioned in article about antibiotic resistance and prevention methods
4/21/13: Antibiotics missing from US drug pipeline
4/19/13: Solar-powered proteins to filter harmful antibiotics from water
4/18/13: Sparse crop of antibiotics to confront superbugs
4/15/13: Klebsiella ranks as the most worrisome superbug
4/11/13: Antibiotics prescribing rates vary by region
4/10/13: Traces of horse drug, bute, found in British beef products
4/9/13: MRSA Colonization of the Groin and Risk for Clinical Infection among HIV-infected Adults
4/8/13: Biofilm used to identify deadly bacteria in hospitals
4/6/13: Downsizing antibiotics R&D--are antibotics the victims of their own success?
4/5/13: Superbugs are a 'costly war', CNBC
4/4/13: Antibiotic resistance on the rise in India
4/3/13: Hospitals battle surge in superbugs & KPC
4/2/13: Gene Sequencing Pinpoints Antibiotic Resistance Moving From Livestock to Humans
4/1/13: APUA comments on the role of hygiene in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria and patient safety in USA Today

March 2013
3/29/13: Antihistamine Meds May Raise Risk for C.diff
3/28/13: Scientists map protein that creates antibiotic resistance
3/27/13: APUA's Dr. Levy identifies unique mechanisms of a clinical isolate of E. coli resistant to CREs
3/22/13: 3/24: World TB Day. Learn more about MDR and XDR-TB
3/21/13: New petition for FDA to halt antibiotic use in fuel byproduct sold as animal feed
3/20/13: Lengthy antibiotic use common in elderly
3/19/13: The risks & rewards of antibiotics
3/18/13: A call for Congressional hearings about the rise in superbugs
3/13/13: The role of soil, bacteria, and antibiotics resistance
3/12/13: Dramatic increase in infections caused by drug-resistant E.coli
3/11/13: Data on use of antibiotics in Europe from the ECDC
3/10/13: C.diff prevention activities fail to halt infection
3/7/13: Additional press on the rise and dangers of CRE in US
3/6/13: CDC releases new report on CRE infections and AMR
3/5/13: German Parliament proposes strict measures to cut antibiotic use

February 2013
2/28/13: 25% increase in cases of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea in England
2/27/13: CDC reports a rare superbug jump in the US
2/26/13: APUA & other health leaders call on Congress for more antibiotics data in ADUFA
2/25/13: Antibiotics as pollutants: evolutionary consequences of antibiotic use on the microbiome
2/22/13: A new innovative stewardship program saves costs and tackles C.diff rates in Canada
2/22/13: Dermcidin, chemical in sweat, found to kill harmful germs and may be used to develop infection-fighting drugs
2/20/13: Dialysis, emergency surgery linked to C. diff infection after colectomy
2/19/13: CDC unveils redesigned National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) website
2/18/13: uBiome project: potential links between the microbiome and disease
2/18/13: A call for antimicrobial drug development for gonorrhea
2/15/13: Surveillance finds 75.7% of C. difficile reports were in patients aged 65 years and over in England
2/14/13: Researchers embark on an £8m project to discover new antibiotics at the bottom of the ocean
2/14/13: Study shows C.diff harder to cure in older patients
2/12/13: China’s Overuse of Antibiotics inLivestock May Threaten Human Health
2/12/13: High prevalence of drug-resistant MRSA found in nursing homes
2/11/13: NIH Scientists Discover Promising Target to Block Staphylococcus Infection
2/11/13: Poor Health Literacy Among Latinos Linked To An Increase In Antimicrobial Resistance
2/7/13: NY Congresswoman speaks about the dangers of antibiotic use in food animals
2/5/13: Scientists find a way to weaken E.Coli
2/4/13: FDA public hearing: Limited Population Antimicrobial Drug approval
2/3/13: NPR reports "Got A Superbug? Bring In The Robots"

January 2013
1/30/13: Cystic Fibrosis Hope: Scientists Target Switch in Fatal Antibiotic-Resistant Superbug
1/29/13: Shanghai researchers discover how bacteria develop antibiotic resistance
1/24/13: Chief Medical Officer for England warns MPs about Antibiotic 'apocalypse'
1/24/13: The Future of Antibiotics and Resistance - NEJM
1/24/13: Multidrug-resistant CRKP bacteria a growing threat in US
1/23/13: Chennai Declaration holds key for antibiotic resistance
1/23/13: Emerging Antibiotic Resistance in Listeria
1/19/13: Survey Finds Shortage Of TB Medicines In U.S
1/16/13: Ornamental fish industry faces increasing resistance problems
1/15/13: UK Government Takes Ag Antibiotics Seriously
1/14/13: New Superbug Prompts Hospital Screening in Canada
1/9/13: World Economic Forum Highlights Antibiotic Resistance
1/8/13: Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea threat rises in North America

December 2012
12/31/12: F.D.A. Approves Drug for Resistant Tuberculosis
12/21/12: MRSA found in our milk: Superbug strain is resistant to antibiotics
12/20/12: Global Resurgence of drug-resistant TB Amplifies U.S. Risk
12/11/12: EU Parliament calls for immediate action to tackle AMR
12/10/12: How A Superbug Traveled The World
12/9/12: NYTimes Op-Ed: Let’s Gang Up on Killer Bugs
12/5/12: MDR A. baumannii survives current hospital cleaning practices
12/4/12: Copper prevents horizontal gene transfer on surfaces

November 2012
11/29/12: CRE threatens to change the face of health care
11/26/12: Resistance to Important Antibiotic May Develop in Soil
11/26/12: Belgian biotech company discovers novel class of antibiotics
11/23/12: Mumbai might be on the brink of drug-resistant TB epidemic
11/14/12: APUA letter in the Financial Times (free account needed to view)
11/13/12: Many Americans Still in the Dark About Antibiotic Resistance
11/13/12: Southeast US paying health price for high antibiotic use
11/13/12: Bacteria Becoming More Resistant To Antibiotics
11/6/12: MRSA Found in U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plants
11/5/12: Antibiotics -- friend or foe?
11/2/12: Pneumonia Prevalence Highest of Health Care-Associated Infections
11/2/12: Joint effort will explore alternative to antibiotics for raising pork
11/1/12: Metabolomics shows how Antibiotics attack Tuberculosis

October 2012
10/30/12: Honeybees harbor antibiotic-resistance genes
10/30/12: Hunt for superbugs in Australian animals
10/29/12: HAI policy: Has pay-for-performance changed anything?
10/22/12: Germs Are Us: Bacteria make us sick. Do they also keep us alive?
10/19/12: Antibiotic Delivery Could Be Revolutionized By Cholera Discovery
10/18/12: Study succeeds in cutting inappropriate antibiotic prescribing by pediatricians
10/18/12: Bacteriophage Effective Against Lung Infections
10/17/12: Tuberculosis effort in real danger - WHO
10/17/12: Bloodstream infections in ICUs cut by 44 percent
10/16/12: Rep. Waxman plans to introduce a bill to document the use of antibiotics in livestock
10/15/12: UAE doctors call for urgent action to stop superbug as 100s catch MRSA
10/15/12: An update on NRDC court wins on antibiotic use in livestock: FDA appeals the decisions
10/15/12: Researchers develop two ultra-rapid tests for diagnosis of antibiotic resistance
10/15/12: Antibiotic contamination threatens marine bacteria and the spread of resistance to humans via seafood
10/11/12: Wins and Losses for Antibiotic Innovation
10/11/12: Hospitals Working Together To Control Hospital-Acquired Infections
10/11/12: Huffington Post: Farm Antibiotics Are Keeping You Sick
10/11/12: Huffington Post: Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea: Is The Antibiotic Era Coming To An End?
10/10/12: Experimental Antimicrobial Technology Could Decrease Transmission of Hospital Pathogens
10/8/12: FDA’s Antibacterial Drug Development Task Force created on Sept. 24
10/4/12: Promising new treatment for Clostridium Difficile Colitis suggested by research in mice
10/3/12: Chloroquine Makes Comeback to Combat Malaria
10/2/12: New antibiotic cures disease by disarming pathogens, not killing them
10/1/12: Spread of Resistant Salmonella Strain That Kills 1 in 4 Linked to HIV

September 2012
9/27/12: Consumers Union asks Trader Joe's to stop selling meat raised on antibiotics
9/26/12: A cure to superbugs lives in your eyes
9/26/12: Variation in antibiotic prescribing hints at overuse
9/24/12: Viruses help scientists battle pathogenic bacteria and improve water supply
9/21/12: Ciprofloxacin use is major contributor to MRSA spread in hospitals
9/19/12: New push to reduce antibiotic use in farm animals
9/17/12: Research promises better tuberculosis treatment
9/10/12: Popular Antibiotics May Carry Serious Side Effects
9/10/12: New Strep Throat Guidelines Tackle Antibiotic Resistance
9/9/12: Cave bacteria could help develop future antibiotics
9/6/12: Florida Stops Outbreak of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae
9/4/12: Stanford Organics Study: 33% greater risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in non-organic pork and chicken
9/4/12: Environmental 'Gene-Swapping' May Play Part in Antibiotic Resistance

August 2012
8/28/12: Vitamin B3 may help fight staph infections
8/28/12: Antibiotic residue in Sausage May Promote Pathogen Survival
8/27/12: How Gut Bugs Make You Sick - Or Well
8/22/12: NIH uses genome sequencing to help quell bacterial outbreak in Clinical Center
8/21/12: Antibiotic Use in Infants May Raise Obesity Risk
8/21/12: C. difficile deadlier and more common than previously thought
8/13/12: A non-antibiotic approach for treating UTIs
8/13/12: Scientists find a new approach for detecting resistant TB
8/10/12: CDC issues new treatment guidelines for gonorrhea in an effort to battle multidrug-resistantN. gonorrhoeae
8/8/12: Federal Court tells FDA: No more delays in regulating antibiotic use in livestock
8/6/12: Novel antibiotic developed from marine organisms
8/1/12: NARMS finds that Salmonella and Campylobacter strains grew in resistance in 2010, others fell

July 2012
7/31/12: WHO suggests pilot project to make HIV prevention drug Truvada cheaply available in low-income countries
7/26/12: HHS seeking comments on Action Plan to combat HAIs in long-term care facilities
7/24/12: ASM voices concerns about FDA guidances, points out scientific evidence
7/18/12: FDA must regulate HIV prevention drug Truvada more strictly to prevent emergence of drug-resistant HIV
7/16/12: Two MRSA outbreaks associated with resse of single-dose vials
7/11/12: Silk proteins stabilize vaccines and antibiotics for months without refrigeration
7/11/12: Discovery of new vaccine candidate against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
7/10/12: FDA draft Guidance #213 open for comments until Thursday, July 12!
7/5/12: Controversial experimentation with H1N1 genome yields H5 HA/H5N1 - transmissible among mammals
7/3/12: APUA campaign to strengthen FDA draft Guidance #213: 9 days left!

June 2012
6/28/12: PDUFA V passes Senate to become law; includes GAIN Act
6/28/12: Updated CDC recommendations: carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE)
6/28/12: Denmark's ban on antibiotic use in pork production - lauded in Nature
6/28/12: Affordable Care Act ruled constitutional
6/26/12: APUA campaign to strengthen FDA draft Guidance #213: 16 days left!
6/20/12: APUA Newsletter Vol.30 No.1 quoted in The Lancet
6/19/12: The human microbiome: bacteria as an ecosystem, not a war zone
6/13/12: APUA campaign to strengthen FDA draft Guidance #213
6/7/12: Antibiotic ointments used inappropriately in prisons as lip balm and hair grease
6/6/12: Zinc supplements reduce antibiotic failure by 40%
6/4/12: Chipotle backs stronger FDA regulations

May 2012
5/27/12: Financial Times article: "Public health: Raised resistance"
5/12/12: Natural antimicrobial peptide found in water buffalo could treat mastitis in dairy cattle
5/14/12: Representatives Markey and Slaughter confront FDA about potential link between ethanol byproducts in animal feed and antibiotic resistance
5/8/12: APUA sponsors national stakeholder meeting on antibiotic use in food animals
5/7/12: Nanoparticles might be the key to targeting drug-resistant bacteria with large doses of antibiotics
5/2/12: Supermoms Against Superbugs Advocacy Day

April 2012
4/19/12: More than 100 types of drug-resistant bacteria found in 4-million-year-old cave
4/17/12: APUA article in The Scientist: "Antibiotics in the animals we eat"
4/11/12: Low levels of common antibiotics found in distillery grain, added to animal feed
4/2/12: IDSA tesimony before the House Subcommittee on Health proposing new drug approval mechanism

March 2012
3/30/12: FDA ordered to finalize withdrawal of approval for tetracyclines and penicillins in animal feed
3/21/12: WHO: "End of modern medicine"
3/12/12: CDC campaign to stop C. difficile infections
3/8/12: IDSA's new drug approval approach
3/7/12: 2010 Retail Meat Report: % and complexity of antibiotic resistance rising

February 2012
2/27/12: 60% of treatments against ESBL-producing bacteria are inadequate
2/21/12: MRSA may spread from livestock to humans
2/16/12: Antibiotics not effective in treating sinus infections
2/15/12: Gonorrhea developing resistance to cephalosporins, could become untreatable
2/14/12: Progress in developing a Salmonella vaccine
2/9/12: U.K. designates £500,000 for research into ESBL-producing bacteria
2/2/12: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in 37 U.S. states

January 2012
1/30/12: Mathematical modeling to optimize antibiotic treatment duration
1/24/12: Cross-resistance could make bacteria resistant to human innate immune system
1/23/12: Center for a Livable Future: more FDA action needed on cephalosporins
1/18/12: Latest market research report on state of the antibiotic development pipeline
1/17/12: Reversing drug resistance through gene transfer from bacteriophages
1/13/12: Totally resistant tuberculosis
1/5/12: APUA applauds FDA restriction on extra-label uses of cephalosporins
1/3/12: FDA withdraws petition to regulate tetracyclines and penicillins

December 2011
12/21/11: Drug-resistant Salmonella outbreak
12/20/11: CDC recommends new regimen for treating latent TB (here)
12/19/11: Experts call for review of penicillin dosage in children
12/15/11: "All-natural" meat business and calls for antibiotic-free meat
12/14/11: Evaluation of rapid screening tests for MRSA
12/13/11: Bacteriophage liquid cleanser could be cheap way to prevent at antibiotic resistance
12/7/11: Sewage wastewater contributes to antibiotic resistance
12/6/11: New skin anti-infective AgaDerm effective against virulent MRSA
12/5/11: Resistance lingers for years after farms stop using antibiotics
12/1/11: Innovative Medicines Initiative targets public/private collaboration to spur drug development

November 2011
11/30/11: Low-nutrient environments increase resistance in bacteria
11/29/11: Synthetic compound BU-005 blocks resistance mechanisms in drug-resistant bacteria (study)
11/28/11: Antibiotic resistance spreading across Europe prompts offerings of up to 350 million euro for drug development research
11/21/11: APUA article in Clinical Microbiology Reviews: antibiotic resistance can start in aquaculture
11/18/11: CDC Get Smart Week: "Resistance anywhere is resistance everywhere"
11/17/11: CDC Get Smart Week: "Preserving antibiotics for the future"
11/16/11: CDC Get Smart Week: "Antibiotic stewardship - the ultimate return on investment"
11/15/11: CDC Get Smart Week: "Delivering safe care for patients - all healthcare providers play a role"
11/14/11: CDC Get Smart Week: "Antibiotics - will they work when you really need them?"
11/10/11: FDA denies two petitions to ban certain antibiotics (FDA response here)
11/9/11: Leech-like Micavibrio could act as living antibiotic
11/8/11: N. gonorrhoeae growing more drug-resistant (study here)
11/7/11: Antibiotic prescribing in ambulatory pediatrics in the U.S.
11/1/11: 473 public schools in Chicago now serving antibiotic-free chicken to students

October 2011
10/28/11: Bacteriophages can transfer resistance genes between bacteria
10/19/11: World's most advanced malaria vaccine (RTS,S) in Phase 3 clinical trials
10/13/11: Efforts intensified to prevent spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites
10/12/11: WHO Western Pacific Region adopts six-point policy package to fight drug resistance
10/11/11: Study of 31 European countries finds that resistant infections cost 62 million euro ($92.8 million) in 2007
10/10/11: Antivirulence drugs instead of antibiotic drugs - could they prevent evolution of resistance?(Read the paper here)
10/6/11: China cracking down on illegal sales of antibiotics

September 2011
9/22/11: TATFAR releases its recommendations for collaboration between the U.S. and EU in fighting resistance
9/21/11: "ResistanceMap" launched by CDDEP shows that the U.S. has the highest rates of MRSA and VRE
9/7/11: U.S. GAO report warns that agencies have made limited progress in addressing antibiotic use in food animals
9/6/11: WHO (Southeast Asia Region) adopts the Jaipur Declaration to fight antimicrobial resistance

August 2011
8/22/11: Investigators at MGH develop noninvasive probe to detect abnormal growths of S. aureus
8/19/11: Rise of antibiotic resistant Salmonella in dairy production in developing world
8/19/11: Dr. Stuart Levy quoted in Huffington Post article that attacks factory farming
8/16/11: Harmless E. coli strain engineered to destroy deadly pathogen P. aeruginosa
8/16/11: Antimicrobial resistance falls dramatically on poultry farms that go organic
8/16/11: XF-73 drug that prevents emergence of resistance enters clinical trials

July 2011
7/25/11: Emergence of cephalosporin-resistant strains of Shigella dysenteriae
7/25/11: Dr. Stuart Levy in The Boston Globe: "The end of the era of antibiotics"
7/20/11: Diagnostics: glowing white blood cells distinguish between viral vs. bacterial infections
7/20/11: Diagnostics: MDI's Detect-Ready can distinguish MRSA and MSSA
7/20/11: S. aureus carries the low-cost multidrug resistance gene cfr
7/14/11: Hot tea and coffee may be linked to lower levels of resistant bacteria
7/14/11: Treatment alternative to antibiotics: bacteriophages
7/14/11: Mutation in single gene found to confer resistance to daptomycin (Cubicin)
7/11/11: Emergence of cephalosporin-resistant strain of gonorrhea
7/11/11: Nanopolymer "shield" allows antibiotic to target resistant bacteria while remaining harmless to body
7/7/11: Artificial synthesis of antibiotic tetracyclines may drive development of novel drugs
7/6/11: $10 million partnership between Sanofi and Rib-X Pharmaceuticals to develop novel drugs against resistant bacteria
7/6/11: C. difficile outbreak in Niagara region
7/5/11: Huge discrepancy in NIH funding for HIV/AIDS research vs. funding for antibiotic resistance research
7/5/11: Copper surfaces in ICU's effective against bacteria that cause healthcare-associated infections
7/5/11: Fast and easy detection of carbapenem-resistant bacteria7/1/11: Potential for non-antibiotic treatment of osteomyelitis caused by S. aureus
7/1/11: Merck approved to market anti-MRSA drug Cubicin in Japan

June 2011
6/30/11: World HAI Forum calls for universal charter on good antibiotic stewardship
6/30/11: TACD forum demands total ban on non-therapeutic use of antibiotics on farm animals and crops
6/30/11: Multidrug-resistant bacteria found in 80% of Dutch poultry
6/29/11: Silver wound dressings to combat increased antimicrobial resistance
6/29/11: Resistant strain of scarlet fever causes epidemic in HK
6/28/11: Ohio drug startup focused on MRSA infection
6/27/11: FDA announces upcoming NARMS meeting
6/24/11: Why the German E. Coli outbreak was so deadly
6/23/11: E. coli outbreak was caused by mix of two deadly strains
6/22/11: Lawrence Livermore National Lab identifies new bacteriophage proteins to combat resistant bacteria
6/21/11: World MRSA Day to fight against denial and inaction
6/20/11: PAMTA introduced in Senate as a bipartisan bill to address antibiotic use in animal feed
6/16/11: Suspected horse-to-human transmission of MRSA ST398
6/15/11: GAIN Act introduced in House as a bipartisan bill to combat the rise of drug-resistant infections
6/14/11: Cheap meningitis vaccine has success in West Africa for 50 cents/dose
6/9/11: E. coli death toll rises further in Germany
6/8/11: Rarer E. coli strains causing more illnesses in the U.S.
6/7/11: WHO: time running out to counter E. Coli outbreak
6/3/11: U.S. scientists question use of antibiotics against E. Coli in Europe
6/2/11: Rare strain causes deadliest modern outbreak of E. coli
6/1/11: Study finds fire stations contaminated with MRSA

May 2011
5/31/11: Potentially dangerous bacteria found on patients' cell phones
5/30/11: First instance of NDM-1 superbug in Canada
5/26/11: Antibiotics in animal feed encourage emergence of superbugs: NRDC files lawsuit against FDA
5/25/11: UCSF studies examine antibiotic prescribing patterns for children
5/24/11: Diagnostic test identifies new form of drug-resistant Staphylococcus, hVISA
5/23/11: Children with asthma often prescribed unnecessary antibiotics
5/20/11: Drugs unable to keep up with resistant bacteria
5/19/11: Early antibiotics may increase risk of asthma
5/17/11: Handful of biotech companies leading efforts to develop antibiotics against drug-resistant pathogens
5/17/11: Wall Street Journal: antibiotics in livestock feed raises concerns
5/17/11: Growing bed bug problem fuel fears
5/13/11: Dr. David Wallinga: MRSA in bedbugs and meat
5/12/11: Fighting antibiotic resistance in livestock and pets
5/11/11: GAIN Act seeks to improve antibiotic stewardship, incentivize new antibiotic development
5/10/11: First one-day susceptibility test for diagnosis of deadly bacteria
5/3/11: Drug-resistant tuberculosis spreads in Europe
5/2/11: To battle superbugs, re-incentivize antibiotic R&D

April 2011
4/29/11: Breakthrough findings in study of superbug MRSA
4/27/11: New killer NDM-1 superbugs pose world threat
4/26//11: ReAct: focus on surveillance efforts
4/25/11: New study adds to concerns about animal-to-human transfer of antibiotic resistance
4/22/11: Report calls for a global switch to more effective anti-malarial drugs
4/19/11: Antibiotic resistant bacteria found in 8% of children in Taiwan
4/18/11: Mandatory training sought to combat resistant bacteria
4/15/11: U.S. meat, poultry contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria
4/13/11: Superbugs may have found their match in manuka bees
4/12/11: "The endless struggle": editorial in The Lancet devoted to antibiotic resistance
4/8/11:  WHO calls for action on superbugs
4/7/11: IDSA calls for broad attack on antimicrobial resistance
4/3/11:  Research warns of overuse of powerful classes of antibiotics: carbapenems and fluoroquinolones
4/1/11:  Report: antibiotic pipeline woefully thin

March 2011
3/31/11: What can be done about the rising risk of antibiotic resistance?
3/29/11: Early and appropriate antibiotic treatment Is essential for children with suspected pneumonia
3/28/11: Resistant pathogens are troubling considerations for patients with healthcare-associated pneumonia
3/26/11: California state health officials comment on superbugs
3/24/11: World TB Day
3/21/11: A guide to smarter, safer antibiotics
3/17/11: USDA and CDC: hog farmers overuse antibiotics
3/16/11: Antibiotic use reduced by over 12% in the Netherlands
3/14/11: Funds to cut hospital-acquired infections
3/10/11: British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy takes action on MRSA
3/9/11: Pew applauds introduction of Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA)
3/7/11: Carbapenem-resistant bacteria infections increase
3/2/11: "ResistanceMap" tracks rise in superbugs

February 2011
2/24/11: Researchers characterize pump that bacteria use to resist antibiotics
2/22/11: WHO publishes "Antimicrobial Resistance Fact Sheet"
2/15/11: Bans on antimicrobial use could hit U.S. poultry exports
2/13/11: New system may cut years off development time of new antibiotics
2/10/11: Supermarket chicken harbours superbugs: CBC
2/9/11: Race against time to develop new antibiotics
2/4/11: How much do antibiotics contribute to the spread of resistant bacteria when used on the farm?
2/3/11: New superbugs resist most powerful antibiotics
2/1/11: Livermore lab kills antibiotic resistant bacteria with their own genes
2/1/11: Fight against antimicrobial resistance recruiting new agents

January 2011
1/28/11: Superbugs from swine: antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in flies, roaches on hog farms
1/25/11: Center for Science in the Public Interest: antibiotic-resistant bacteria has emerged as a foodborne hazard
1/24/11: FDA 2011-2015 Plan for National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring
1/20/11: A new culprit: antibiotics
1/17/11: Researchers unzip MRSA and discover route for vaccine
1/16/11: Zinc may help ward off pneumonia in elderly
1/14/11: Predatory bacteria may help control antibiotic-resistant pathogens
1/7/11: EPA cited for ineffective regulation of antimicrobials
1/6/11: IDSA publishes first MRSA guidelines

2010

December 2010

December 2010
WHO endorses test for rapid molecular detection of TB

December 21, 2010
House Passes Food Safety Bill
December 21, 2010
Pew: Approval of Landmark Legislation Will Limit Dangers in the U.S Food Supply
December 20, 2010
FDA Reveals How Many Antibiotics Factory Farms Really Use
December 17, 2010
CDC Issues 2010 Treatment Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Diseases
December 13, 2010
FDA Releases First Estimate on Antibiotics in Agriculture-29 million pounds!

November 2010

November 24, 2010
Dr. Anthony Fauci, NIAID Director, speaks about increasing number of antibiotic resistant diseases; Congressman Phil Gingrey discusses his legislation to increase the number of antibiotics in the pipeline - C-SPAN

November 5, 2010
Antibiotics Research Subsidies Weighed by U.S.

November 4, 2010
Common Antibacterial Agent Could Cause Pregnancy Issues

October 2010

October 16, 2010
Sequencing of superbugs seen as key to combating their spread- Nature Medicine Journal article

October 7, 2010
MA Dept. Public Health will survey hospitals to measure incidence of NDM-1 bacterium in MA

October 7, 2010
MRSA hits lobstermen in Maine

October 6, 2010
FDA strengthens its focus on antibiotic resistance

August 2010

August 11, 2010
Scientists find new superbug spreading from India

June 2010

June 14, 2010
A new report, The Race Against Drug Resistance, from the Center for Global Development says there is a need for urgent action to tackle the growing crisis of drug resistance.

April 2010

April 14, 2010
Keep Antibiotics Working, IDSA, APHA, The Pew Charitable Trusts, UCS sponsor Capital Hill Briefings titled "Antibiotic Use on the Farm and Public Health: A Looming Crisis."

April 1, 2010
Interagency Action Plan Public Comment from APUA

March 2010

March 16, 2010
Read APUA's letters to Representative Obey and Senator Harkin on the CDC's budget cuts for antimicrobial resistance programs.

March 15, 2010
Outwitting germs that never say die

March 6, 2010
Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times on superbugs and antibiotics in farm animal production

March 2010
Duets beyond music: tackling the flu, seasonal and pandemic vaccines

February

February 12, 2010
Cost of Antibiotic Resistance Shifting from Public to Private Payers

February 9, 2010
Katie Couric discusses the overuse of antibiotics in animals and human health (See Story) and Denmark's case for banning growth-promoting antibiotics (See Story)

January 2010

January 25, 2010
APUA Letter to Rep. Markey RE: triclosan

January 20, 2010
WebMD: Relapses in C. diff infections reduced

January 19, 2010
Infection follows disaster in Haiti

Oct 9, 2007
A CIPARS study provided data to stakeholders leading to a voluntary withdrawal in Québec chicken hatcheries of the extra-label use of ceftiofur

June 17, 2007
Antibiotics in Failing Health

June 13, 2007
Cefquinome: When Regulation Collides With Biology

June 7, 2007
Strange But True: Antibacterial Products May Do More Harm Than Good

June 5, 2007
Specialists to Say Drug-Resistant TB to Occur More

March 27, 2007
MSF Data Shows Drug-Resistant TB Treatment Succeeds in Barely Half of All Patients

March 26, 2007
C. difficile Cases in Hospital Wards Reduced with Use of Narrow Spectrum Antibiotics

March 20, 2007
Hold the Pickles and the Penicillin: Leading Food-Service Company to Serve Antibiotic Free Hamburgers Nationwide

March 20, 2007
Bon Appetit Management Co. Stays Ahead of the Curve, Naturally

March 20, 2007
Rise of Deadly TB Reveals a Global System in Crisis

March 6, 2007
New Antibiotic Now Available to Battle MRSa in Canadian Hospitals

March 4, 2007
FDA Rules Override Warnings About Drug

March 4, 2007
Household Antibacterial Products Can Be Dangerous

March 1, 2007
Genome Sequence Shows What Makes Bacteria Dangerous for Troops in Iraq

February 27, 2007
Majority of South Africans with HIV Have Drug-Resistant TB

February 26, 2007
CROI: Urgent Action Needed to Avert 'Catastrophic' Drug-Resistant TB Epidemic

February 25, 2007
Hospitals' Hidden Danger

February 22, 2007
Swimming 'To The Left' Gets Bacteria Upstream and May Promote Infection

February 21, 2007
Transmitted TB Resistance High in Shanghai

February 8, 2007
Doctors Say Superbug Battle is Winnable

February 8, 2007
Antibiotic Overuse Does Make Microbes Resistant

February 2007
The Invisible Enemy in Iraq

February 6, 2007
No Reliable Risk Factors Found for CA-MRSA

February 6, 2007
Anti-MRSA Pajamas Trialled

January 27, 2007
Virulent TB in South Africa May Imperil Millions

January 23, 2007
New Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Cases Appearing in South Africa

January 18, 2007
Staph Toxin Can Trigger Deadly Pneumonia

January 15, 2007
Researchers Discover Surprising Drug that Blocks Malaria

2006

December 25, 2006
Hospital Infections Kill 10,000 per Year- UK

November 28, 2006
Roche Says Tamiflu Resistance Fears Unfounded

November 27, 2006
Antibiotic Indulgence: Misuse of a Miracle

November 25, 2006
The Arms Race in Hand Soap Leads to Serious Overkill

November 20, 2006
One Preop Antibiotic is as Good as Several Postop

November 20, 2006
Skip the Antibacterial Soap

November 19, 2006
New Treatment Uses Human Antibodies to Target C. difficile Toxins

November 14, 2006
To Catch a Deadly Germ

November 2, 2006
Prior Hopital Room Occupants: A Source of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

November 14, 2006
HIV/AIDS Linked to Extensive Drug Resistant TB

November 7, 2006
Most Ear Infections Host Both Bacteria and Viruses

October 31, 2006
Superbug Vaccine Shows Promise

October 24, 2006
Why Isn't the US Killing Off More Hospital Infections?

October 23, 2006
Antibiotic Resistance Genes Found in Colorado River Water

October 20, 2006
Prevalence of Drug Resistant Microbes in Hospitals Can Be Reduced

October 18, 2006
Deadly XDR-TB Found in All Nine Provinces of South Africa

October 14, 2006
Increased Levels of Antibiotic Resistance in Gonorrhea, UK

October 13, 2006
Antibiotics in Poultry May Pose Risk to Humans

October 3, 2006
Carbapenems Still Effective Against Most Microbial Isolates: MYSTIC Data Presented at ICAAC

September 26, 2006
Utilizing a Natural Enemy to Kill E. coli

August 28, 2006
Scientists Find Anthrax 'Blocker'

August 29, 2006
Protein Structure Reveals New Antibiotic Treatment

August 24, 2006
Sick of Getting Sick? Embrace Your Inner Bacteria

August 21, 2006
Skin Scourge- Boston Globe

August 19, 2006
Study Finds MRSA Most Common Cause of Skin Infections in US ERs

August 19, 2006
Staph Infection Outbreak in Duluth Prison

August 7, 2006
UK Grants Support Antibiotic Resistance Research

August 3, 2006
1 in 3 Patients Initially Receive Inappropriate Treatment for MRSA Infection

August 3, 2006
Washington Redskins Take Precautions Against MRSA

August 2, 2006
Pittsburgh VA Cracking Down on MRSA

August 1, 2006
Resistant Hospital Acquired Pneumonia Doubly Lethal

July 26, 2006
Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Joins Battle Against Antibiotic Resistance

July 25, 2006
More than 51,000 UK Patients Over Age 65 Catch C. difficile per Year

July 24, 2006
Inadequate Hospital hand Hygiene is Spreading MRSA

July 11, 2006
Bulky Biofilms Found in Kid's Ears

July 10, 2006
Performance Measures May Lead to Overuse of Antibiotics

July 2, 2006
Seafloor as Potential Source of New Antibiotics

June 25, 2006
How Clostridium difficile can evade attack

June 23, 2006
MRSA Infections Have Been Linked to Illegal Tattoos

June 17 , 2006
Houseflies in Restaurants Carry Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

April 18, 2006
Fishtanks: A Reservoir of Multi Drug Resistant Salmonella

March 14, 2006
Baby Antibiotics 'Link to Asthma'

2005

Drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii bacterial infections rising in American military
August 4, 2005
Health providers have detected unexpectedly high rates of infection by drug-resistantAcinetobacter baumannii, a hardy, common bacterium, in American military personnel wounded in Iraq. A. baumannii carry natural drug resistance genes, in addition to developing resistance under antibiotic selective pressure. Because A. baumannii are able to survive on surfaces for up to 20 days, they pose a high risk of spread and contamination in hospitals, potentially putting immune-compromised and other patients at risk for costly and often deadly drug resistant infections. As more infected soldiers return from abroad, there is mounting concern for the possible implications for the U.S. health care system and the Veterans Affairs system in particular.

For more information please see:

Troops in Iraq Bring Resistant Bacteria Home. The New York Times, August 4, 2005
Acinetobacter baumannii Infections Among Patients at Military Medical Facilities Treating Injured U.S. Service Members, 2002-2004. CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report November 14, 2004

APUA GAARD Report Published in CID
August 3, 2005

The 2005 Report of the Global Advisory on Antibiotic Resistance Data (GAARD), entitled"Global Antimicrobial Resistance Alerts and Implications" has been published as a supplement to Clinical Infectious Diseases, 15 August 2005, Volume 41. The report provides a uniquely comprehensive view of drug resistance patterns across the major infectious diseases by combining findings from diverse international surveillance systems run by the world's leading infectious disease experts. The document focuses on the most troubling and urgent infectious disease threats whose cures are imperiled by antimicrobial resistance: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, gonorrhea, pneumonia, and hospital-associated infections. See full report or learn more about the GAARD project.

FDA Bans Use of Enrofloxacin (Baytril) in Poultry!
July 28, 2005

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is no longer allowing the use of the Cipro-like antimicrobial enrofloxacin for treating bacterial infections in poultry. Enrofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that is marketed by Bayer Corporation as Baytril. This represents the first time that the FDA has withdrawn the use of an animal drug due to concerns about emergence of antimicrobial resistance and its human health impact. Read the FDA’s Press Release and Final Decision. Also see APUA’s Ecology Program for more details.

APUA Sponsors Congressional Staff Briefing on Capitol Hill
July 19, 2005

Presentations

Antimicrobial Resistance in Hospitals: Lack of Effective Treatment for Gram Negative Bacilli and the Rise of Resistant Clostridium difficile Infections by Dale N. Gerding, MD, Chair, National and Global Public Health Committee, Infectious Diseases Society of America
Antibiotic Resistance: Strategic Solutions by Gordon W. Grundy, MD, Regional Medical Director - Northeast Region - Aetna Inc.
Save Antibiotic Strength Health Plans Address the Challenge of Antibiotic Resistance by Robert Scalettar, MD, Chair of the Coalition for Affordable Quality Health Care Save Antibiotics Strength Initiative

Drug-resistant staph infections cited outside hospitals - Boston Globe
April 7, 2005

Expert call for radical action on superbugs - Manchester Guardian
February 10, 2005

2004

Release of Antibiotic Policies: Theory and Practice, edited by Ian Gould and J.W. van der Meer. Preface written by Stuart Levy and a chapter on Antibiotic Policies in the Developing World written by Anibal Sosa.
See excerpt from the book.

2003

2003 Annual Leadership Award Reception
Sept 15, 2003
The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics (APUA) honored McDonald's Corporation and scientists at the Danish Veterinary Institute at its 2003 Annual Leadership Award Reception, held at the 43rd International Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Chicago.
See the complete press release.

Drug-Free Food
July 14, 2003
By Valerie Reitman, LA Times Staff Writer
McDonald's decision to remove antibiotics from meat products could be an effective weapon in the fight to prevent drug resistance. For nearly half a century, farmers have been feeding poultry and some livestock the same antibiotics - penicillin, tetracycline, bacitracin - used to treat sick human beings. See the complete article.

SARS --Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
April, 2003
The recent epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, underscores the increasingly global nature of infectious disease and the need for international public health vigilance. Having emerged in November 2002 in southern China's Guangdong province, the deadly illness has since spread to Asia, Europe, and North America.

For current information on SARS: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
World Health Organization
Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR, China
Ministry of Health, Singapore
Health Canada:

New Wave of Community MRSA in Boston and in San Francisco Alarms Doctors.
March 5th, 2003
APUA is concerned to see the recent reports of methicillin resistant Staph aureus (MRSA) appearing in patients in communities and in community hospitals in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Boston. This finding is further evidence of the emergence and threat of a critically important resistance problem in the community which was previously primarily faced in tertiary care settings. Clearly, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in the community is the major contributing force. APUA through its GAARD and ROAR programs, aims to find ways to identify an incipient resistance problem before it occurs and to recommend appropriate interventions to prevent the resistance problem from emerging and spreading in the community. For now, we must continue to encourage the prudent use of antibiotics for common bacterially-caused illnesses. See the San Francisco Chronicle article

FDA issues Final Rule on Labeling Requirements for Systemic Antibacterial Drug Products Intended for Human Use.
February 5, 2003

2002

Second confirmed case of Vancomycin-resistant S. aureus in the US
October 11, 2002
see the CDC report.

Curb farm antibiotics
August 29, 2002
Panel recommends restricting drugs used on livestock as fears of risk to humans increase See the full article

Experts Issue Report to Health Canada on Use of Antimicrobials in Food Animals June, 2002
An Advisory Committee, represented by a wide range of experts and stakeholders submitted its consensus report, Uses of Antimicrobials in Food Animals in Canada:
Impact on Resistance and Human Health, to Canada in June 2002.
The Report was made available to the public in September. The Committee made 38 recommendations for actions by public health officials, veterinary professional organizations or industry to better protect the health and interests of Canadians.

Vancomycin-resistant S. aureus in the US
July 5, 2002
In 1996, the first case of reduced susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus to vancomycin was reported in Japan. In July 2002, the CDC reported the first case of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus in the US (vancomycin MIC >32 µg/mL). The CDC cautions that "The emergence of VRSA underscores the need for programs to prevent the spread of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms and control the use of anti-microbial drugs in health-care settings." See the CDC report.

Decline in antibiotic prescribing reported
June 19, 2002
Antibiotic prescriptions for children have decreased dramatically in the US over eleven years. A survey conducted by the CDC of office-based physicians shows that antibiotic prescriptions for children under 15 years-old decreased from 46 million to 30 million from 1989 to 2000. The number of visits to physicians' offices remained constant during that time. The study found specific declines in prescriptions for pharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infection; however, prescribing rates for sinusitis did not change. The original study is published in JAMA 2002, 287:3096-3102. See also the CDC press releaseand an article in the Washington Post.

Strep throat bacteria show resistance to antibiotics
April 17, 2002
A recent study from the U.S. reports an outbreak of Group A Streptococci (GAS) that are resistant to erythromycin, an antibiotic commonly used to treat strep throat. GAS are the most common cause of strep throat, a disease that can lead to rheumatic fever in a small percentage of patients. In a study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, 48% of throat cultures from schoolchildren containing GAS were resistant to erythromycin.

Alerted by this unusual outbreak in the school in Pittsburgh, PA, the researchers gathered similar data from the surrounding Pittsburgh community. Of 100 throat cultures containing GAS, 38% of them were resistant to erythromycin. This study suggests that erythromycin-resistant strep throat infections may be more widespread than is commonly acknowledged. The original study was published in NEJM 2002 Vol 346, No 16, pgs 1200-1206.

2001

Pharmacy at U. Pennsylvania Restricts Antibiotic Sales
October 16, 2001
In response to the ongoing stockpiling of antibiotics, the pharmacy at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is restricting sales of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, doxycycline and amoxicillin in the outpatient pharmacy. All prescriptions for these agents must include an indication to justify use. Only a 10-day supply of antibiotics will be dispensed; however, proven infections requiring longer courses of therapy will be handled on an individual basis. Prescriptions for personal stockpiles will not be filled. The University of Pennsylvania adopted this policy to be proactive, to prevent depletion of existing stores of antibiotics, and to reduce the sense of paranoia and alarm concerning the hospital's antibiotic supply.
This action by the pharmacy at the Univ. of Pennsylvania is in keeping with therecommendations of Dr. Stuart Levy, President of APUA, that third party payers and pharmacists should not dispense ciprofloxacin or other antibiotics without a specific indication for their use.

WHO Global Strategy September, 2001
To combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its first Global Strategy for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance. APUA developed one of the technical documents supporting the WHO Global Strategy,Antibiotic resistance: synthesis of recommendations by expert policy groups.

AMA Recommends Restricting Antibiotic Use in Animals June 2001
The policy making group of the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a resolution at its 2001 annual meeting opposing the sub therapeutic uses of antimicrobials in animal agriculture and called for regulations to support this stance. The AMA resolution says that almost 80% of antimicrobial use in agriculture is for growth promotion, as pesticides, or prophylactic (disease prevention). The resolution notes that this prolonged low-level use of antimicrobials is likely to promote the development of resistance. The resolution states that the increase of antimicrobial resistance is a threat to human health.

The Animal Health Institute (AHI) responded with a statement saying that the AMA's resolution was too sweeping and was "an ineffective solution to addressing antibiotic resistance." In particular, the AHI says that there is little scientific evidence indicating a transfer of antibiotic resistance from animals to humans. The AHI advocates additional efforts into research and monitoring antimicrobial resistance.

The Antibiotic Resistance Act of 2001 May 15, 2001
On May 9, Rep. Sherrod Brown, (D. Ohio) introduced HR 1771, the Antibiotic Resistance Act of 2001. (The version appended here is the one that was introduced, despite its not having a bill number nor cosponsors listed on the bill.)
This bill seeks funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to implement the priority items in the Federal Government's Interagency Action Plan, adopted in January 2001. The bill pertains only to DHHS agencies. The bill begins with a list of findings and then includes the priority action items.
Rep. Brown is the Ranking Minority Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health. The Chairman of the Subcommittee, Rep. Bilikraus, (R. Florida), joined in support of the bill.
At a press conference announcing the bill, Rep. Brown was joined by other Members of Congress -- Rep. Slaughter (NY)(a microbiologist), Rep. Waxman (CA) (former chair of House Committee on Energy and Commerce), Rep. Ganske (Iowa)(a physician), Rep. Pallone, and Rep. Greene.
Other cosponsors of the bill included: Rep. John Dingel, Ranking Member, Energy and Commerce (Michigan), Rep. DeGette (Colorado), Rep. Jones (Ohio), Rep. Kildee (Michigan), Rep. Towns (NY), Rep. Lee (California), Rep. Filner (CA), Rep. Capuano (MA), and Rep. Kucinich (Ohio).
Last year the Science Committee in the House expressed interest in holding hearings on antibiotic resistance and one possibility is that this Committee might hold a hearing on this bill sometime during the summer.
If you have questions on the bill, please contact Earl Seeley, staff to Rep. Brown, orBarbara Souder at APUA.

Five Patients Show Resistance to Linezolid, a Novel Antibiotic April, 2001
As the first structurally different antibiotic introduced in almost 3 decades, Linezolid held, and still holds, great promise as a powerful new drug for treating difficult infections. However, the emergence of resistance to this new antibiotic in 5 patients, recently reported in The Lancet (vol. 354:1179 April 14, 2001), undermines confidence in its continued efficacy. All five patients received the drug for prolonged periods of time (21-40 days). The findings again demonstrate that long-term use of a single antibiotic increases the chance for emergence of strains bearing resistance. A major lesson is that any new antibiotic can quickly become ineffective due to resistance in patients undergoing chronic long-term use. New classes of antibiotics are needed to fight these resistant infections.

US Interagency Action Plan Jan. 18, 2001
The US Department of Health and Human Services released its Interagency Action Plan for fighting antimicrobial resistance. The Action Plan sets priorities and deadlines for ten US agencies and departments in the following areas: 1) surveillance, 2) prevention and control, 3) research, and 4) product development. These four areas contain 84 action items, including 13 priority action steps considered essential to addressing antimicrobial resistance. Of these 13 priorities, seven are already underway, and six are planned to begin within the next one to two years.

Antibiotic Resistance in the News (Older)