New Delhi: Healthy adults who eat a diverse diet, with at least 8-10 grams of soluble fibre such as grains, beans, lentils, nuts and some fruits and vegetables daily, have fewer antibiotic-resistant microbes in their guts, according to a study.Microbes that have resistance to various commonly-used antibiotics such as tetracycline and aminoglycoside are a significant source of risk for people worldwide, with the widely held expectation that the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) - the term that refers to bacteria, viruses, and fungi that are resistant to antibiotics - is likely to worsen throughout the coming decades.Antimicrobial resistance in people is largely based in their gut microbiome, where the microbes are known to carry genetically encoded strategies to survive contact with antibiotics."And the results lead directly to the idea that modifying the diet has the potential to be a new weapon in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. And we're not talking about eating some exotic diet either, but a diverse diet, adequate in fibre," said research molecular biologist Danielle Lemay at the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service.In the study, published in the journal mBio, the researchers found that regularly eating a diet with higher levels of fibre and lower levels of protein, especially from beef and pork, was significantly correlated with lower levels of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) among their gut microbes.Those with the lowest levels of ARG in their gut microbiomes also had a greater abundance of strict anaerobic microbes, which are bacteria that do not thrive when oxygen is present and are a hallmark of a healthy gut with low inflammation. Bacterial species in the family Clostridiaceae were the most numerous anaerobes found.But the amount of animal protein in the diet was not a top predictor of high levels of ARG. The strongest evidence was for the association of higher amounts of soluble fibre in the diet with lower levels of ARGs."Surprisingly, the most important predictor of low levels of ARG, even more than fibre, was the diversity of the diet. This suggests that we may want to eat from diverse sources of foods that tend to be higher in soluble fibre for maximum benefit," Lemay added.On the other hand, those people who had the highest levels of ARG in their gut microbiomes were found to have significantly less diverse gut microbiomes compared to groups with low and medium levels of ARG."Our diets provide food for gut microbes. This all suggests that what we eat might be a solution to reduce antimicrobial resistance by modifying the gut microbiome," Lemay said. —IANS

Healthy adults who eat a diverse diet, with at least 8-10 grams of soluble fibre such as grains, beans, lentils, nuts and some fruits and vegetables daily, have fewer antibiotic-resistant microbes in their guts, according to a study.

High-Fibre Rich Diet Can Help Fight Antibiotic Resistance

New York: The more antibiotics are prescribed to patients 60 and older, the more likely they were to develop inflammatory bowel disease, suggests a team of researchers. According to the review of 2.3 million patient records in a study selected for presentation at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2022, antibiotic use could explain some of the growth in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in older people. "In older adults, we think that environmental factors are more important than genetics," said researchers Adam S. Faye from NYU Grossman School of Medicine in the US."When you look at younger patients with new diagnoses of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, there's generally a strong family history. But that is not the case in older adults, so it's really something in the environment that is triggering it," Faye added. Using Denmark's national database, which includes nearly all medical records for residents, researchers reviewed prescribing records for people aged 60 and older who were newly diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease from 2000 to 2018.The study looked at the number of courses of antibiotics prescribed, how recently they had been prescribed in relation to the diagnosis and specific classes of antibiotics used.The study found any antibiotic use was associated with higher rates of inflammatory bowel disease, and the risk went up substantially with each course. After one prescription, patients were 27 per cent more likely than those with no antibiotic use to be diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. With two courses, the risk rose by 55 per cent and with three courses, it rose by 67 per cent. With four courses, risk rose by 96 per cent; and with five or more, seniors were more than 2.3 times, or 236 per cent, more likely to receive a new inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis than those with no antibiotics in the previous five years.—IANS

 The more antibiotics are prescribed to patients 60 and older, the more likely they were to develop inflammatory bowel disease, suggests a team of researchers.

Antibiotic use linked to inflammatory bowel disease in older adults

Washington: According to a new study, plastic pollution may serve as a source for novel antibiotics in oceans.The study was published in the journal, 'American Society for Microbiology'. Scientists estimate between 5 and 13 million metric tons of plastic pollution enter the oceans each year, ranging from large floating debris to microplastics onto which microbes can form entire ecosystems. Plastic debris is rich in biomass, and therefore could be a good candidate for antibiotic production which tends to occur in highly competitive natural environments.To explore the potential of the plastisphere to be a source of novel antibiotics, the researchers modified the Tiny Earth citizen science approach (developed by Dr Jo Handelsman) to marine conditions. The researchers incubated high and low-density polyethene plastic (the type commonly seen in grocery bags) in the water near Scripps Pier in La Jolla, Calif. for 90 days. The researchers isolated 5 antibiotic-producing bacteria from ocean plastic, including strains of Bacillus, Phaeobacter and Vibrio. They tested the bacterial isolates against a variety of Gram-positive and negative targets, finding the isolates to be effective against commonly used bacteria as well as 2 antibiotic-resistant strains."Considering the current antibiotic crisis and the rise of superbugs, it is essential to look for alternative sources of novel antibiotics," said study lead author Andrea Price of National University."We hope to expand this project and further characterize the microbes and the antibiotics they produce," Andrea concluded. —ANI

According to a new study, plastic pollution may serve as a source for novel antibiotics in oceans.

Study Reveals Plastic Pollution In Ocean May Serve As Source For Antibiotics

New York: Bacteria causing typhoid fever are becoming increasingly resistant to some of the most important antibiotics for human health, according to a study published in The Lancet Microbe journal.The largest genome analysis of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) also reveals that resistant strains - almost all originating in South Asia - have spread to other countries nearly 200 times since 1990.Typhoid fever is a global public health concern, causing 11 million infections and more than 100,000 deaths per year. While it is most prevalent in South Asia - which accounts for 70 per cent of the global disease burden - it also has significant impacts in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, highlighting the need for a global response.Antibiotics can be used to successfully treat typhoid fever infections, but their effectiveness is threatened by the emergence of resistant S. Typhi strains. Researchers from Stanford University in the US performed whole-genome sequencing on 3,489 S. Typhi isolates obtained from blood samples collected between 2014 and 2019 from people in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan with confirmed cases of typhoid fever.A collection of 4,169 S. Typhi samples isolated from more than 70 countries between 1905 and 2018 was also sequenced and included in the analysis.Resistance-conferring genes in the 7,658 sequenced genomes were identified using genetic databases. Strains were classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR) if they contained genes giving resistance to classical front-line antibiotics ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The team also traced the presence of genes conferring resistance to macrolides and quinolones, which are among the most critically important antibiotics for human health.Since 2000, MDR S. Typhi has declined steadily in Bangladesh and India, and remained low in Nepal (less than 5 per cent of Typhoid strains), though it has increased slightly in Pakistan. However, these are being replaced by strains resistant to other antibiotics. For example, gene mutations giving resistance to quinolones have arisen and spread at least 94 times since 1990, with nearly all of these (97 per cent) originating in South Asia.Quinolone-resistant strains accounted for more than 85 per cent of S. Typhi in Bangladesh by the early 2000s, increasing to more than 95 per cent in India, Pakistan, and Nepal by 2010.Mutations causing resistance to azithromycin - a widely used macrolide antibiotic - have emerged at least seven times in the past 20 years. In Bangladesh, strains containing these mutations emerged around 2013, and since then their population size has steadily increased. The findings add to recent evidence of the rapid rise and spread of S. Typhi strains resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, another class of antibiotics critically important for human health."The speed at which highly-resistant strains of S. Typhi have emerged and spread in recent years is a real cause for concern, and highlights the need to urgently expand prevention measures, particularly in countries at greatest risk. At the same time, the fact resistant strains of S. Typhi has spread internationally so many times also underscores the need to view typhoid control, and antibiotic resistance more generally, as a global rather than local problem," said lead author Dr Jason Andrews at Stanford.&nbsp;—IANS

Bacteria causing typhoid fever are becoming increasingly resistant to some of the most important antibiotics for human health, according to a study published in The Lancet Microbe journal.

Typhoid Bacteria Increasingly Resistant To Essential Antibiotics: Lancet

Bristol: Recent studies have linked germs that are resistant to vitally needed antibiotics to the feeding of raw meat to pet dogs.The findings of the research were published in the 'Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy'.Two studies led by a team at the University of Bristol have found dogs who are fed on a diet of raw meat were more likely to excrete antibiotic-resistant bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) in their faeces.Previous research has shown that there is the potential for bacteria to be shared between dogs and their human owners through everyday interaction, leading the researchers to suggest that raw feeding is not the safest dietary choice, and that, if chosen, owners should take extra precautions when handling raw meat and be especially careful to clean up after their dog.The study investigated adult dogs and found links between dogs eating raw meat and excreting resistant E. coli. The research supports a recent study by the team, published in the journal One Health, which looked at 16-week-old puppies.Both studies, which used data from different dogs, demonstrate that dogs may excrete resistant bacteria regardless of their age or the length of time they are fed a raw meat diet.The environment a dog lives in also played a part in the potential for them to excrete resistant bacteria. Raw feeding was a strong risk factor for dogs living in the countryside, while in city-dwelling dogs, risk factors were much more complicated, probably reflecting the variety of lifestyles and exposures among city dogs.The two studies recruited a total of 823 dogs and their owners (223 puppies in the first study and 600 adult dogs in the second study). Owners completed questionnaires about their dogs, the dogs' diets and environment, and provided faecal samples from their dogs.The samples were then analysed for the presence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli and risk factor analyses were conducted to explore the associations between lifestyle factors, environments reported in the owner survey and the detection of resistant E. coli.Matthew Avison, Professor of Molecular Bacteriology from the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, who led the microbiology aspects of these studies, said, "Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are everywhere, but some antibiotics are considered critically important for use in humans. We have shown that dogs fed raw meat are more likely to carry bacteria resistant to these important medicines. This doesn't mean that the animal, or the owner, will become sick.""E. coli is a widespread bacterium that is found in the intestines of all humans and animals, however, it is a common cause of many diseases including urinary tract infection and can cause serious illnesses including sepsis if it spreads to other parts of the body.""We should do everything we can to reduce the circulation of critically important antibiotic-resistant E. coli and other bacteria. Our research adds to the increasing evidence that not feeding raw meat to dogs may help in that objective.""We know humans and animals share bacteria with one another, so what we find in your pet may well also be in you. Pet owners should be encouraged to practice good hygiene and not feeding raw food to your dog can be part of this," added Kristen Reyher, Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology and Population Health at the Bristol Veterinary School and co-author of both papers."We can all do our part to decrease antibiotic resistance and its terrible effects on both human and animal health." —ANI

Recent studies have linked germs that are resistant to vitally needed antibiotics to the feeding of raw meat to pet dogs.

Feeding Dogs Raw Meat Linked To Increased Prevalence Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

New Delhi (The Hawk):&nbsp;A new ingredient that can weakly perturb bacterial membrane, thus countering bacterial resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, can help revive the efficacy of obsolete antibiotics.This strategy can combat the most critical group of bacteria enabling the existing antibiotic arsenal to be used again for complicated infections. It can help counter the rising menace of anti-microbial resistance.The World Health Organization has demarcated Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacteriaceae, all of which are resistant to carbapenems as the topmost priority critical pathogens. There are a few treatment options for these bacteria triggering use of combinations of various antibiotics to treat such complicated infections. It was thus pertinent to develop novel non-conventional therapeutic strategies to deal with these pathogens.Scientists at JNCASR, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, have come up with the approach of revitalising the efficacy of existing antibiotics by using them in combination with antibiotic adjuvants -- ingredients that can help counter resistance to existing antibiotics. This novel idea can help strengthen the activity of obsolete antibiotics and bring them back into use for treating complicated infections.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ms. Geetika Dhanda and Prof. Jayanta Haldar incorporated cyclic hydrophobic moieties (portion of a molecule) in a triamine-containing compound the adjuvants thus developed weakly perturbed the membrane of bacteria. This resulted in countering of membrane-associated resistance elements like permeability barrier and expulsion of antibiotics by efflux pumps. When these adjuvants are used in combination with antibiotics that had been rendered ineffective due to such membrane-associated resistance elements, the antibiotics are potentiated, and the combination was effective in killing bacteria.&nbsp;The combination of the adjuvant with antibiotics like fusidic acid, minocycline, and rifampicin inactivates multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. These include Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacteriaceae. The study published in the journal ACS Infect. Diseases, highlight the chemical intuition and extent of membrane-perturbation required for the design of non-active and non-toxic adjuvants. The choice of non-active adjuvant would also put less pressure on the bacteria to develop resistance to it. Moreover, weak membrane perturbation would result in less toxicity.&nbsp;&nbsp;This work requires proper validation in in-vivo model systems, followed by preclinical studies, which will further add value to the work.

A new ingredient that can weakly perturb bacterial membrane, thus countering bacterial resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, can help revive the efficacy of obsolete antibiotics.

Hydrophobic Ingredients, In Combination With Obsolete Antibiotics, Can Counter Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria 

Washington: With antibiotic-resistant bacteria on the rise, scientists have been searching for ways to shut down the Type IV secretion system (T4SS), a protein complex on the outer envelope of bacterial cells that helps them to exchange DNA with neighbouring bacteria and resist antibiotics.
Now a collaboration between UT Southwestern computational biologist Qian Cong, PhD, and molecular biologists at the University of London has elucidated the structure of the T4SS complex, providing a blueprint that could help researchers design drugs that slow the development of antibiotic resistance. Their findings were published in Nature.
"For the first time, we determined the 3D structure of the entire T4SS complex," said Dr. Cong, Assistant Professor of Biophysics and in the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development at UTSW.
The team in London was led by Gabriel Waksman, Ph.D., whose lab has been working for more than two decades to understand T4SS, especially how it forms a thin, hollow structure called a pilus, which connects to nearby bacteria to share genes. For this project, his team used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) -- a process that freezes proteins and uses beams of electrons to obtain high-resolution microscopic images -- to elucidate the structure of T4SS. This was no small feat since the T4SS complex is larger than 99.6% of all those included to date in the worldwide library of protein structures.
Dr. Cong then used her background in statistics and machine learning to analyze T4SS protein sequences from several bacteria to generate structural predictions, which were compared to the cryo-EM data. Her computational analysis supported the cryo-EM data and suggested a hypothesis about the function of T4SS. While it was already known that T4SS is involved in pilus assembly, she predicted how it occurs. With that prediction in hand, Dr. Waksman's team was able to make specific mutations within the relevant pieces of the complex and validate Dr. Cong's hypothesis in live bacteria. "In addition to the contribution we have made toward the development of drugs to slow the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, this study showcases the power of modern computational methods to validate experimental results and suggest functional insights beyond available experimental data," said Dr. Cong, a Southwestern Medical Foundation Scholar in Biomedical Research. —ANI

With antibiotic-resistant bacteria on the rise, scientists have been searching for ways to shut down the Type IV secretion system (T4SS), a protein complex on the outer envelope of bacterial cells that helps them to exchange DNA with neighbouring bacteria and resist antibiotics.

Scientists Determine Structure Of Key Player In Antibiotic Resistance

London: Antibiotics are frequently administered to preterm and low birth weight infants in order to prevent infections, not simply treat them as they have a higher risk of developing them. A recent study discovered that neonatal mice exposed to antibiotics early in life had long-lasting consequences on their microbiota, enteric nervous system, and gut function. The study was published in The Journal of Physiology. This could imply that children who receive antibiotics as infants may have digestive problems.
This study by the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Melbourne is the first to demonstrate that antibiotics administered to neonatal mice have these long-lasting effects that cause disturbed gastrointestinal function, including slowed gut motility and symptoms similar to diarrhoea in adults.
For the first ten days of their life, the research team gave mice an oral dose of vancomycin every day. They were subsequently raised regularly until they were young adults, and the structure, function, microbiome, and nervous system of their gut tissue were examined. The researchers discovered that the mice's sex also influenced modifications. Compared to the control group, the males had lower faecal weight and the females had longer whole gut transit. The water in the faeces was higher in males than females, which is a sign of diarrhoea.
Mice and people share many characteristics, however, due to their shorter lifespans, they have rapid growth and more underdeveloped stomachs at birth than do humans. The results cannot yet be directly compared to human children and newborns because of how different their neural systems and gut flora are from those of people. The consequences of antibiotic use in infancy on metabolism and brain function will be examined further by the researchers, as well as the mechanisms by which antibiotics affect the gut and the reasons behind their sex-specific effects.
'We are quite enthusiastic about the findings of our study which demonstrate that antibiotics given after birth could have persistent impacts on the enteric nervous system,' lead physiologist Dr Jaime Foong stated. This offers more proof of the impact of gut microbiota on overall health and might suggest new targets for developing antibiotic therapies for young children. —ANI

Antibiotics are frequently administered to preterm and low birth weight infants in order to prevent infections, not simply treat them as they have a higher risk of developing them.

Infant Antibiotic Use May Negatively Affect Adult Gut Health

Washington: According to a new study by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in mice with malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, accelerated their metastatic bone growth.
This likely happened because the drugs depleted the mice's intestinal flora and weakened their immune response.
The findings underscore the importance of the gut microbiome in overall health and suggest that doctors should carefully weigh the gastrointestinal effects when they use antibiotic therapies while treating cancer or other diseases, said one of the study's authors, Subhashis Pal, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in endocrinology at the Emory University School of Medicine.
"Any disease or therapy that harms the gut microbiome could have a negative impact on our health," said Dr. Pal, who presented the report today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research in Austin, Texas, USA.
"In our study we found that the gut microbiome restrains the progression of melanoma bone lesions in mice by promoting the expansion of intestinal natural-killer (NK) cells and T helper (Th1) cells and enhancing their migration to the tumor site," Dr. Pal said. "Using oral antibiotics depleted the gut microbiome and reduced the population of intestinal NK cells and Th1 cells. This made the mice more vulnerable for tumor growth. They had a higher melanoma tumor burden than control mice whose gut microbiomes were intact."
Osteolytic bone metastasis is a complication of malignant melanoma. The researchers hypothesized that using antibiotics to deplete the gut microbiome of mice would affect their intestinal immune cells and thus alter their immune response, leading to accelerated bone metastasis. They injected B16-F10 melanoma cells into the hearts and bones of mice that had been treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. As predicted, the antibiotic injections accelerated bone metastatic growth in those mice, compared with control mice that had not received the shots.
The study revealed the mechanism for the metastatic growth of melanoma. Flow cytometric analysis of Peyer's patches and bone-marrow cells within tumor lesions revealed that microbiome depletion prevented the melanoma-induced expansion of intestinal NK and Th1 cells and their migration from the gut to tumor-bearing bones. Direct measurement of NK and Th1 cells migration using Kaede mice, a strain expressing a photo-convertible fluorescent protein that allows direct tracking of intestinal lymphocytes, revealed that antibiotics decreased by about eightfold the migration of NK and Th1 cells from the gut to the tumor site.
When NK cells and Th1 cells leave the gut as part of the body's immune response, the process is mediated by S1PR5 and S1PR1 receptors. Pharmacological blockade of the cells' migration via the receptors -- involving S1PR5 with NK cells, or S1PR1 with Th1 cells -- mimicked the effects of antibiotics. The blockade prevented expansion of NK cells and Th1 cells in the bone marrow and caused accelerated bone metastasis growth.
The influx of circulating NK and Th1 cells to the tumor site is directed by the chemokine ligand CXCL9, which is expressed by bone-marrow cells, and CXCR3, which is expressed by NK and Th1 cells. Global deletion of CXCR3 or antibody neutralization of CXCL9 decreased the frequency of tumor NK and Th1 cells and increased tumor growth.
This study strongly indicates that microbiome modifications induced by antibiotics might have negative clinical consequences not only with melanoma, but with other diseases as well, Dr. Pal said. "For example, inflammatory bowel disease, or other gut conditions that create inflammation, can lead to increased Th17 cells, TNF producing cell numbers in the gut, which ultimately has a negative impact on our bone health. Similarly, we have seen that in a murine model of surgical menopause, reduced levels of estrogen cause bacterial metabolites to pass more easily through the gut barrier and hyperactivate the immune system. As a result, the number of intestinal and bone marrow cytokine producing T cells rises, largely contributing to the development of bone loss."
Dr. Pal added: "We should be very much careful with our gut microbiome, and of the unforeseen adverse consequence of antibiotic regimens. Conversely, probiotics can play a major role to maintain healthy gut microbiome, and better overall health." —ANI

According to a new study by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in mice with malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, accelerated their metastatic bone growth.

Antibiotics Might Worsen Melanoma By Depleting The Gut Microbiome: Study

Washington: Adolescence is a time of significant skeletal development. One of the most universal, and sometimes distressing, experiences during adolescence is the development of acne a skin condition that results from the plugging of hair follicles with oil and dead skin cells. For some individuals whose acne is resistant to topical therapies, antibiotics"&gt;systemic antibiotics are used to help to alleviate symptoms and clear up the skin.
Treating acne with antibiotics"&gt;systemic antibiotics, such as minocycline, often requires long-term use sometimes up to two years; however, the effects of such long-term use of antibiotics are unknown. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) show in work published online on Nov. 22 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI) Insight that there is a strong link between the makeup of the gut microbiome -- a community of microorganisms that live together in the gut -- and healthy skeletal maturation. Long-term use of a systemic antibiotic, such as minocycline, may have unintended consequences during the critical stage of adolescent bone development.
"There are sustained changes to the gut microbiome following long-term systemic minocycline therapy that lead to reduced bone maturation," said Matthew Carson, first author on this study and graduate student studying the effects of the gut microbiome on skeletal development in the Novince lab.
"From a clinical perspective, not only is minocycline treatment causing changes to the maturing skeleton, the microbiome and the skeleton aren't able to recover fully after antibiotic therapy," added Chad Novince, D.D.S., Ph.D., principal investigator and associate professor in the Department of Oral Health Sciences in the College of Dental Medicine.
This work builds off of previous work from the Novince lab that showed a high-dose antibiotic cocktail activated a proinflammatory immune response that increased the activity of bone-eating osteoclasts and impaired bone maturation. Findings from this study led the Novince team to ask if there were clinical scenarios in which antibiotics"&gt;systemic antibiotics might have effects on the maturing skeleton.
They learned that physicians prescribe minocycline as a systemic antibiotic therapy to treat adolescent acne. Minocycline is a member of the tetracycline class of antibiotics, which also includes tetracycline, doxycycline and sarecycline. These antibiotics work by preventing the growth and spread of bacteria; in acne, they kill the bacteria that infect pores and decrease certain natural oily substances that cause acne.
To determine if systemic minocycline treatment would have similar effects on the skeleton as previous antibiotic treatments had, Carson and Novince administered a clinically relevant dose of minocycline to mice during pubertal/postpubertal growth -- the equivalent age of adolescence in humans. They found that minocycline therapy does not cause any cytotoxic effects or induce a proinflammatory response -- as they observed previously; however, there were changes in the composition of the gut microbiome that caused decreased bone mass accrual and impaired skeletal maturation.
In and of themselves, these data highlight an important, but underappreciated, consequence of long-term systemic antibiotic use during adolescence. But they also went on to show that long-term minocycline therapy prevented the ability of the gut microbiome and skeleton to recover to a stable state even after the therapy was stopped.
Early research suggested that our gut microbiome develops into a mature state in the first few years of life, but this idea has recently been called into question, with recent investigations showing that the gut microbiome continues to develop into a stable, mature state during adolescence.
"What's really interesting is if you cause changes to the microbiome during this adolescent phase when your microbiota is still progressing toward a stable adult state, you're going to have profound effects on the maturing skeleton," explained Carson.
In puberty, we accrue up to 40% of our peak bone mass, which correlates with the maturation of our microbiome. If we disrupt the system during this critical window of growth and reduce our peak bone mass, we may no longer be able to weather the storm of natural bone loss as a consequence of aging. Therefore, disruption of the microbiome during puberty can have a long-lasting impact on skeletal health and fracture risk.
The Novince team further analyzed how the microbiome could communicate with and change the structure of the skeleton. Surprisingly, altering the gut microbiome with minocycline disrupted the normal communication between the liver and the small intestine. This communication centers around small molecules called bile acids.
Normally, bile acids travel from the liver to the small intestine to aid in digestion and help to break down fats, but this view of bile acids is expanding.
"Bile acids had not previously been considered as important communication molecules between the gut and the skeleton," said Novince. "By changing the gut microbiome, the makeup of the bile acids is altered, which influences host physiology, including skeletal maturation."
The gut microbiome continuously modifies the pool of bile acids in the small intestine. The bile acids then act as messenger molecules and communicate with host cells in the intestine and at distant anatomic sites. For example, bile acids can stimulate bone formation when they talk to osteoblasts.
Interestingly, the altered gut microbiome resulting from minocycline treatment generated a different pool of bile acids. This different profile of bile acids failed to activate bone-forming osteoblasts and caused a significant decrease of more than 30% in bone formation and mineralization.
This work exemplifies the benefits of a cross-disciplinary approach to science.
"This was truly collaborative science, which is where I think we're at today," said Novince. "To drive high-impact science, you need to bring in experts from different professions and disciplines. We were fortunate to have a really strong team. It was fun -- the whole thing was exciting!"
In summary, this work strengthens the importance of the gut-liver-bone communication network. It reveals that systemic minocycline therapy has unintended, profound and life-long effects on the skeleton.
"Treatment of adolescent mice with minocycline caused a change in the gut microbiome and altered bile acid metabolism," summarized Carson. "We found that the change of these bile acids inhibited osteoblast function and impaired skeletal maturation." —ANI

 Adolescence is a time of significant skeletal development. One of the most universal, and sometimes distressing, experiences during adolescence is the development of acne a skin condition that results from the plugging of hair follicles with oil and dead skin cells. 

Treating Acne With Systemic Antibiotics Can Have Consequences On Maturing Skeleton

New Delhi: Several patients have reported a rise in flu cases with symptoms including high grade fever and persistent cough, said the Indian Medical Association on Saturday, while cautioning against use of antibiotics.
The mounting infections are due to the H3N2 influenza virus, which lasts between five to seven days, the association said in a statement on Twitter, noting that it is seasonal.
Recent data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) also shows that H3N2 - a sub-type of the influenza virus - has been in wide circulation for the last two-three months. "A sudden increase in the number of patients having symptoms of cough, nausea, vomiting, sore throat fever, bodyache and diarrhoea in some cases," the IMA wrote on Twitter. "While fever goes away at the end of three days, coughs can persist for three weeks," it added, advising doctors to avoid prescribing antibiotics to such patients. Further, the IMA said that the cases are typically seen in people over the age of 50 and below 15. Some are also reporting upper respiratory infection along with fever. "Air pollution" is also a precipitating factor.
It advised medical practitioners to give only symptomatic treatment as there is no need for antibiotics. The IMA pointed out that people have started taking antibiotics like Athreycin and Amoxiclav etc without caring for dose and frequency and they stop once they start feeling better. They added that "this needs to be stopped as it leads to antibiotic resistance." "Whenever there will be a real use of antibiotics, they will not work due to the resistance," the IMA wrote.
The medical association advised avoiding crowded places, practising good hand and respiratory hygiene practices as well as flu vaccination. Harshal R. Salve, Professor at the Centre for Community Medicine, AIIMS, said the increase in the transmission of flu virus is due to abrupt "climatic conditions currently prevalent".
"Serological surveillance through established mechanisms in the public health system by the government is essential to determine serotype of the virus and its endemic," Salve told IANS. Doctors from Primus Hospital, Chanakyapuri, noted that patients with asthma, and those with severe lung infections are finding difficulty in breathing. Elderly people, children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to getting infected. Therefore, they must remain extra cautious while venturing outside, the doctors said. "Patients having chronic ailments like asthma have to be extra cautious during such weather transitions as it can trigger severe respiratory issues and asthma attacks. During this time, even a minor respiratory problem must be reported to a pulmonologist or a physician to reduce the risk of escalating the problem," Chhabra added.
—IANS

Several patients have reported a rise in flu cases with symptoms including high grade fever and persistent cough, said the Indian Medical Association on Saturday, while cautioning against use of antibiotics.

H3N2 Flu Virus On Rise, IMA Advises Against Antibiotic Use

London: Canadian and US researchers have - with the help of artificial intelligence - discovered a new antibiotic that kills a deadly species of "superbug" which can infect wounds and cause pneumonia, media reports said.
'Acinetobacter baumannii' is one of the three superbugs the World Health Organisation has identified as a "critical" threat, as the bacteria can withstand multiple antibiotics and survives on surfaces and medical equipment.
Infections caused by superbugs or antibiotic resistant infections kill more than a million people a year.
Dr Jonathan Stokes, from Canada's McMaster University, described this bug as "public enemy number one" as it's "really common" to find cases where it is "resistant to nearly every antibiotic", the BBC reported.
Scientists used AI to narrow down thousands of potential chemicals to a handful that could be tested in the laboratory and zeroed in on a potent, experimental antibiotic called abaucin. However, it will need further tests before being used, with the researchers saying that the process could take up to 2030.
Researchers first had to "train" the AI, taking thousands of drugs where the precise chemical structure was known, and manually tested them on Acinetobacter baumannii to see which could slow it down or kill it.
This information was fed into the AI so it could learn the chemical features of drugs that could attack the problematic bacterium, the BBC reported.
The AI was then unleashed on a list of 6,680 compounds whose effectiveness was unknown. The results - published in Nature Chemical Biology - showed it took the AI an hour and a half to produce a shortlist. The researchers tested 240 in the laboratory, and found nine potential antibiotics. One of them was the incredibly potent abaucin, with laboratory experiments showed it could treat infected wounds in mice and was able to kill the bacteria samples from patients.
More significantly, abaucin only killed A. baumannii and had no effect on other species of bacteria, unlike many antibiotics that kill bacteria indiscriminately. Researchers believe the precision of abaucin will make it harder for drug-resistance to emerge, and could lead to fewer side-effects.
However, the drug has to be further tested in the laboratory and then in clinical trials. Researchers expects the first AI antibiotics could take until 2030 until they are available to be prescribed.
In principle, AI could screen tens of millions of potential compounds - something that would be impractical to do manually, the BBC reported,
The researchers tested the principles of AI-aided antibiotic discovery in E. coli in 2020, but have now used that knowledge to focus on the big superbugs. They plan to look at Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa next.
"This finding further supports the premise that AI can significantly accelerate and expand our search for novel antibiotics," said Prof James Collins, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. —IANS

Canadian and US researchers have - with the help of artificial intelligence - discovered a new antibiotic that kills

AI Helps Identify New Antibiotic Than Can Take One Of Three Top 'Superbugs'

Hong Kong: A research team led by Professor Kelvin Yeung from the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) developed a new microneedle patch to provide a highly effective non-antibiotic approach for the treatment of skin infection. In summary, the design developed using ultrasound-responsive zinc-based metal-organic framework (MOF) antibacterial nanoparticles offers pain-free delivery of bacterial infection on skin tissue while also facilitating skin restoration. The innovative microneedle has a diameter of around 50 microns, equivalent to a human hair. The findings were reported in the journal Science Advances. Acne is a widespread skin disorder that affects more than 80 per cent of teens and young adults worldwide.1 The major reason is excessive lipid production, which clogs hair follicles and creates a hypoxic microenvironment in skin tissue. This unfavourable situation promotes the growth of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) bacteria. Infected pimples, which are considered skin infections, are mostly caused by the P. acnes bacterium, which affects millions of individuals worldwide. It not only causes severe physical and mental anguish in the sufferers, but it can also progress to a chronic inflammatory illness if not treated properly. Non-prescription therapy (such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid) or the administration of antibiotics orally or topically is usually used in clinical management. Such therapies, however, can be useless or harmful. In general, the first-line treatment for infected pimples is antibiotics administered either orally or topical. However, the therapeutic effect of topical antibiotic treatment is concerning, particularly when the drugs pass through the skin tissue. Also, the treatment becomes less effective, when bacteria are drug-resistant or when they migrate to subcutaneous tissue. Especially, P. acnes bacteria can secrete extracellular polysaccharides to form a biofilm that blocks out the attacks initiated by antibacterial agents or immune cells. Even most microneedle products on the market mainly use pharmaceutical ingredients to treat acne. However, repeated applications of antibiotics may reduce the sensitivity of bacteria to drugs. Patients who have been affected by acne for a long time will know that the effects of the same treatment products can be significantly reduced after long-term use. HKUMed team has invented a new microneedle patch that facilitates the transdermal delivery of ultrasound-responsive antibacterial nanoparticles to treat the infection induced by P. acnes at minimal invasive approach. In the current design, ultrasound-responsive antibacterial nanomaterials are introduced to the microneedle patch that responds to bacterial infection quickly and efficiently. The use of drugs is avoided in the treatment of acne. The modified nanoparticles comprised of ZnTCPP and ZnO are able to produce a substantial amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) subject to ultrasound stimulation that can effectively oxidize the key cellular macromolecules of bacteria. The results demonstrate that the killing of P. acnes bacteria mediated by ROS can reach to 99.73 per cent after 15 minutes of ultrasound stimulation. Also, the levels of inflammatory markers, including tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukins (ILs), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are significantly reduced. Furthermore, the zinc ions released can elevate the DNA replication-related genes, thereby augmenting more fibroblasts towards superior skin repair. Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-Kwok, remarked, 'The new microneedle patch enabling ROS generation upon ultrasound stimulation, regarding as a non-antibiotic and transdermal approach, can not only effectively address the infection induced by P. acnes bacteria, but also facilitates the skin repair due to zinc ion release. Due to the specific killing mechanism of ROS, we believe that this design is also able to address the other skin infections induced by fungi, parasites, or viruses, such as tinea pedis (namely "Athlete's Foot" or "Hong Kong Foot" in slang).' This research study was led by Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-Kwok, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, HKUMed. The first author Xiang Yiming is a PhD candidate under Professor Yeung's supervision. The research interests of Professor Yeung's team include orthopaedic biomaterials, musculoskeletal tissue regeneration and anti-bacterial infection. —ANI

A research team led by Professor Kelvin Yeung from the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology

Researchers Discover Effective Non-Antibiotic Approach For Treatment Of Skin Infection

Washington: Gentamicin is a commonly used antibiotic in the treatment of severely unwell newborns. It is water soluble and is mostly excreted from the body through the urine. As a result, total body weight, which includes the weight of the body's water content, is utilised to calculate gentamicin dose. The overall water content of a healthy newborn, on the other hand, differs dramatically from that of a preterm infant. As a result, calculating gentamicin dosage based on total body weight may result in non-optimal dose prescription. Premature newborns also have weaker kidneys, therefore a difference in medicine dosage might have a severe influence on their renal function. As a result, a more precise method of calculating gentamicin dosage for infants is required. Fat and fat-free mass are important measurements that can be used to calculate a variety of body parameters. Fat mass is simply the total amount of body fat while fat-free mass is the body's weight after subtracting the fat mass. In a new study, a medical research team from the Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain, and the Bahrain Ministry of Health, led by Dr. Kannan Sridharan, demonstrated that fat-free mass is a better alternative to total body weight for calculating gentamicin dosage. "Our hypothesis was that the dosage of gentamicin shall need adjustment," remarked Dr. Sridharan. The test their hypothesis, the team measured the 'peak' or highest (Cmax) and 'trough' or lowest (Cmin) concentrations of gentamicin in the blood of critically ill newborns, after administering two doses of the antibiotic. The team used a latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetric method to measure gentamicin concentrations, based on fat-free mass. They determined the body fat and fat-free mass of the newborns by measuring skinfold thickness around their triceps. The researchers observed that premature babies had a much higher gentamicin concentration in the blood compared to term babies. In fact, the team observed a general trend where gentamicin concentration in the blood increased the more premature the babies were. Babies with low birth weight (often seen in premature babies) also showed higher blood concentrations of the antibiotic. Additionally, premature babies had more fat mass (21% more) than term neonates. "The most plausible reason for this is the administration of total parenteral nutrition in preterm neonates," Dr Sridharan explained. Currently, the accepted gentamicin dosage is around 4 to 5 mg/kg every 24, 36, or 48 hours. The team found that this dosage regimen was insufficient for treatment in one-third of the newborns studied. Based on fat-free mass, the team determined the recommended gentamicin doses for extremely premature babies to be 7.95 mg/kg every 48 hours, and 7.30 mg/kg every 36-48 hours for very premature babies. For late premature babies, the optimal concentration was 5.90 mg/kg every 36-48 hours. Finally, for term babies, 5.10 mg/kg every 24 hours was found to be optimal. The study demonstrated that fat-free mass is a more accurate parameter when calculating gentamicin doses for newborns, especially those of premature birth. "In the future, fat-free mass dosing may be considered for obtaining optimal therapeutic effects in neonatal populations," concluded Dr. Sridharan. While further research is needed to establish the safety of fat-free mass-based gentamicin dosage, the study opens a promising alternative to the calculation of antibiotic dosage based on whole body weight. —ANI

 Gentamicin is a commonly used antibiotic in the treatment of severely unwell newborns

Researchers Suggest Antibiotic Regimen For Newborns

Beijing: Curbing levels of harmful air pollution could help reduce antibiotic resistance, and related deaths, according to the first in-depth global analysis of the possible links between the two, published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal. The findings indicate antibiotic resistance increases with particulate matter (PM2.5) -- made up of particles 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. With every 1 per cent rise in air pollution linked with increases in antibiotic resistance of between 0.5 and 1.9 per cent, depending on the pathogen. The association has strengthened over time, with changes in PM2.5 levels leading to larger increases in antibiotic resistance in more recent years. "Antibiotic resistance and air pollution are each in their own right among the greatest threats to global health," said lead author Professor Hong Chen, of Zhejiang University, China. "Until now, we didn't have a clear picture of the possible links between the two, but this work suggests the benefits of controlling air pollution could be two-fold: Not only will it reduce the harmful effects of poor air quality, it could also play a major role in combating the rise and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria," Chen added. The highest levels of antibiotic resistance are found in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, while levels in Europe and North America are low. In 2018, antibiotic resistance resulting from air pollution caused an estimated 480,000 premature deaths. Due to their large populations, China and India are thought to be the countries where changes in PM2.5 have the greatest impact on premature death toll from antibiotic resistance, said the researchers. The analysis suggests that PM2.5 is one of the leading factors driving antibiotic resistance, accounting for 11 per cent of changes in average resistance levels around the world. In comparison, health spending accounts for 10 per cent of changes, while drinking water services make up 3 per cent. Importantly, the researchers said if there were no changes to current policies on air pollution, by 2050, levels of antibiotic resistance worldwide could increase by 17 per cent. The annual premature death toll linked to antibiotic resistance would rise to around 840,000. On the other hand, implementing a policy, recommended by the World Health Organization, of limiting PM2.5 to 5 microgram /m3 in the atmosphere could lead to a 23 per cent reduction in premature deaths (630,000 fewer deaths) linked to antibiotic resistance. The authors also acknowledged a lack of data in some countries, particularly low- and middle-income countries, which are most affected by antibiotic resistance. —IANS

Curbing levels of harmful air pollution could help reduce antibiotic resistance, and related deaths

Rising Air Pollution Behind Spike In Antibiotic Resistant Infections: Lancet

Jodhpur: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur have used snake venom to develop a novel antimicrobial peptide molecule that can kill bacteria like E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, and MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) — all known to create deadly infections.
Bacterial antibiotic resistance is a prevailing global menace that scientists must tackle worldwide.
Most naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides have varying hydrophobicities and charge compositions, limiting their use as human therapeutic molecules despite their potent bacteria-killing ability.
The antimicrobial peptide SP1V3_1 can therapeutically be implemented as a component of an ointment for wound disinfection and healing. It can be biocompatible based on in-vitro cytotoxicity studies.
The researchers’ main aim was to reduce toxicity of the snake venom without losing its antimicrobial property. For that, the scientists truncated the snake venom peptide and eliminated the toxic part of snake venom and further stitched helical short peptide at N-terminus (the end with a free amino group) for the smooth entry of the newly designed therapeutic inside the bacterial cell.
The invented peptide also holds the potential to be developed into a marketable pharmaceutical product, said researchers in the paper published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
“In the era of developmental stagnation of antibiotics due to the ever-increasing problem of antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial peptides are exciting leads in the development of novel biocidal agents. The invented antimicrobial peptide SP1V3_1 holds the potential to be developed into a marketable pharmaceutical product, as and when it passes the requisite trials,” said Dr. Surajit Ghosh, Professor, Department of Bioscience &amp; Bioengineering and Smart Healthcare Department, IIT Jodhpur, in a statement.
“The peptide can therapeutically be implemented as a component of an ointment (alone or in combination with other drugs/peptides) for wound disinfection and healing, as an injectable/oral drug for systemic administration, or as an aerosolised formulation to treat a wide range of respiratory bacterial pathogens,” he added.
—IANS

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur have used snake venom to develop a novel antimicrobial peptide molecule

IIT Jodhpur researchers turn to snake venom to fight antibiotic resistance

Rishikesh (The Hawk): An important Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by Prof Meenu Singh, Executive Director AIIMS, Rishikesh during a special ceremony. The MOU underscores AIIMS RISHIKESH's commitment to fostering partnerships for research, education, and awareness campaigns related to antibiotic resistance in collaboration with SASPI. It also emphasizes the IAS foundation course, to create awareness about antimicrobial resistance and provide skills to first-contact physicians and help them to play their role in containing antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; infection prevention and control; and diagnostic stewardship. The World Antibiotic Awareness Week celebrations at AIIMS RISHIKESH serve as a beacon of awareness and a call to action for healthcare professionals and the community alike. As antibiotic resistance continues to pose a global threat, institutions like AIIMS RISHIKESH play a pivotal role in spearheading initiatives that promote responsible antibiotic use and elevate the standard of healthcare. It is noteworthy that AIIMS Rishikesh is gearing up for a week-long celebration of World Antibiotic Awareness Week, emphasizing the critical need for global awareness and responsible use of antibiotics. The event, taking place from November 18th to 24th, promises to be a pivotal moment in the institution's commitment to healthcare excellence. A significant highlight of the week took place on 16th November 2023 where key stakeholders, medical experts, and administrative leaders discussed strategies for combating antibiotic resistance with Prof Meenu Singh, executive director of AIIMS, Rishikesh. Dr. Meenu Singh, expressed enthusiasm about the meeting, stating, "It is imperative that we collectively address the challenges posed by antibiotic resistance. She proposed the idea to focus on artificial intelligence in antimicrobial stewardship during the meeting.  In the meeting Prof Jaya Chaturvedi, Dean academics, Dr Prasan Kumar Panda, secretary of the Society of Antimicrobial Stewardship Practice (SASPI), Dr Puneet Damijha, Dr Ambar Prasad, Dr Vanya Singh, and Dr. Biswajit Sahoo and others were present. Dr. Nusrat Shafiq, President of SASPI, enlightened upon the strategies for a foundation course on Integrated Antimicrobial Stewardship (IAS).

An important Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by Prof Meenu Singh,  Executive Director AIIMS, Rishikesh

AIIMS Rishikesh Signs MoU With SASPI Research, Education, Spread Awareness About Antimicrobial Resistance

Copenhagen: The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against the misuse of antibiotics which could result in up to 10 million deaths a year by 2050 due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Emerging as a silent pandemic, the global health body recognises AMR as 1 of the 10 major global public health threats, with an estimated 5 million deaths annually associated with bacterial AMR worldwide. The WHO-Europe conducted a survey involving 8,221 participants from 14 countries, mostly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The most common reasons for taking the antibiotics included colds (24 per cent), flu-like symptoms (16 per cent), sore throat (21 per cent) and cough (18 per cent) -- symptoms often caused by viruses against which antibiotics are not effective. The findings published in the journal Frontiers also showed that medical practitioners prescribed or directly administered the majority (67 per cent) of the antibiotics. Across the 14 countries, a third (33 per cent) of respondents consumed antibiotics without a medical prescription. In some countries, more than 40 per cent of the antibiotics were obtained without medical advice. The survey also highlighted lack of awareness among common people -- nearly half (43 per cent) incorrectly said antibiotics are effective against viruses (they are not). “This research clearly shows the need for education and awareness raising,” said Robb Butler, Director of WHO/Europe’s Division of Communicable Diseases, Environment and Health, in a statement. “Conserving the effectiveness of antimicrobial medicines requires interventions at many levels, such as timely vaccination, improved hygiene and reduction of inappropriate prescribing,” added Danilo Lo Fo Wong, Regional Adviser for the Control of Antimicrobial Resistance. As global efforts to control AMR intensify, social and behavioural sciences are emerging as crucial yet underutilised areas of knowledge and expertise that can guide interventions in AMR control, radically increasing impact. “Other drivers of AMR have their roots in the social and cultural norms learned in communities, for example, not completing a course of antibiotics in order to save some for the next time you fall ill, or sharing with a sick relative or neighbour. T "his learned behaviour can take time to change, and it’s imperative that behavioural and cultural insights are used to the full when planning interventions,” Butler said. —IANS

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against the misuse of antibiotics which could result in up to 10 million deaths 

Antibiotic Misuse To Drive 10 Mn AMR-Related Deaths A Year By 2050: WHO

Thiruvananthapuram: India ranks among countries with the highest mortality rates due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and statistics show that one child dies every nine minutes due to illnesses caused by bugs that resist antibiotics. This shocking revelation was made at a plenary session of the Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF) here on Tuesday, where experts discussed the role traditional medicines can play in overcoming the threat of AMR, which is rising in almost every part of the world, prompting WHO to declare it as one of the top health threats. Speaking on the issue, Professor Thomas Rampp from the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, an expert in integrative medicine, said the US and European countries also face the threat from AMR, but the risk to countries in Asia and Latin America is bigger.

<div style="text-align:left;"><img src="https://thehawk.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/ayur1.webp" alt="Professor Thomas Rampp" style="height: auto;width: auto"/></div>
 Terming resistance to antibiotics a "new phenomenon", he recalled that resistance to Penicillin was reported in 1940, though the drug was put into use by 1928. This led to the creation of newer antibiotics to overcome that, but in the last three decades, no new antibiotics have been developed and this has aggravated the problem. Professor Rampp also said the use and overuse of antibiotics are leading to their resistance. He stated that this is not limited to the medical field, as over 80 percent of the antibiotics produced in the world are used in farms and fisheries, which inevitably enter our food chain. "The reasons for resistance to antibiotics come from the overprescribing of antibiotics, patients not finishing the treatment properly, the overuse of antibiotics in livestock and fish farming, poor infection control in hospitals, and poor sanitation," he said. Prof Rampp said traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda can contribute significantly to improving the situation, as they approach problems and work to improve immunity. This can prevent illness and stop the unnecessary use of antibiotics. He pointed out that Ayurveda has always focused on providing a balanced diet, and modern science now emphasises the importance of micro biomes in the gut region, which is essential to building up immunity. Speaking on the same issue, Subarna Roy, director of ICMR National Institute of Traditional Institute in Karnataka, said their studies showed that resistance to antibiotics is different in various areas within the Karnataka state. He warned that AMR is contributing to the rise of diseases like diphtheria in some areas of India. A network of facilities established to monitor the AMR situation in India has identified about 10 pathogens that are proving to be dangerous. He said sometimes antibiotics are prescribed even though they will not cure the disease but merely reduce the symptoms. The national health policy says alternative methods to treat infectious diseases should be considered, and this is where Ayurveda can play a vital role, said Roy. "Ayurveda practitioners are already helping the fight against AMR as they treat patients without prescribing antibiotics," he said.
—IANS

India ranks among countries with the highest mortality rates due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and statistics show that one child dies every nine minutes

Antibiotic resistance kills millions in India

London: Scientists have developed a promising antibiotic candidate against a hospital superbug, using a methodology that may be important in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. The team from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) developed a combination of two new substances that effectively kills methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These substances may become a completely new antibiotic that kills MRSA much more effectively than when used separately and is als effective against a wide group of bacteria, according to the findings published in the Frontiers in Microbiology journal. "Antimicrobial resistance is a major problem, and being able to help solve it is really great," said lead author Amanda Holstad Singleton, a doctoral candidate at NTNU. "It's one thing to develop new antibiotic candidates which, when combined, prove to be well tolerated by human cells, but developing a technology to study how the antibiotic works inside the bacterial cells is equally important," Singleton said. To analyse how the two substances worked, the team developed a method that analyses how the bacterium's signalling proteins react to the treatment. The method provides researchers with a completely new tool in the search for new antibiotic candidates. "Up to 10,000 proteins can be found inside a bacterial cell. Instead of looking at all of them, we 'fish' out the 2000 or so proteins that are signalling proteins. These proteins control much of what happens in the cells," Singleton said. The method allows researchers to see whether each of these proteins is activated or deactivated after adding the substance they want to test. Approximately four years ago, researchers at NTNU published the bactericidal properties of a particular type of peptide. These peptides, in combination with a new compound developed may now become a completely new type of antibiotic. "Peptides are chains of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. What is special about these particular peptides is that they bind to a protein in the bacteria that is absolutely essential for bacteria to be able to copy their DNA," said Professor Marit Otterlei, from the varsity. The peptide prevents DNA copying, and thus, the bacterium dies. "No other antibiotics attack this protein. That means it is a new target, and there are therefore no bacteria that are resistant to these peptides. Since this target protein is found in all bacteria, these peptides also work on multidrug-resistant bacteria," Otterlei said. —IANS

Scientists have developed a promising antibiotic candidate against a hospital superbug

The Hawk

Tag : Antibiotic

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High-Fibre Rich Diet Can Help Fight Antibiotic Resistance

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