Category: Antibiotics
Most people who think they are allergic to penicillin aren’t
About 6% of people in the UK are wrongly labelled on their medical records as being allergic to penicillin. This figure is concerning because being labelled as allergic to this class of highly effective antibiotics is associated with an extra six deaths per 1,000 patients a year after being treated for an infection. If patients received the right antibiotic for their infection, many lives could be saved.
What should you eat after you’ve been on antibiotics? And can probiotics and prebiotics get your gut back to normal?
There is emerging evidence that combining specific probiotics and prebiotics can increase the beneficial effects of both
Fungal infections worldwide are becoming resistant to drugs and more deadly
Most fungal infections worldwide are caused by a genus of fungi called Candida, particularly the species called Candida albicans.
How do you know if you’re getting the right antibiotic?
Pending test results, doctors usually start with antibiotic that is most likely to be work. This is called empiric therapy and is the “best guess” treatment.
Poll reveals risky use of antibiotics by some older adults
One in five seniors reported using leftover antibiotics without consulting their physician.
Drug-resistant infections could destroy our way of life – a new report warns
Our defenses against infection are wearing thinner, and the microbes are getting stronger. The new report lays out a four-step strategy to confront the crisis.
‘Superbug gene’ found in the high arctic
The resistance genes that were found in Arctic soils that were likely spread in the fecal matter of birds, other wildlife and human visitors to the area.
Why you shouldn’t take antibiotics for colds and flu
So as winter approaches, rather than rushing out to your doctors at the first sign of a sniffle, try and ride it out.
What’s a clinical trial?
How can doctors work out what treatments actually work? Here’s where a type of study called a clinical trial is useful.
Costco moves to cut use of antibiotics in agriculture
Costco, one of the largest food retailers in the country, has taken a major step to reduce the risk to human health posed by antibiotic use in agriculture.
Probiotics not helpful for young children with diarrhea, study
A probiotic treatment did not show any benefit for young children brought to the hospital with acute gastroenteritis.
Five of the scariest antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the past five years
Antibiotic resistance risks returning us to an age where even simple cuts and scrapes can become deadly.