The Change Mariner

Breakthrough in Superbug Battle

HealthandAge:

A new way of applying antibiotic treatment helps to keep superbugs away from critically ill patients.

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a greatly feared bacterial infection, because it is resistant to most known antibiotics - including vancomycin. Researchers in Italy now show that vancomycin can still be effective against MRSA, however, if it is applied in a new way.

They have learned that MRSA is present first in the throat before going on to infect the lungs. While vancomycin injections can treat the lungs successfully, they do not touch MRSA in the throat because levels of the antibiotic in saliva are too low.

The team applied a paste of vancomycin to the lower cheeks to expose MRSA in the throat to more effective treatment.

Posted by Timothy Fredel at May 27, 2004 03:00 PM | TrackBack
Related Categories: Area - Infectious Disease | Industry - Healthcare | Industry - Pharmaceutical/Biotech | Quadrant - Technological | Theme - 'The New Age of Germs'

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