Streptomyces – The Industrious Antibiotic Producer

Like other actinomycetes, the Streptomyces group of microbes straddles the somewhat artificial boundary between bacteria and fungi. Growth on culture plates looks ‘fungal’ and the organism produces spores and germtubes that look like mycelia.  Nonetheless these soil organisms are bacteria and of Continue reading Streptomyces – The Industrious Antibiotic Producer

It’s Not a Free-Enterprise Market, Stupid!

The economics of developing antibacterials is a frustrating topic to address.  There are unique aspects to the antibiotic market which sets it apart from other medicines, esp. the unique societal aspects of antibiotic use which go beyond the benefit to Continue reading It’s Not a Free-Enterprise Market, Stupid!

Some Curious Tidbits

Were you aware that… there is also an amphotericin A which has antifungal properties?  It has a broader spectrum but is much less potent than Amphotericin B and therefore not being used. [1] in 1946, the first truly randomized and partially blinded Continue reading Some Curious Tidbits