The Brave New World of Infectious Diseases

Coming back from ECCMID, one gets the impression that we are moving towards an era in which we can diagnose everything but treat nothing. A late breaker session on colistin resistance provided much detail data on the situation in the EU. As Continue reading The Brave New World of Infectious Diseases

Ibuprofen for uUTI (Part 2): Antibiotic or NSAID? Or Both? Or Neither?

While the news is abuzz with reports of Zika virus coming to a place near you, an interesting article on a much more mundane topic – the treatment of uncomplicated UTIs – should be competing for your attention. It is a publication we Continue reading Ibuprofen for uUTI (Part 2): Antibiotic or NSAID? Or Both? Or Neither?

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

Cattle and Pigs and Chickens, Oh Yeah!

When the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) Final Rule was announced earlier this month by FDA, the accompanying press release called it a ‘major step towards judicious antibiotic use’ in veterinary medicine [1]. There are several elements which look good, at least Continue reading Cattle and Pigs and Chickens, Oh Yeah!