Seagulls Carrying Highly Drug-Resistant Superbug Bacteria

 It's not enough that we are subjected to catching these drug-resistant bugs from other human beings, but now according to this article, scientists in Portugal have discovered that a species of seagull that feeds on human rubbish is carrying and spreading highly drug-resistant superbug bacteria. 
   . . . June


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Seagulls Carrying And Spreading Highly Drug-Resistant Superbug Bacteria:
Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD Copyright: Medical News
Scientists in Portugal have discovered that a species of seagull that feeds on human rubbish is carrying and spreading highly drug-resistant superbug bacteria.

You can read how lead researcher Dr Gilberto Igrejas, from the University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro, and colleagues, make their discovery in the 21 September issue of the journal Proteome Science

In their background information, Igrejas and colleagues explained that Enterococci bacteria are now the third most common cause of infections in hospital settings, requiring antibiotic therapy.

A growing problem in such settings is resistance to the "last resort" antibiotic vancomycin which is normally only used when other drugs have failed, and while studies have shown that resistance is emerging in farm animals, few have looked at the extent of the problem in wild animals, said the researchers.

To investigate the problem they decided to look at a particular population of wild animals: a type of Herring Gull known as the Larus Cachinnans seagull.

These large, loud, white and grey seagulls with distinctive yellow legs are often seen scavanging around rubbish tips in the south of the UK.

For the study, the researchers collected and analysed 57 samples of feces dropped by Larus Cachinnans seagulls on an island off the Portuguese coast that is part of the Berlengas Nature Reserve.

They found that one in ten of the samples carried bacteria that showed signs of having developed resistance to vancomycin. They also found signs of resistance to other antibiotics.

Read Entire Article . .

Misuse Of Antibiotics Largely Responsible For Creating Drug-Resistant Bugs

 I completely agree with the premise of the following article. The misuse of antibiotics is definitely largely responsible for creating drug-resistant bugs. I believe our family doctors have been much more attuned to this fact than major hospitals. For several years now we've been getting general advice rather than antibiotics to combat our minor infections. Reducing the antibiotic use I believe is absolutely crucial to combating this problem.
    . . . June


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Misuse of antibiotics:
Business Standard  | 2010-09-13 10:11:00

The government of India has reportedly constituted a committee to formulate a policy for the rational use of antibiotics. This is in response to a report in a globally reputed medical journal on a drug-resistant bacteria or superbug, which has been found to be currently confined to the subcontinent. A superbug represents the end of the road in fighting infections with newer drugs as bacteria become resistant to older ones. So, the only way to prevent getting to that stage is to slow down resistance to antibiotics by ensuring that they are used sparingly. A policy is welcome, indeed, to have uniform norms for the whole country in this battle.

Today individual players in health care do pretty much what they think is sensible and can thus cancel out each other’s efforts. Formulating a policy by putting eminent heads together is the easier part of the battle. But implementing that policy, even if it contains deterrent penalties, is difficult.
The task ahead is Herculean, because it requires a change of culture both on the part of doctors and patients. In a country where a significant portion of the people cannot afford most useful medicines, doctors routinely over-prescribe antibiotics to those who consult them. What is worse, patients are often dissatisfied with a doctor who may advise that, say, a viral infection should be roughed out if it does not get serious and not be pointlessly treated with antibiotics. This is, of course, just a little better than in China where many patients are not satisfied unless a doctor prescribes an injectable. Poor and uninformed patients in India also routinely use an older prescription to treat a new ailment whose symptoms appear similar, and then do not complete a course once undertaken. Further, although antibiotics are to be sold only against prescriptions, chemists routinely sell them over the counter, acting as makeshift doctors in response to patients’ narration of symptoms and request for some golian (tablets).
The regulatory system can begin with implementing the policy in hospitals which should adopt the right treatment protocols and — very important — remain clean so that they don’t become a serious source of infection. Overcrowded government hospitals are a major worry on the latter. But it is far more difficult to re-educate doctors.

Read on . . .