scholarly journals Antimicrobial resistance in healthcare, agriculture and the environment: the biochemistry behind the headlines

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrietta Venter ◽  
Michael L. Henningsen ◽  
Stephanie L. Begg

The crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most serious issues facing us today. The scale of the problem is illustrated by the recent commitment of Heads of State at the UN to coordinate efforts to curb the spread of AMR infections. In this review, we explore the biochemistry behind the headlines of a few stories that were recently published in the public media. We focus on examples from three different issues related to AMR: (i) hospital-acquired infections, (ii) the spread of resistance through animals and/or the environment and (iii) the role of antimicrobial soaps and other products containing disinfectants in the dissemination of AMR. Although these stories stem from three very different settings, the underlying message in all of them is the same: there is a direct relationship between the use of antimicrobials and the development of resistance. In addition, one type of antimicrobial could select for cross-resistance to another type and/or for multidrug resistance. Therefore, we argue the case for increased stewardship to not only cover clinical use of antibiotics, but also the use of antimicrobials in agriculture and stewardship of our crucially important biocides such as chlorhexidine.

2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Yves Maillard

Public awareness of the role of microorganisms in infection and spoilage and the role of the media in highlighting poor hygiene and the failure of healthcare settings in preventing hospital-acquired infections, have fuelled the use of products containing one or several microbicides in the healthcare environment but also at home. The number of such products with a microbicidal claim is increasing rapidly, although their impact on the microbial flora, notably in terms of emerging antimicrobial resistance has not been documented. With increasing evidence that microbicides can lead to bacterial resistance and cross-resistance to antibiotics, concerns have been expressed regarding the indiscriminate used of microbicidal products. This review aims to provide up-to-date information on the use of microbicides in the healthcare settings.


Stroke ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia K Boehme ◽  
Maitreyi Oka ◽  
Bevin Cohen ◽  
Barun Mathema ◽  
Elaine Larson

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1174
Author(s):  
Daniela D’Alessandro ◽  
Massimo Fabiani ◽  
Letizia Appolloni

Intensive care units (ICUs) are special areas in hospitals for patients with severe and life-threatening diseases. ICUs are of several categories, such as neonatal ICUs, cardiac ICUs, neurological ICUs, surgical ICUs, etc. The ICUs’ patients may show a high susceptibility for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) depending on underlying disease, duration of stay and treatment. ICUs are considered potential reservoirs for (opportunistic) pathogenic microbial strains and the risk of acquiring infection in these hospital environments is higher than in others. Several studies show the role of inanimate surface and equipment contamination in the transmission of pathogens to ICU patients. The aim of this study is to describe the results of 124 sampling campaigns performed during 12 years of microbiological surveillance of five ICUs of different categories, for an overall number of 714 samples (232 from air and 482 from surface), to analyze their trends and to elaborate suggestions to improve ICUs’ environmental quality and patients’ safety.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sina Summers

This thesis inquiry investigates how algorithms operate generally to affect the dissemination of news information to audiences. This research aimed to find what the implications of AI used in these ways are for traditional roles played by media news in public life – such as informing the public in the public’s interests and enabling informed public discourse. This research asks also to what extent the use and effect of AI algorithms are transparent to audiences and how this level of understanding by audiences (or lack of understanding) affects the informing role of media.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
pp. 107-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morubagal R. Rao ◽  
Pooja Chandrashaker ◽  
Rashmi P. Mahale ◽  
Sowmya G. Shivappa ◽  
Ranjitha S. Gowda ◽  
...  

Abstract PURPOSE: Multidrug-resistant organisms causing community-acquired and hospital-acquired infections are increasing at a dangerous rate. Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas species are an important source of concern since these organisms are not only resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics but also show cross-resistance to other groups of antibiotics. In the present study, rapid detection of these carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas species by carbapenemase Nordmann–Poirel (Carba NP) test was evaluated by comparing with modified Hodge test (MHT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Imipenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas species isolated from various samples such as pus, blood, sputum, urine, and endotracheal aspirates were processed for carbapenemase detection by MHT and Carba NP test. Kappa analysis was done to evaluate the percentage agreement between the two tests. RESULTS: Seventy imipenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas isolates were analyzed in the present study for carbapenemase production. 63.41% ofEnterobacteriaceae and 34.48% of Pseudomonas species were carbapenemase producers considering both the methods. By MHT, 36 (51.42%) isolates and, by Carba NP test, 35 (50%) isolates were positive for carbapenemase production out of the 70 isolates. CONCLUSION: Carba NP test when compared to MHT is a simple, rapid, cost-effective biochemical test which can be used in all laboratories in the identification of life-threatening carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria.


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