Warning over antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Significant levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been found at locations in and around Cambridge, England. The researchers found potentially dangerous Pseudomonas bacteria in over a fifth of samples collected close to the River Cam.

Results from the study, carried out by scientists from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, show the presence of the potentially dangerous Pseudomonas bacteria in over a fifth of samples collected (21%).

The researchers studied 115 swabs of wild bird faeces taken from around the River Cam over a two-year period. The faecal swabs were collected from locations within half-a-mile of the riverbank along a 10-mile stretch of the river in and around Cambridge.

Of the 115 samples, 24 contained the presence of Pseudomonas bacteria. Pseudomonas are a large group of bacteria which can be naturally present in the environment, and some of which are associated with animal and human disease.

Higher rates of Pseudomonas bacteria are normally associated with disease outbreaks in animal populations, and previous similar studies carried out in Spain and Slovakia have reported rates of between 2-10%. Pseudomonas bacteria may potentially be passed on to humans through cross-contamination.

One of the samples contained Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is known to cause illnesses ranging from easy-to-treat ear infections to fatal lung infections and typically affects those with a weakened immune system. In the UK, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the second most common hospital infection and approximately a quarter of people die from the illness.

The researchers then tested the effectiveness of five different types of antibiotics -- cefepime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, levofloxacin, and meropenem -- on each of the Pseudomonas bacteria isolated from the samples.

All Pseudomonas bacteria samples were found to be resistant to at least one of the antibiotics used on them, and three quarters were multidrug resistant, meaning they were resistant to two or more of the antibiotics used.

However, none of the Pseudomonas bacteria tested were resistant to all five types of antibiotics and only one of the samples -- a strain of Pseudomonas koreensis, usually present in soil and not typically a cause of human illness -- was resistant to meropenem, which is a last-line antibiotic strictly reserved for human medicine to preserve its effectiveness.

According to the O'Neill report, commissioned by the UK government and the Wellcome Trust, antibiotic resistance is a major global crisis that is causing 700,000 deaths annually. Unless tackled, this is estimated to increase to 10 million by 2050.

Lead author Joana GC Rodrigues, Associate Lecturer in Life Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: "The River Cam runs through the centre of Cambridge and is an extremely popular spot for leisure activities such as walking, picnicking, and boating. Therefore, the results from our study highlight the importance of basic personal hygiene, such as washing our hands after being outdoors, due to the risk of cross-contamination.

"We already know that more than 60% of human infections each year are attributable to zoonotic diseases, which are diseases passed from animals to humans, and our findings demonstrate the importance of identifying and monitoring potential pathogen 'reservoirs', including populations of wild birds.

"Surveillance is a key aspect of understanding antibiotic resistance but is often forgotten. Having up-to-date information about the presence of different bacteria and their resistance to antibiotics allows us to monitor our ecosystem health and act swiftly.

"We know that antibiotic resistance is a global issue that will continue to worsen if no action is taken. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the emergence of resistance due to the overuse of antibiotics. Therefore, it is extremely important that everyone follows medical advice about when to take medication and for how long, in order to preserve their effectiveness."

See: Joana G. C. Rodrigues, Harisree P. Nair, Christopher O'Kane, Caray A. Walker. Prevalence of multidrug resistance in Pseudomonas spp. isolated from wild bird feces in an urban aquatic environment. Ecology and Evolution, 2021; 11 (20): 14303 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8146

 

 Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)

Every day more than 650 children die from TB

 

 

As the world prepares to celebrate World Children’s Day on 20 November, the Stop TB Partnership today noted with grave concern the setbacks suffered in the fight against childhood tuberculosis (TB) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the WHO 2020 Global TB Report, over one million children fall ill with TB every year, and TB deaths have increased for the first time in over a decade.

“Every single day, more than 650 children die from tuberculosis, a preventable and treatable disease. That is an unacceptable tragedy,” said Dr. Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership. “We cannot continue to stand on the sidelines while children fall ill and die, especially when we know how to prevent them from falling ill in the first place and how to treat them when they do so.”

At the United Nations High-Level Meeting (UN HLM) on TB in 2018, world leaders made several commitments to prevent and treat childhood TB. This included placing 4 million children under five years of age on TB preventive treatment as well as diagnosing and treating 3.2 million children with TB and 115,000 children with drug-resistant TB by 2022. Yet, according to this year’s Global TB Report, only 41% of children with TB have been treated between 2018 and 2020. That figure drops to 11% for children with drug-resistant TB. When it comes to TB prevention, only 29% of the UNHLM target has been met, with 1.2 million household contacts under the age of five benefiting from TB preventive treatment.

In 2020, only 59% of people developing TB were diagnosed and treated. For children this figure was worse at 37%, showing that children face more barriers to accessing TB care compared to adults.

“Children and young adolescents with TB have been disproportionately affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – with wider gaps reported by WHO in access to life-saving TB prevention and care,” said Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme. “We need to move forward urgently to ensure access to essential TB services to save young lives and to save our future.”

“Children are the world of tomorrow, and we are failing them on so many fronts – health, poverty, climate,” added Dr. Ditiu. “Not many people realize that a rise in the number of children with TB in a city or country means ongoing and high transmission – as children are infected by the adults around them. It would be so easy to end TB in children, yet we note with dismay the world’s failure to commit sufficient resources to the fight against TB – with less than half of the global target of US$ 13 billion in annual funding by 2022 available. TB remains the Cinderella of infectious diseases, heavily impacted by the absence of collective commitments to save young lives. We will not accept this situation anymore.”

“Given COVID-19 setbacks, at the current pace of progress, it will take many years before we can save children from illness and death due to TB,” said Dr. Farhana Amanullah, Chair, Child and Adolescent TB (CA TB) Working Group and Member of the Stop TB Partnership Board. “Mortality due to TB is the highest among children, yet funding for this area remains low. We need to speed up, and increase funding for, research and development efforts to develop a new vaccine and new diagnosis tools. COVID-19 has shown us how quickly countries can mobilize money for research; we now need strong commitments and energy to save children’s lives from the second biggest infectious disease killer, TB.”

 

To help raise awareness around childhood TB around the world and help curb the spread of the disease, the Stop TB Partnership has teamed up with the global icon Hello Kitty. As one of the most active TB Champions, Hello Kitty tirelessly raises awareness about TB through social media, including live chats with experts, and affected children and their families. In a video interview, Dr. Ditiu also explained to Hello Kitty the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of TB in children. On this year’s World Children’s Day, the Stop TB Partnership and Hello Kitty also propose an interactive online quiz to help everyone learn about childhood TB.

Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility has also, since 2019, been working on an initiative to ensure that children with drug-resistant TB have access to child-friendly medicines, which dissolve in water, taste better and are easier for a child to swallow. These new drugs are now available in more than 50 countries. 

 Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)

Microbiome discovery could help save kids’ hearing

 

Bacteria found in children's upper respiratory systems could help fight chronic middle ear infections, the leading cause of preventable hearing loss and deafness in Indigenous communities.

The University of Queensland's Dr Seweryn Bialasiewicz said this discovery helped explain a long-held mystery, while providing hope for potential treatments.

"We've been puzzled for years now, trying to work out why some children never develop chronic ear disease, despite being in a high-risk category for contracting it," Dr Bialasiewicz said.

"By focusing on the microbiomes in the upper respiratory tracts of disease-resistant kids, we could investigate the ecological networks of bacterial interactions that seemed to be working together to protect against the condition.

"It was clear that these two groups of bacteria needed to not only be present, but to be interacting with each other, to provide protection from middle ear infections."

Dr Bialasiewicz said they were hoping to use this information to figure out what the exact mechanism of protection is, and then mimic it in the very young children, as a therapy or a preventative measure.

"This could take the form of a molecule that can be used as a drug for treatment, or as a protective probiotic so that these 'good' bacteria can be seeded in the nose early enough to offer protection against the incoming 'bad' bacteria," he said.

Dr Andrea Coleman, who completed her PhD work on the project this year, said the research provided a new perspective on how middle ear infections develop and could pave the way for new treatments.

"Chronic middle ear infections can affect between one third to one half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, which is far above the four per cent threshold that the World Health Organisation considers as a disease needing urgent public health action," Dr Coleman said.

"This disease can cause hearing loss and can have life-long impacts on speech and language development, education, and future employment prospects, and in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations contributes to the wide gap in educational and employment outcomes."

The study investigated the microbiomes of 103 children aged two to seven from two north Queensland communities.

Dr Bialasiewicz said chronic middle ear infections resulting in hearing loss was a major problem with Indigenous and other disadvantaged populations globally.

"Our discovery could be applied across the world, helping improve health and reducing the disadvantage gap for a wide range of people," he said.

The team has acknowledged the support of the Deadly Ears team, the Queensland Health's statewide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ear Health Program doing on-the-ground treatment and education, as well as the generous assistance of parents and children within the participating communities.

Reference:

1. Andrea Coleman, Julian Zaugg, Amanda Wood, Kyra Cottrell, Eva Grahn Håkansson, Jasmyn Adams, Matthew Brown, Anders Cervin, Seweryn Bialasiewicz. Upper Respiratory Tract Microbiome of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children in Ear and Nose Health and Disease. Microbiology Spectrum, 2021; 9 (2) DOI: 10.1128/Spectrum.00367-21 

Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)

Look For These 5 Things in a Kratom Store Before Making a Purchase

 Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/plunger-herbs-crush-kitchen-mortar-317748/

Everyone is talking about Kratom these days. In recent years, Kratom is emerging as an excellent substance that everyone wants to try. As more people learn about the various benefits that Kratom offers, its demand is increasing rapidly. If you are going to purchase Kratom and are new to the world of Kratom, you may not know what factors you should consider. As with any new substance, it is crucial to do thorough research before making a purchase. If you plan on visiting a kratom store, there are some factors that you need to understand. When you are better informed, you will save valuable time in the store. It will be challenging for store owners to take advantage of you when you know what to consider.

By Alexandra Doherty

5 Things to Look For in a Kratom Store Before Making A Purchase

 

Before you buy Kratom online or in a store, be sure to check out the five things a Kratom store should offer. There are plenty of options available, from tea to capsules and even powder, for an excellent, easy carry supplement. The key is to shop around. There are many options and selections out there, and some companies might not be actual high-quality providers.

Before buying, there are a few things you should consider. You should know what your options are. You should also be mindful of how to tell if a company is legitimate. This guide can help you with that. Here are the five vital things you should look for in a reliable Kratom store.

 

1.     The Kratom Store You Visit Should Carry a Good Range of Products

A good store should offer a variety of products from which to choose. While some people only use Kratom occasionally, it is not uncommon for everyday people to use it for recreational purposes. Many people around the globe use Kratom for medicinal purposes as well. So, be sure to check out the different products and offerings.

 

2.     The Kratom Store Should Offer Reliable Customer Support

Another crucial element you should look for in a kratom store is customer service. You should be able to speak to someone on the phone or internet live chat operators if you have any questions. You should also be able to contact the company quickly through their customer service number or by email. If you cannot get through to anyone at the company or the response time is too slow, it is probably best to move on to a different vendor. Even if you are not interested in purchasing Kratom online, it is nice to know that you can go into a shop, talk to the owner, and they will be more than happy to answer your questions. That shows that the store is reliable.

 

3.     The Kratom Store Should Label All Its Products Appropriately

It is a good idea to see proof of how the Kratom is harvested and processed. Often, you can find this information on the product labels. Sometimes, it is just a tiny label attached to the bottle. Either way, you need to ensure the kratom products you are buying are of the highest quality.

 

4.     The Kratom Store Should Primarily Carry Products with Natural Ingredients

The next thing to look for is purely natural ingredients. Reliable companies put their Kratom products through third-party testing. Several brands have been certified as providing high-quality kratom products with no harmful side effects. Those are the types of kratom products you should consider purchasing.

 

5.     The Kratom Store Should Offer Multiple Payment Options

Before you step into a kratom store, ask them about the payment options they offer. Many stores are unfortunately unable to process credit card transactions, so you might need to use cash. You can save yourself from facing a potentially embarrassing situation by calling the store ahead of time and asking them about which payment options they accept. If you do not get a clear answer, it is always good to be on the safer side by carrying adequate cash. Similarly, you should call ahead of time and ask if they require prospective buyers to produce an ID to enter the store. Many kratom stores understandably ask for identification, so you should have it ready to go in case you need it.

 

What Are Some Other Factors to Consider?

When looking for quality kratom products, you are going to need to do some research. Fortunately, many websites will compare several different vendors. Online research is an indispensable tool, and it is an excellent place to start because you will know which companies produce quality kratom products. However, do not rely solely on websites for your fundamental research.

Talk to people who use Kratom regularly. Word-of-mouth is arguably still the most reliable form of information. It would be ideal to consult with your doctor, pharmacist, friends, and anyone else who may have used kratom products and get their opinion about which brands are best. There are many kratom products available, so you should feel free to look around to find your perfect match. By combining research, word-of-mouth, and a quality kratom store, you will be able to find what you need to maximize your experience.

Make sure that the Kratom is fresh when you buy it. Some kratom products are mixed with other materials and can become contaminated over time. A quality kratom store should tell you how old the product is and how long it sits on the shelf. This indicator is the best way to ensure that you are getting a high-quality product with minimal risk. Storing Kratom at room temperature is the best idea because it will keep its potency the longest.

Many kratom retailers do not use quality kratom products, making a big difference when buying Kratom online or in-store. Ask for a kratom sample when you purchase Kratom online. Do not settle for just one type of kratom powder from a seller you have never heard of because most reliable sellers carry many options. The more kratom products a seller has available, the more selection you will find in a store. This way, you will be able to get the best Kratom products for the lowest price.

Conclusion

If you are relatively newer to the Kratom world and want to try it out, you can purchase quality kratom products from almost any major online retailer. This way, you can be sure you are getting high-quality kratom products created by reputable companies, and you will not harm your body. If you do decide to give Kratom a try, be sure to look for these factors so that you can make a calculated and informed decision and enjoy a wonderful new experience with Kratom.

  Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)

6 Ways to Deal With Social Anxiety At Work

 Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/upset-overwhelmed-stress-tired-2681502/

We all encounter some degree of social anxiety in our lives. For most, it is not a problem until it starts impinging on our work life. While some jobs are more public than others, there is likely no job where you are protected from the occasional uncomfortable moment or interaction with colleagues or customers. Given that fact, what can an employee do when social anxiety is affecting their work?

By Alexandra Doherty 

How to identify if social anxiety is affecting your work life?

 

The first step in getting a grip on social anxiety at work is identifying and understanding the problem and how it affects your life. The DSM-IV defines social phobia as an intense fear of being observed, inappropriately evaluated, or embarrassed while engaging in everyday activities.

●       In addition to those symptoms, it is essential to understand how it also causes you to avoid social interactions in any context. The most prominent way the individual with this problem will experience its impact at work is in the area of performance.

●       Individuals who are terrified of public speaking, using a presentation device, working in an open environment, or even answering their office phone will be negatively affected by this anxiety. These fears present themselves in performance issues such as faulty memory, lack of preparation and production, or even deciding not to show up for work.

 

How do you cope with your problems while at work?

 

It is possible to use the various coping mechanisms And; if those techniques work for you, then, by all means, use them at work as well as they will help you usually function and reduce or eliminate your anxiety, so that is no longer a problem.

 

Here are a few ways that will help you overcome social anxiety at work:

 

1. Vent to someone first thing in the morning or just before you go home at night.

You probably have family or friends that would be more than happy to listen and support you, so put them on speed dial and talk about your anxiety-inducing experience as soon as possible. Sometimes just getting it off your chest - and hearing someone else vent about their issues with anxiety - can help you feel much better, so the next time that anxiety starts to take over, you might want to give them a call and let it all out. This way, you can eliminate any issues you might have with your co-workers and go back to your work with a clean slate.

 

2. Make a list of things that trigger your social anxiety:

Whether it's going to a party, starting a conversation with someone new, or introducing yourself at work. Next, make a list of skills and techniques that can help you feel better when these things happen. For instance, you may write down deep breathing exercises for the former and "fake it until you make it" for the latter. This way, you identify what triggers your mind and makes you conscious about the social light you are in. For example, public speaking will trigger anxiety because it makes you conscious that everyone is looking at you and judging your words. So you identify it and try to calm down by picturing them as your friends or practicing talking in front of the mirror to counter spotlight anxiety.

 

3. Hack your anxiety

Put together a strategy for coping with these thoughts and feelings. You may find this one difficult as it is easy to erase the memories of the event and much harder to change how you feel about them. Here are some ideas:

●       Acknowledge the anxiety instead of reminding yourself that your mind is playing tricks on you. Be mindful of what's causing you the stress and try to find ways around it instead of avoiding it. Think about what you can do right now to soothe anxiety symptoms, such as: relaxing your muscles or breathing deeply.

●       Your confidence is negatively related to your anxiety. Remind yourself that even if things do go wrong, you will manage it much better now that you have learned other coping strategies.

●       Focus on your work and try not to worry about outside influences as much as possible (a common technique used by those who suffer from social anxiety)

●       If you find yourself missing deadlines or having trouble concentrating, let your boss know. They will likely be understanding if you explain that there are some issues outside of your control at the moment, and they can offer suggestions for how to handle them (for example, maybe the deadline could be pushed).

●       If you have a track record of particular periods of anxiety, you may want to medicate with cannabis or weed right before you face the light of your social anxiety trigger. For example, you have a social event coming up, so you might want to keep a light stash of cannabis with you.

 

4. Be proactive

A significant anxiety-triggering situation is a fear that you will be put on the spot. This isn't always possible to avoid, but being actively engaged in work projects for which you are responsible can go a long way towards checking this trigger. Twist the perception for your advantage - Think of this as an opportunity where you get to share your opinions and views and put them forth for your peers to see you as a contributor. This may mean speaking up more or taking opportunities to share your ideas or knowledge with others.

 

5. Try Kratom

Kratom is a natural plant found in the Southeast region of Asia. This plant is now making its way all over the world due to its therapeutic benefits, especially in the field of mental health. Research has suggested that kratom products like kratom capsules can help reduce anxiety, depression, and stress for many people. Anxiety is one of the most commonly reported mental health disorders in the world. Kratom can help reduce the symptoms of different types of anxiety disorders, including social anxiety disorders. When taken in the right doses, kratom can help reduce social anxiety and make a person more vocal, especially in public speaking situations and social events.

 

6. Plan out how to deal with situations

While preparing for a presentation or an assigned job, identifying what to do if things go wrong (in other words: imagining yourself freaking out) and preparing what needs to be done in such a situation can add the power of preparation and will help you during your performance.

 

Conclusion

It's normal to feel nervous at times; be aware of how it affects your performance and behavior, but don't let it get out of hand, or it will make matters worse. Instead, learn when your anxiety is heightened and take steps to improve matters before you need to speak in public.

 

 

Ref links:

●        https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/what-is-social-anxiety-disorder/

●        https://www.forbes.com/sites/meganbruneau/2016/05/28/5-hacks-to-overcoming-social-anxiety-networking-like-a-pro/?sh=756df8dd482b

●        https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2011/02/08/do-you-suffer-from-workplace-anxiety-worry-stress-fear-office-most-common/?sh=8fe040a46a4d

 

Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)