Drug-resistant urinary tract infections spreading worldwide

Faculty of 1000: Biology and Medicine ^ | Dec 28, 2009 | Unknown

[decimon]

A sudden worldwide increase in an antibiotic-resistant bacterium is cause for concern, according to a review in f1000 Medicine Reports.

Faculty of 1000 member Dr Johann Pitout, of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, urges the medical community to monitor the spread of a multi-drug resistant bacterium before it becomes necessary to use more powerful antibiotics as a first response.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) are bacterially-produced enzymes that confer resistance to penicillin-type antibiotics. ESBLs have been commonly linked to nosocomial infections, which are generally treated with intravenously-administered antibiotics such as the carbapenems.

However, in recent years there has been a drastic increase in community-acquired infections, caused by a single strain of ESBL-producing E. coli. Dr Pitout suggests that the rapid spread of this particular strain is due, at least in part, to international travel through high-risk areas such as the Indian subcontinent.

Using carbapenems as the first response to such infections increases the risk of inducing resistance to them in the community, nullifying some of our most powerful anti-bacterial strategies. Dr Pitout recommends that the medical community should use existing methods to identify infections caused by ESBL-producing bacteria, and empirically test the efficacy of other antibiotics in treating community-acquired infections.

Dr Pitout concludes, "If this emerging public health threat is ignored … the medical community may be forced to use the carbapenems as the first choice for the empirical treatment of serious [community-acquired UTIs]."

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Notes to Editors

1. Dr Johann Pitout is a Faculty Member for f1000 Medicine, Infectious Diseases Section, and works at the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada http://f1000medicine.com/member/5309018475971825

2. The full text of this article is available for subscribers at http://f1000medicine.com/reports/10.3410/M1-84/

3. Faculty of 1000, which comprises http://f1000medicine.com and http://f1000biology.com, is a unique online service that helps you stay informed of high impact articles and access the opinions of global leaders in medicine and biology. Our distinguished international faculty select and evaluate key articles across the sciences, providing a rapidly updated, authoritative guide to the literature.

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[goseminoles]

Hey. Thanks for the update. I hope all is well(given the diagnosis).

[decimon]

Doc-in-the-box says Shingles.

Thanks for getting back. At least it's something treatable. Hope you're well soon.

[Sally'sConcerns]

Doc-in-the-box says Shingles. Two prescriptions, an antiviral and something to help with nerve inflammation and pain, Acyclovir 800 mg tabs, and Gabapentin 300 mg capsules.

OHH OUCH! Even though shingles isn't fatal, it can still be unbearably painful especially if its ignored even for a short time.

Same (now ex/deceased) husband had 2 bouts with shingles only they were around his waistline especially around the front. We were told it can be a sudden development which usually affected people who had chicken pox as a child. They prescribed some pretty strong pain meds as well as the anti-viral used for herpes. From what I'm remembering we were told chicken pox itself is a form of one of the herpes viruses (not the same herpes which causes genital outbreaks) and shingles can appear years later. He had to give up clothing which touched the area of his waist line because that kept it raw. I know there were times when he was in so much pain it hurt to watch him.

Hope the meds clear it up quickly and I'm glad it wasn't MSRA.

[RegulatorCountry]

The swollen lymph nodes bug me, though. Why would a viral nerve inflammation cause that? There’s infection somewhere, and a pretty good sized one, judging from the size and tenderness of the nodes in front of my left ear, below my left ear and adjacent to the jaw.

Did your husband have this with his case of shingles?

[neverdem]

bump & a micro ping

[jeepers creepers]

D-Mannose cleared my UTI up in seven days.

http://www.healingtherapies.info/D-Mannose.htm

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=d-mannose+for+uti&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[neverdem]

The swollen lymph nodes bug me, though. Why would a viral nerve inflammation cause that? There’s infection somewhere, and a pretty good sized one, judging from the size and tenderness of the nodes in front of my left ear, below my left ear and adjacent to the jaw.

You can get swollen lymph nodes with Shingles.

Check out the shingles page. Then click on home. Then save it to your favorites. It's very well written for the general public.

If you're not getting better after a while, then another diagnosis needs to be considered.

[RegulatorCountry]

The rash hasn’t spread and isn’t throbbing quite as bad in and of itself, but the nerve pain has spread to above my left eyebrow. The swollen glands have not receded. There’s no staph involved, so that’s a relief. I was very concerned that it was MRSA yesterday.

[decimon]

Thanks. Looks good.

[MarMema]

Cranberry pills, 2 in am, 2 in pm.

[sweetiepiezer]

Checked it out today, what about the fat grams, 17 a serving.

[csmusaret]

No problem if you are counting carbs.

[Smokin' Joe]

Ping... (Thanks, neverdem!)

[Born Conservative]

Did you see the doc yet? Painful bumps along the hairline could be Shingles.

[visualops]

Unfortunately a lot of people neglect small cuts and scrapes. It’s important to clean any wound no matter how small, even just soap and water if that’s all you have, but as soon as possible administer a germ killer like peroxide and then a dab of triple antibiotic and a bandaid if necessary. In this day of easy travel and the presence of third worlders and nasty germs you cannot be too careful.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[RegulatorCountry]

I did, and it was, thanks.

[lonestar]

About 40 years ago my mother went to our neighbor, friend and family doctor with what he diagnosed as shingles. He said, "I'm going to treat this the old fashion way" and drew blood out of her arm and gave her a shot in the hip with it.

The shingles went away...and she never had them again.

[RegulatorCountry]

Had to be psychosomatic. I can’t envision any possible medical benefit to doing that. But, the mind can have a powerful effect on some health issues. People have been known to think or “wish” warts away, it’s not just folklore. Warts are viral. Shingles are viral.

[LibertyRocks]

My husband just had shingles, and we thought they were bug bites until his lymph node under his arm started swelling. It was then that I insisted he go to the doctor, and he was Dxd with Shingles. I realize your post was a couple days ago, and I’m guessing you’re in the worst part of things right now. Don’t hesitate to call back your doc if the Gabapentin isn’t working for the pain — you may need something more along the lines of a “real” pain killer like vicodin (my hubby got Oxycodone for his). [It can take WEEKS for Gabapentin to actually start working, or to go up to a high enough dose (I’ve been on it for several years now due to nerve pain in my neck and back).]

Hope you are doing alright. I know my hubby was pretty miserable for about 2 weeks there.

Don’t know if this was covered later in the thread, but I saw another post and thought I’d add to theirs — When one has Chicken Pox you never really get rid of it. The virus goes into the nerves of the back and can stay dormant for decades. They told us that stress is a big factor in getting shingles (esp. as my husband was only 38 when he got it - just turned 39 in Nov.). Two things that may help you to prevent permanent nerve damage — L-Lysine which you can buy as a supplement in the pharmacy dept. as well as B-Complex Vitamins. It won’t interfere with any of the Shingles meds, but be sure to check with the pharmacist or your doctor if you’re on other meds. They are both “B” vitamins and will help you keep your strength up as fighting this really takes a lot out of you. The recommendation for L-Lysine and the B-Complex vitamins came from fellow FReepers when I asked for advice and prayers for my hubby. :)