Hello everyone! Here’s your weekly news on drug resistance:

News

Strains of antibiotic-resistant ‘Staph’ bacteria show seasonal preference; Children at higher risk in summer – Mark Guidera | Eurekalert
Strains of potentially deadly antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria show seasonal infection preferences, putting children at greater risk in summer and seniors at greater risk in winter, according to results of a new Johns Hopkins study. Although unclear exactly why these preferences occur, increased use of antibiotics in the winter to treat strains that affects seniors at a higher rate may be a factor.

The impact of HIV on drug-resistant tuberculosis – Tara C. Smith | Science Blogs
TB is a significant concern in patients diagnosed with HIV, since individuals diagnosed with HIV and latent forms of TB infection are more likely to develop the disease. TB has a high chance of becoming resistant to antibiotic treatment, which leads to issues with controlling the spread of the disease.

Gonorrhea cases climb 25 percent, new drug-resistant strain threatens UK – Cheri Cheng | Counsel & Heal
There may be a ‘superbug’ gonorrhea strain spreading across the UK, as officials noted a dramatic increase in patients with gonorrhea – a 25% increase in 2011 from the previous year. Gonorrhea is usually treated with one shot of antibiotics with a 95% success rate, but has developed a higher resistance towards some of the more commonly used drug treatments.

Concerns over spread of antibiotic-resistant genes – Horsetalk
Much of the antibiotics given to animals in China ends up in manure, poorly processed by animals, and subsequently in fertilizer or in water systems. Antibiotic genes that are highly mobile might end up in other animals that can transmit illnesses to humans, causing infections that cannot be treated with antibiotics.

Cases of rare ‘untreatable’ superbug that killed seven in a year rocket as health officials warn of outbreak – DailyMail Online
The CDC is warning doctors to be on the lookout for an untreatable multidrug-resistant ‘superbug’ emerging in the U.S. stemming from Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriacea, which can cause pneumonia, intestinal and urinary tract infections, and bloodstream infections. 15 types of this bacteria have been identified in the U.S. in the past year; in one outbreak, seven deaths were attributed to this ‘superbug.’

Research

Resurrection fo a 3-billion-year-old antibiotic-resistance proteins – Valeria Risso | Canada Free Press
Scientists are reporting laboratory reconstructions of several proteins 2-3 billion years in age that are ancient ancestors of the enzymes that enable today’s antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Evidence of the proteins responsible for antibiotic resistance predate Alexander Fleming’s 1928 discovery and have been found in 30 000-year-old permafrost sediment.

‘Stressed’ bacteria become resistant to antibiotics – Science Daily
Research published in BioMed Central’s Evolutionary Biology journal finds that bacteria become resistant to antibiotics when stressed. Of particular note is E. coli bacteria grown at high temperatures