New Images Capture Cell's Ribosomes At Work Aug 24, 2009
Important antibiotic drugs, like spectinomycin, capreomycin and aminoglycosides, exploit the structural differences between human and bacterial ribosomes to selectively attack the bacteria. Some viruses, like polio and hepatitis C, hijack human ribosomes, forcing them to pump out proteins that are beneficial for the viruses. (Science Daily)
Cystic Fibrosis Treatment May Cause Hearing Loss Jul 4, 2009
Of those seven patients, 43 percent had received more than 10 courses of aminoglycosides intravenously. Patients who underwent more than five treatments with nasal irrigation of aminoglycosides were also at risk for sensorineural hearing loss, the study found ... Because of their potency against bacteria, aminoglycosides are often given to cystic fibrosis patients, even though the treatments are known to cause side effects such as hair cell loss, which leads to hearing loss, according to... (MEDLINEplus)
Common antibacterial treatment linked to sensorineural hearing loss in cystic fibrosis patients Jul 1, 2009
Of that group, 43 percent of those that had received aminoglycosides intravenously had received more than 10 courses of the treatment; patients who were treated more than five times with nasal irrigation of aminoglycosides were also at risk of sensorineural hearing loss. Because CF patients are prone to suffer from infections of the pulmonary and sinonasal systems, aminoglycosides are commonly administered to CF patients because of the potent effect they have on bacteria ... The authors contend... (EurekAlert!)
FDA Approves DYSPORT(TM) for Therapeutic and Aesthetic Uses Apr 30, 2009
Patients receiving treatment of DYSPORT(TM) while already being treated with aminoglycosides or other agents interfering with neuromuscular transmission (e. g., curare-like agents or muscle relaxants) should be observed closely for symptoms consistent with botulinum toxin effects. (Primezone Releases)
Re-awakening old genes to help in the fight against HIV Apr 28, 2009
Lead scientist Alexander Cole used aminoglycosides, drugs commonly used to fight bacterial infections, to trigger the production of the sleeping protein expressed by the retrocyclin gene. "It could make a huge difference in the fight against HIV," Cole said. (EurekAlert!)
Antibiotic Resistance: Rising Concern In Marine Ecosystems Feb 26, 2009
"We found resistance to all major classes of antibiotics routinely used to treat Vibrio infections, including aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and cephalosporins," stated Bigelow's Ramunas Stepanauskas, Ph. D. "In contrast, we found that Vibrios were highly susceptible to carbapenems and new-generation fluoroquinolones, such as Imipenem and Ciprofloxacin. This information may be used to design better strategies to treat Vibrio infections.". (Science Daily)
Gene fault 'ups antibiotic risk' Feb 7, 2009
Aminoglycosides, often used to target serious infections, can permanently harm hearing ... While aminoglycosides are a cheap and effective way of getting to grips with certain types of bacterial infection, doctors have known for some time that they carry risks, and levels of the drug are normally carefully monitored. (BBC News -- Health)
