Why should Multi-Drug Resistance Matter? What Can We Do?

So after hearing/reading about what is multiple drug resistance, bacterial resistance, viral resistance, or even if its neither but just a disease, why should it even matter? The answer is that people can basically spread these super bugs around the entire globe leading into severe infections and then death. This of course can lead into another world-wide pandemic that is even more deadly than MDR-TB (440,000 cases and 150,000 deaths).

MDR-TB has spread all through out the countries

http://www.who.int/tb/publications/2009/airborne/background/map.JPG

What Can We Do To Prevent This?

The best way that we can do in order to prevent this from spreading by using the world's number one technique: washing hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners. Also it is better to keep areas cleaned and keeping up with hygiene.

Another way is to use antibiotics more responsibly/appropriately. We should never share antibiotics with other people such as friends and family. Do not start saving them and then restart again when your sick (unless your doctor have given you specific instructions).

Don't ignore breaks in the skin or even small cuts just clean then thoroughly and cover them up.

References:
"Antimicobial Resistance." WHO. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012
 <http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs194/en/>
LeWine, Howard. M.D. "Super Bugs - Antibiotic Resistance - On the Medical Front - Healthy Lifestyle | Aetna InteliHealth. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012.
  <http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtlH/WSIHW000/9273/28983/790718.html?d=dmtlCNNews>.
Photos:
http://www.who.int/tb/publications/2009/airborne/background/info/en/index.html

Targeting Cancer

Cancer, this broad group of diseases has been around since ancient Greece and it is been a problem ever since to this day. Through many research attempts, scientists have been relentlessly trying to produce or discover a cure this epidemic. Despite people who have been diagnosed with cancer are being treat through therapy. So here is the question, why are the people who are in a long therapy session have not been cured yet?


The answer leads to the fact that the cancer cells have develop a high drug resistance that would come back the effects of chemotherapy drugs. In the cancer there are two types of cells: a drug-sensitive cells and drug-resistant cells. During the chemotherapy, the drugs would go kill off the cells that are "drug-sensitive". As the tumor begins to grow and develop, the therapy would then be not as effective because most of the remaining cells are highly-drug resistant. This would allow the tumor to avoid the toxic drugs, leaving to an increase in chemo-resistance pumps: P-glycoprotein and a multidrug resistance proteins (MRP).



A recent study reveals that a certain nanoparticles can by-pass the multidrug pumps and deliver the anticancer medications to the cell nucleus. A research team at Northwestern University developed a nanoparticle that contains an iron oxide core and a titanium oxide shell. The iron oxide core's purpose serves as an MRI agent, while the titanium oxide shell serves to bind towards anticancer agents through chemical bonding. In their experiment they use ovarian cancer cells and inject with two types of nanoparticles: one with doxorubicin and one without doxorubicin. In the process the nanoparticles did do their job and admnistered the doxorubicin into the cell nucleus. There they made an important observation that the empty nanoparticles increased cell uptake transferrin. In the end, this could be a breakthrough towards defeating cnancer.

References:
"Cancer Multidrug Resistance." Nature.com. NatuPublishing Group, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2012
              <http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v18/n10s/full/nbt1000_IT18.html>
"How Do Cancer Cells Become Drug Resistant?" Taconic. N.p., n.d. Web 24 Nov. 2012
              <http://www.taconic.com/wmspage/cfm?parm1=313>
"Overcoming Cancer Drug Resistance with Nanoparticles." Overcmoing Cancer Drug Resistance with                 Nanoparticles. N.p., 20 Jan. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2012

Photos:
oceanexplorer.noaa.gov
news.cnet.com

Viruses, So similar but more deadly

Besides knowing the fact that bacteria can develop a resistance to antibodies, we can also conclude that viruses can develop their own resistance to antiviral medications Living along side with the bacteria, these little bugs have also been developing immunity to antivirals since the beginning. Likewise this immunity completely revolves around a random mutation and natural selection.

So do we ever wonder why we get a flu shot every year or how come every year we are inflicted with the same symptoms? Yet even though we got over last year's ailment, we still get the same one this year. Its basically because these viruses are developing a resistance. In this situation without drugs our immune system  develops antibodies that will eliminate the virus, then when the year comes a new virus shows up to take its place. Even though our bodies is ready to take it down the virus is not going down without a a fight because our bodies are developed to take care of that specific virus. This in turns lead to the same symptoms all over again as last year.

As such with a situation with antibiotics and antivirals, as soon as the virus develops immunity to their antiviral medications, it leads to more difficult problems in living. Besides that it may even cause an outbreak which might lead to a worldwide pandemic since viruses do tend to spread. Current pandemic viruses (that can be debate able of having a cure) are HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).

In this past research, a company Monogram Biosciences conducted experiments in concluding that the mutant in HIV strains are decreasing using patients from the 51st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Chicago (ICAAC). After all the testing, the results shows that all the main Antiretroviral classes: protease inhibitors, (NRTI) nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and (NNRTIs) non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors have decreased from 29%-11% from 2003-10. Though on the downside the resistance of one Antiretroviral had increased from 31%-54% through the same years.

References:

McQueen, Courtney. "Frequency Of Multi-Drug-Resistant HIV Strains Is Decreasing."

      Aidsbeacon.com. Light Knowledge Resources LLC, 23 Sept. 2011. Web. 23 Nov. 2012.
"Current Pandemics." Current Pandemics. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 212
      <http://www.news-medical.net/health/Current-Pandemics.aspx>
"Immune System 101." Immune System 101. U.S. Department of Health & Human Service, n.d. Web. 24
      Nov. 2012. <http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/just-diagnosed-with-hiv-aids/hiv-in-your-body/immune-              
      system-101/>
Photos:
www.topnews.in
www.medicalnews21.blogspot.com

Bacteria rebel against antibiotics

As we all know about bacterial infections, the simplest solution is to head to the doctor and take those prescribed antibiotics to simply kill them off. Over time though we learn that bacteria are beginning to find loop holes, or adapt to the same antibiotics that we have been taking and developed a resistance to the medications that would normally take it out. This leads towards the fact that it will be much more difficult to treat them with the same antibiotics.

There are two commonly types of bacteria that have developed a resistance to to antibiotic medications, Staphylococcus Aureus (A.K.A Staph) and Enterococcus. Over time when they do develop their resistance researchers have given them new classification names such as Methicillin-resistant Staph Aureus, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. Though we know that not finishing, and repitition of antibiotics can increase the chances of the bacteria obtaining their resistance it doesnt quite answer the: How do they develop this resistance?

Over the years we begin to figure out that those who survive will begin to obtain a resistance strain from mutation, and the rest of it is up to natural selection to run its course to populate a new colony of bacteria. Take for example this experiment using wild E.coli using different concentrations of norfloxacin (along with other various different antibiotics) with the enzyme tryptophanase. By isolating the intracellular components from the simple and high-resistance individuals leading to a discovery of mass production of a certain protein. The main job a tryptophanase was to be broken down into ammonia, pyruvate, and indole. Indole, under experimental circumstances provided antibiotic survival benefits. This caused the mutant bacteria to mass produce indole, allowing the more vulnerable non-mutated bacteria that surrounded them to survive. This would allow further more exploration of the evolving mutants that could benefit the colony to surviving, and could temporarily stop the gene from spreading.

References:
Lee, Henry H., Michael N. Molla, Charles R. Cantor and James J. Collins. "Abstract." National Center for   Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 02 Sept. 2010. Web. 07 Nov. 2012

"Life of a Lab Rat: Guest Post-Survival of the Fittest?" Life of a Lab Rat: Guest Post - Survival of the Fittest? N.p., 26 Sept. 2010. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. <http://labrat.fieldofscience.com/2010/09/guest-post-survival-of-the-fittest.html?utm_source=feedburner>

Multi-Drug Resistance. What is it?

Multi-Drug resistance also called as "Multiple drug resistance" or abbreviated as MDR, is a phenomenon where a bacteria or virus (but mostly bacteria) develops a natural resistance towards specific drug medications and chemicals. These types of bacterium that resist more than one antibiotic are also called Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) or commonly called Super Bugs. These types of bacterium often effect the terminally ill or older ages leading to very bad infections. Most of the bacteria are found mainly in hospital environments or facilities.


What causes the MDROs to thrive is when antibiotics are being taken when they are not really needed or when the medication is not being taken as prescribed. Being bacteria they will most likely spread through objects or direct contact.

If people do come in contact with MDROs in most cases they will not cause any problems/illnesses. Though there are risk factors can increase the risk of infections if the host does have:

• An existing illness
• Underlying disease such as diabetes
• Previous uses to antibiotics
• Being admitted as hospitalized
• invasive procedures

This of course can cause infections such as:

• Skin
• Lungs
• Urinary tract
• Bloodstream
• Unprotected cuts or wounds

Once the infections have already started, treatment can be rather difficult. This is due to the fact that the bacterium will not respond to the most common antibiotics. Yet doctors will likely still use the best (situational) antibiotics to control the MDRO once they identify what type of MDRO it is.

References:
Nikaido, H. "Multidrug Reisstance in Bacteria." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2012
    <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19231985>
"Department of Public Health." Department of Public Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.
    <http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3136>
Photos:
student.biology.arizona.edu