The most interesting about antibiotics for 2015

Researchers worked fruitfully the whole of the past year, and today I want to note the most interesting works of scientists for 2015, and start with antibiotics.

It has long been known that antibiotics cause an imbalance in the intestinal microflora, and this causes the development of certain diseases. But experts say that these drugs are most dangerous in childhood, because such treatment can be the cause of the development of a number of diseases after the child has matured. Experts stressed that this study will help not only to identify all the dangers of using such therapy, but also to develop recommendations for the appropriateness of prescribing such drugs.  

Another research team has developed a special device that helps to quickly identify antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Today, in order to detect bacterial resistance, a rather lengthy laboratory test or expensive bulky devices is required. The new development allows to make the analysis literally within several hours, besides, all necessary materials and devices are easily placed on an ordinary table.

In Finland, a team of specialists stated that with uncomplicated appendicitis, it is enough simply to prescribe antibiotics that will help without surgical treatment.

Another group of researchers concluded that antibiotic therapy in early childhood leads in the future to obesity, bone growth and disruption of normal intestinal microflora. Laboratory experiments on mice have shown that antibiotics change the composition of the intestinal microflora, make the bones larger and increase the weight (rodents received the same dosage of antibacterial drugs, which on average children from birth to 2 years). In addition to changing the balance of bacteria, antibiotics changed the number of genes that are responsible for certain metabolic processes. It was also found that the microbiome of rodents receiving antibiotics did not adapt to changes in the external environment.

Another group of scientists has shown that taking antibiotics at an early age increases the likelihood of juvenile arthritis. Scientists note that antibiotics are not a direct cause of the development of pathology, but serve as a marker. Many babies are prescribed this treatment, but only one in a thousand develops arthritis, scientists believe that antibiotics are one of the factors that cause the pathological process.

In Denmark, a group of specialists found out that antibacterial drugs increase the risk of developing type II diabetes.

In another study, the opinion was denied that antibiotics from the macrolide group disrupt fetal fetal development, but scientists warn that these preparations have not been sufficiently studied yet, and in any case, they should be prescribed and taken with caution.

Also, experts have found that one course of antibiotics breaks the composition of the intestinal microflora for a long time, and this, in turn, causes resistance to antibiotics.

The last generation of antibacterial drugs, called phagemids, penetrate into pathogenic microorganisms and begin to release deadly toxins. In the description of the scientific work, it was indicated how particles of viruses destroying bacteria (bacteriophages) were modeled. The specialists have developed particles that effectively destroy a certain type of bacteria, in this case they worked with E. Coli, but the next step will be the development of a drug for combating cholera vibrio, clostridia,

Finally, in one study, the researchers found that the inclusion of antibiotics in postoperative therapy is ineffective. The specialists established that patients who received antibacterial treatment stayed in the hospital for one day longer, in comparison with those who did not receive antibiotics.