Virus could cause prostate cancer

Worldwide, approximately 3% of men die from prostate cancer. The lifetime risk in developing prostate cancer is
1 in 6 (US). Xenotropic murine leukemia virus–related virus (XMRV) was discovered recently in human prostate cancers. It is the first gammaretrovirus that is known to infect humans.

XMRV is present in malignant prostatic epithelium and is associated with prostate cancer, especially high-grade tumors. PNAS USA September 8 2009 doi:10.1073/pnas.0906922106

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a versatile pathogen associated with a broad spectrum of infections in humans. In healthcare settings the bacterium is an important cause of infection in vulnerable individuals including those with burns or neutropenia or receiving intensive care. In these groups morbidity and mortality attributable to P. aeruginosa infection can be high. Management of infections is difficult as P. aeruginosa is inherently resistant to many antimicrobials. Furthermore, treatment is being rendered increasingly problematic due to the emergence and spread of resistance to the few agents that remain as therapeutic options. A notable recent development is the acquisition of carbapenemases by some strains of P. aeruginosa. Given these challenges, it would seem reasonable to identify strategies that would prevent acquisition of the bacterium by hospitalised patients. Environmental reservoirs of P. aeruginosa are readily identifiable, and there are numerous reports of outbreaks that have been attributed to an environmental source; however, the role of such sources in sporadic pseudomonal infection is less well understood. Nevertheless there is emerging evidence from prospective studies to suggest that environmental sources, especially water, may have significance in the epidemiology of sporadic P. aeruginosa infections in hospital settings, including intensive care units. A better understanding of the role of environmental reservoirs in pseudomonal infection will permit the development of new strategies and refinement of existing approaches to interrupt transmission from these sources to patients.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a formidable and ever-present adversary Journal of Hospital Infection, Volume 73, Issue 4, December 2009, Pages 338-344 K.G. Kerr, A.M. Snelling

Acinetobacter

Acinetobacter emerged as a significant nosocomial pathogen during the late 1970s, probably as a consequence, at least in part, of increasing use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in hospitals. Most clinically significant isolates belong to the species Acinetobacter baumannii or its close relatives, with many infections concentrated in intensive care, burns or high dependency units treating severely ill or debilitated patients. Large outbreaks can occur in such units, involving the infection or colonisation of numerous patients by specific epidemic strains of A. baumannii. Recently, a particular problem has concerned cross-infection of injured military patients repatriated from combat regions of the world (e.g. Iraq and Afghanistan). Carbapenems have previously been the treatment of choice for infected patients, but increasing reports worldwide now describe A. baumannii isolates resistant to all conventional antimicrobial regimens. Data to support therapeutic use of the limited number of new antimicrobial agents (e.g. tigecycline) with in-vitro activity against these pathogens are still very limited. Detailed advice concerning prevention and control of outbreaks caused by multidrug-resistant strains of acinetobacter is available from the UK Health Protection Agency. In addition to antibiotic prescribing policies and audit, these measures focus on reinforcing standard infection control procedures and precautions, with particular attention to thorough cleaning of patient areas to take account of the long-term survival of acinetobacter after drying and inadequate disinfection. Despite these measures, the problem continues to escalate, with many hospitals worldwide now reporting outbreaks caused by multidrug-resistant strains of acinetobacter.

Acinetobacter: an old friend, but a new enemy Journal of Hospital Infection, Volume 73, Issue 4, December 2009, Pages 355-363 K.J. Towner

Cronobacter: A new seperate genus

Enterobacter sakazakii is a member of the Enterobacteriaceae that has been implicated in causing necrotising enterocolitis, bacteraemia and meningitis in infants. The nomenclature of this species has been clarified recently and it has now been accepted as a separate genus, Cronobacter.

International Journal of Food Microbiology, Volume 136, Issue 2, 31 December 2009, Pages 169-178. Cronobacter Special Issue

Breakthrough in fight against deadly Hendra virus

There has been a breakthrough in the fight against the deadly Hendra virus following the development of a treatment which shows great potential to save the lives of people who become infected with the virus. First identified in Brisbane and isolated by CSIRO scientists in 1994, Hendra virus, which spreads from flying foxes, has regularly infected horses in Australia. Of the 12 equine outbreaks, four have led to human infection, with four of the seven known human cases being fatal, the most recent of these in September 2009. Human infection results from close contact with the blood and/or mucus of infected horses.
http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1000642

Mouthy Bacteria

Recent research suggests that the human mouth contains as many as 19,000 bacterial phylotypes.
J Dent Res 2008. 87, 1016–20.

A few snippets about tuberculosis

Individuals are assumed to have contracted and died from Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection as long ago as 15,000 years. The oldest fossil records are from Africa. In 1882, Robert Koch, who discovered the tubercle bacillus, estimated that one in seven deaths in Berlin was caused by tuberculosis. Today, about one-third of the world's population is infected with M. tuberculosis. Eight million people develop the disease each year. Of these, approximately 2 million die annually, with most of the deaths occurring in developing countries.
The story of tuberculosis, also called the “white plague,” is the story of the first modern day clinical trial. Selman Waksman was the first to discover that streptomycin was effective against M. tuberculosis; he subsequently won a Nobel Prize in medicine for this work. The history of tuberculosis is also the history of sanatoriums, where tuberculosis patients went to “take the cure” before anti-tuberculous therapy was available. These special hospitals allowed M. tuberculosis patients to breathe fresh, clean air; eat nutritious foods; and rest. The introduction of isoniazid in 1954 finally led to the closing of sanatoriums.

Infectious Diseases and Famous People Who Succumbed to Them Clinical Microbiology Newsletter, Volume 31, Issue 22, 15 November 2009, Pages 169-172 Alice S. Weissfeld