Insidermedicine in 60 - August 6, 2008

From Wales - Researchers from Swansea University are developing a new antibiotic which may prove effective against the superbug MRSA. The antibiotic, named Seraticin, is developed using maggot secretions from green bottle flies, and could potentially be provided in injection, pill or ointment form to treat 12 strains of MRSA, as well as E.coli and C.difficile. According to the researchers it takes around 20 maggots to make one drop of the antibiotic.

From Toronto - Researchers from the Hospital for Sick Children have discovered a genetic anomaly in those at high risk for developing cancer which could lead to a blood test for detecting tumors early. In research involving families with a rare inherited disorder, scientists discovered that affected individuals had greater variation in their DNA than those that were unaffected. This variation implies a greater susceptibility to cancer.

And finally, from London - According to research in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers from the University of Western Ontario have discovered why some people become addicted to nicotine after just one cigarette, and others find their first smoke repulsive. By manipulating receptors in the brains of rats, researchers were able to control how pleasant the first exposure to nicotine was. This research may lead to pharmacological treatments for the prevention of nicotine addiction, as well as the treatment of nicotine withdrawal.
For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• swansea
• antibiotic
• maggot
• fly
• methicillin
• resistant
• staph
• aureus
• cancer
• gene
• receptor
• blood
• tumor
• tobacco
• cigarette

[smaucieri07]

I have MRSA and would consider this treatment. I've tried every traditional antibiotic there is, and MRSA is resistant to all of them. The pain is unbearable whenever I get an infection and the wounds take weeks to heal.