INTERESTING TIMES

Pneumococcal Vaccine Dosing Schedule Linked to Higher Risk of Acquiring Multiresistant Strain and
Guidelines Updated for Use of 23-valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine in Adults
medscape articles posted by Laurie Barclay, MD
( notes from medscape keeping up with concerns and ACIP, these notes pulled for black book )

A new enzyme (NDM-1) has been found in some bugs brought back to the UK by people who went to India and Pakistan for hospital procedures. The enzyme makes these microbes resistant to yet another type of abx (carbapenems, the last of the beta lactams that can beat bugs with beta lactamase). NDM-1 has been found in E.coli and they're worried that other microbes may gain this capacity because of the way that bacteria trade DNA (plamids). There are only 50 known cases in the UK but docs are worried. The future for the treatment of infections may not be antibiotic drugs. We may end up using naturopathic methods of increasing immune resistance, or perhaps even the introduction of bacteriophages. I would love to see phages investigated further but as long as antibiotics are the standard of practice for infections, nobody's got the time or money to investigate it. Except the Russians. They are all over a good idea.

The dump is more than one floating mass of mostly plastic garbage that some say is as large as the United States. I guess there are no shipping lanes that go through those parts of the ocean. I wonder if there's any connection between all the floating trash and the increase in ocean-bourne MRSA.

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/03/16-6
( some images from the web today )

Kary Mullis is a surfer dude and brilliant molecular biologist who got a Nobel prize for his idea. In 1985 he dreamed up an in vitro method for gene amplification. His method is called PCR, polymerase chain reaction. The process is brilliant because it can be completely automated and the starting material can be impure.
( PCR details )

We can give the H1N1 flu to our feline friends! If you have a kitty, wash your hands before you say hello with petting! The first case was in Iowa but now it has happened in Oregon and elsewhere.

Companion animals have been known to contract flu from other species — canine influenza (H3N8) originated in horses, and cats contract avian influenza (H5N1) from eating birds. But this appears to be the first time a cat has contracted influenza from a human. Two pet ferrets, one in Oregon and one in Nebraska, have also tested positive for H1N1, and the virus has also been transmitted between humans and pigs.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/the-cat-who-got-swine-flu/
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jPhJ3QpRycpDLrrOUwe7f4yZ5BSQD9CFBB6O0
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/nov/08/business/chi-flu-pets_mullennov08

Saccharomyces Boulardii and No-Knead Bread Recipe
Jacob Schor ND, FABNO
December 1, 2009
( from denvernaturopathic, includes a review of the literature regarding effects of this yeast, and a bread recipe )

2009 Annual Review of Clinical Nutrition
http://www.drgreger.org/

This was a great presentation on new research in nutrition. If you missed the lecture, don't miss your next chance to hear this man! Even with a cold, Dr Greger delivers an entertaining and highly educational lecture. Kudos to Dr Marz for getting him here to speak to us.
( notes )