The Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database

The field of antibiotic drug discovery and the monitoring of new antibiotic resistance elements have yet to fully exploit the power of the genome revolution. Despite the fact that the first genomes sequenced of free living organisms were those of bacteria, there have been few specialized bioinformatic tools developed to mine the growing amount of genomic data associated with pathogens. In particular, there are few tools to study the genetics and genomics of antibiotic resistance and how it impacts bacterial populations, ecology, and the clinic. We have initiated development of such tools in the form of the Comprehensive Antibiotic Research Database (CARD; http://arpcard.mcmaster.ca). The CARD integrates disparate molecular and sequence data, provides a unique organizing principle in the form of the Antibiotic Resistance Ontology (ARO), and can quickly identify putative antibiotic resistance genes in new unannotated genome sequences. This unique platform provides an informatic tool that bridges antibiotic resistance concerns in health care, agriculture, and the environment.     

Effects of lidocaine infusion in cats after unilateral labyrinthectomy

In the auditory/vestibular system, intravenous lidocaine hydrochloride administration has been reported to provide transient relief from severe tinnitus, reduce dizziness and emesis accompanying Meniere's disease, and sometimes improve audiometric thresholds in sensorineural hearing loss. In this study, the labyrinth was destroyed unilaterally in a series of cats. Animals constantly fell and demonstrated prominent contralateral nystagmus and a rotary motion of the head. Within four hours of a 4-mg/kg intravenous lidocaine hydrochloride injection, the cats were able to ambulate freely without falling. The nystagmus was reduced, and there was virtual absence of the rotary head motion. In contrast, the controls had persistent signs of vestibular disturbance. These results demonstrate that lidocaine infusion ameliorates the effects of unilateral labyrinthectomy in cats and thus may be a potential antivertiginous agent.     

Occurrence of OXA-58-like carbapenemases in Acinetobacter spp. collected over 10 years in three continents

OXA-58 is a recently described carbapenemase from Acinetobacter spp. in Europe. We examined earlier worldwide Acinetobacter collections and found bla(OXA-58) in 30 carbapenem-nonsusceptible isolates, including several isolates collected in Argentina and Kuwait in 1995 and 1996 and in a British outbreak strain from 2000. Most isolates (28 of 30) also had bla(OXA-51). We conclude that bla(OXA-58) is geographically widespread and has occurred in Acinetobacter spp. for over 10 years.     

Barriers to and Interventions for Improved Tuberculosis Detection and Treatment among Homeless and Immigrant Populations: A Literature Review

Tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide have declined over the last 10 years, but strong barriers to detection and treatment of TB still exist, especially among 2 special subgroups of low-income populations, immigrants and the homeless, where the incidence of TB can be up to 20 times higher than the general population even in affluent countries.

A systematic review of literature was performed, aimed at identifying the main (1) barriers to and (2) effective interventions for the improved detection and treatment of TB in homeless and immigrant populations. Data were collected from 22 studies out of 80 potentially relevant citations worldwide published between 1998 and 2012. Key findings show that hard-to-reach groups like immigrants and the homeless seem willing to obtain care if they believe it is important, but any new detection/treatment efforts must go beyond current bio-medical models to bio-psychosocial models of the target populations’ cultural values. Preliminary results also suggest that the best interventions for the homeless and immigrant populations will be a combination of, at least, monetary incentive and improved accessibility of care.