News from Infectious Diseases Society of America Annual Meeting Oct. 9-12 in San Diego 10/9/2003
From: PCI, 312-558-1770 or Infectious Diseases Society of America News Room, 619-525-6223 (beginning Oct. 9) SAN DIEGO, Oct. 9 -- Following are highlights from the Infectious Diseases Society of America Annual Meeting being held Oct. 9-12 in San Diego: -- Antibiotics May Help Stave Off Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms Two common antibiotics taken together may help delay the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, suggest results of a Canadian multi-center trial. In the study, people with Alzheimer's disease who took the antibiotic regimen experienced a significantly reduced decline in mental function compared to those given the placebo. Approximately 4 million people in the United States are estimated to have Alzheimer's disease. -- Antibiotic-Resistant Infection Increasingly Common Among Healthy People The increasing incidence in otherwise healthy people of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) -- "staph" infection -- suggests antibiotic resistance is no longer just a concern for the elderly or people in the hospital. It may be an indication of things to come, say researchers at the meeting. In related research on antibiotic resistance, a decade-long study found that more than 1 in 5 bacterial samples from common infections among adults are resistant to each of three antibiotics, while 10 years ago there was no such resistance. -- Cosmetic Injections and Acupuncture Can Lead to Serious Infections, Scarring Popular elective procedures involving needles -- including cosmetic injections, mesotherapy and acupuncture -- are not always as safe as consumers may believe. In some cases these procedures have resulted in serious infections and scarring, as illustrated by several outbreaks being reported. It can take several months of antibiotic therapy to treat a Mycobacterium abscessus infection. -- Circumcision Reduces Risk of Contracting HIV, Study Suggests Uncircumcised men are at 8 times the risk of being infected with HIV-1 compared with those who are circumcised, according to a large study of Indian men. The findings from the study support a biological explanation for the protective effect of circumcision rather than an effect due to differences in sexual risk behaviors. Worldwide circumcision rates vary widely, depending on religion and culture; about two-thirds of American male infants are circumcised. ------ Access to embargoed releases is available at http://www.pcipr.com |