staphylococcus aureus

Treating Antibiotic-Resistant Super-Bugs with Vitamin B3

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treating antibiotic resistance with vitamin b3

If you are like me, you unnecessarily worry about things completely out of your control like untreatable illness (amongst many other things – from radiation poisoning to earthquakes and of course the zombie apocalypse). As I hear about the increase in antibiotic-resistant diseases, I comfort myself with the fact that I do not use antibacterial products, have not taken an antibiotic in at least five years, and have a super strong immune system (I’ve been sick with the flu once in the last three years and have not had a head cold in the last four to five years). Still, I have an irrational fear of these super-bugs; specifically the flesh eating virus. That’s why I was delighted to read that a new study reveals a treatment that does not involve antibiotics; a treatment that can boost the immune system 1000x’s so the body can fight off these infections. This new study found that vitamin B3, or nicotinamide, taken in large doses was able to kill staphylococcus aureus in both mice and human blood samples. The vitamin B3 significantly boosts the number and effectiveness of neutrophils, or white blood cells that target infections. Various news reports noted that this treatment, unlike antibiotics, won’t kill the natural bacteria in our stomach that are necessary to our immune systems.

It is important to note that the doses used in this study are above the government recommended daily intake of vitamin B3 and should not be attempted through diet, over the counter supplementation or without the supervision of medical professionals.

Click here to read the full report in the Journal of Clinical Investigation

The article was originally published on Hormones Matter in September 2012.

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From Humans to Pigs and Back Again: the Latest Strain of MRSA

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Commercial pig farms

Responsible for over 250,000 hospitalizations annually in the US, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are quickly becoming the next great threat to modern medicine.

In February of this year, the threat escalated when scientists and medical epidemiologists identified a new strain of MRSA that originated in humans (first as a methicillin susceptible strain), then infected nearby livestock (pigs). With the heavy prophylatic use of antibiotics in commercial livestock farming, the ST398 strain of MRSA quickly became resistant to not only methicillian but also a host of other antibiotics including at least dozen beta-lactam antibiotics and tetracycline.  It then jumped back to humans in a more deadly form.

The ST398 strain of MRSA has also been found in milk from commercial dairy farms in Europe and in animals from 19 countries and four continents.

The presence of MRSA on commercial livestock is growing. One recent study in Belgium found MRSA in 26 of 30 farms tested and the prevalence of MRSA in pig farmers was 760 times greater than in the general population.

A study comparing organic pig farms to non-organic commercial livestock operations in the Netherlands found the presence of MRSA in only 17% organic facilities and 3% of the pigs themselves. This is compared to a larger study a couple years earlier where 71% of non-organic commercial facilities tested positive for MRSA, with 38% of all pigs testing positive. In the US, MRSA ladden pork products can be found in at least 6% of retail meats and methicillin susceptible staph bacteria was identified in 64% of retail meats tested.

Experts warn that commercial livestock farming is becoming a public health threat that should not be ignored any longer.

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What’s in Your Meat?

A lot of antibiotics, growth hormones and myriad of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, that’s what’s in your meat. The FDA’s

Quick News: Oral Contraceptives and Staphylococcus Infections

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A reader asked us if there was a connection between oral contraceptives, recurrent yeast infections and/or the rate of general illness. At the time, we were unable to find any research on these topics. Indeed, the only studies we could find on oral contraceptives and yeast infections were either conducted 40 years ago or on rodents.

However, just this week we found a study published last month showing that women taking oral contraceptives were almost twice as likely to be persistent carriers of nasal staphylococcus aureus than women who were oral contraceptive free or men. Staphylococcus or staph, is the bacteria that causes a host of infections including the MRSA or methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus strain that is resistant to antibiotics. The two most common locations for this pathogen to reside are in the nose and on the skin.

Carrier Status and Infection

Approximately 20% of the population are persistent carriers of s. aureus, increasing their risk for infection especially with surgical procedures or when combined with impaired immune function. About 30% of the population are intermittent carriers and  50% of the population are non-carriers.

The increased rate of persistent carrier status in women who use oral contraceptives is notable especially considering the rise in MRSA infections observed in athletes and emanating from locker rooms. Oral contraceptive use is common among female athletes. A recent study indicated a significantly higher prevalence of MRSA bacteria on the surfaces of women’s locker rooms, compared to men’s locker rooms.

Our reader’s observation that while on the pill she seemed more susceptible to illness might very well be correct. Whether oral contraceptives are linked to recurring yeast infections remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that much more research must be done on the interaction between oral contraceptives and immune function.

 

 

 

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