Antibiotic-resistant strep throat inches closer to reality

Antibiotic-resistant strep throat inches closer to reality New Scientists have discovered signs that the germ causing strep throat and flesh-eating disease may be moving closer to resistance to penicillin and other related antibiotics known as beta-lactams. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, the scientists described strains of group A streptococcus that are less susceptible to commonly used antibiotics. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US, group A streptococcus causes 20-30 per cent of sore throats in children and 5-15 per cent of sore throats in adults. “If this germ becomes truly resistant to these antibiotics, it would have a very serious impact on millions of children around the world,” said James Musser, the lead author of the study.

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Smoking during pregnancy may up fracture risk in babies

Infants of mothers who smoked during early pregnancy appear to have an increased risk of fractures during the first year of life, according to a study. The results, published in The BMJ, show little risk in childhood, and up to early adulthood. This suggests that smoking in pregnancy only has a short term influence on bone health, the researchers said. Many studies have found a link between smoking during pregnancy and growth problems in infants. However, evidence on the impact of smoking during pregnancy on bone health and risk of fractures in children at different stages of life is scarce and inconsistent. — Agencies