Antibiotic Resistance and Natural Alternatives

Research has just disturbingly discovered that many bacteria are now able to neutralize the older as well as the newer antibiotics by a new mechanism involving enzymatically cleaving the antibiotic molecules and rendering them useless. This enzyme, which many bacteria are now apparently able to manufacture, is called the New-Dehli-metalo-beta-lactamase 1 positive enzyme -- also referred to as NDM-1. So, not only are more and more bacteria now able to breed in resistance to antibiotics as well as hide in biofilms, many bacteria are now acquiring this newly discovered NDM-1 enzyme capability that can completely neutralize most forms of the older as well as newer antibiotics.

The ramifications of the above discovery are indeed quite disturbing -- since the implication is that if doctors are unable to use anti-biotics against these NDM-1 positive bacteria then they will soon have nothing left in their drugs arsenals that will be able to combat or contain superbugs like MRSA, Klebsiela, Enterobacter etc and so there may well be a rapid spread of same which may well result in possible pandemics with higher mortality rates from the simpler NDM 1 postive bacteria also becoming imminent(that were not a problem in the past).

The other problem, as I see it, will be that hospitals may well become breeding grounds for these new NDM-1 positive bacteria in the same manner as MRSA. Here is the warning article from the UK Guardian:

Antibiotics' efficiency wanes due to global spread of drug-resistant bacteria

Interestingly, the drugs companies have not produced any new antibiotics since about 1987. This is understandable in the current drug resistant climate when you consider how many millions it cost them in research and FDA trials - it takes about 10 years for them to develop a new antibiotic. And the estimated effective life of any antibiotic now, before bacteria can adjust to them, is only about one year -- which is not enough time for the drugs companies to re-claim their money outlays or make vast unreasonable profits. So drugs companies appear to have now lost all interest in inventing anti-bacterials which involve antibiotics.

Bye the way, antibiotic action is nothing like the action of Hydrogen Peroxide or Iodine or Magnesium Chloride as recommended on this site for killing pathogens. These alternative anti-pathogens will kill bacteria usually in seconds -- with absolutely no chance of bacterial resistance developing.

Cedars Sinai researchers looked at the impact of niacinamide on MRSA in both rodents and human blood. They found that high doses of vitamin B3 in the form of niacinamide stimulate the gene C/EBPe. This gene enhances your white blood cells' ability to fight staph infections, regardless of antibiotic resistance. In fact, in human blood, the addition of the vitamin increased killing power by a stunning 1, 000-fold.

Normal 0 false false false Ref: J. Clin Invst. 91-2; Radiother Oncol. 1998 Aug;48(2):123-33; Am J Clin Nutr. 1977 Aug;30(8):1364-8.

Manuka honey from New Zealand, medical grade, is reported to kill MRSA.

Normal 0 false false false Ref: Paulus, H. S., Kwakman, et al, “Medical-Grade Honey Kills Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria In Vitro and Eradicates Skin Colonization, ” Clin. Infect. Dis. 2008;46 (11): 1677-1682

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090908-mrsa-staph-manuka-honey.html

People innocently bring these pathogens home, but once there they can be spread all over the house. Cleaning surfaces with a solution of bleach is just one of the necessary preventative measures needed in this modern society.

Another source of spread is reclaimed water. Valerie Harwood, et al looked at sewer plants across the U.S. that were producing reclaimed water for use in municipal irrigation projects like parks and golf courses. This water is also permitted for irrigation of leafy greens consumed raw. Harwood noted pathogens in all samples tested and concluded that the standards under which this water was being produced were not protective of public health. Thus there are several processes that are presumed to be under the guidance of federal or state regulators that are failing to protect the public health.

My group looked at reclaimed water that met state standards and we ran tests on it from two different cities that use it for school playing fields. We found multi-antibiotic resistant pathogens. In one case to 11 of the 12 antibiotics in our Kirby Bauer suite, including resistance to vancomycin.

Dr Edo McGowan

Has anyone ever looked into Monolaurin as a natural alternative to antibiotics? From what I have been reading online so far, I see there are sporadic reports of success re shingles, herpes ... there are even first studies: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17966176

I just started to take it, and not for any of the above. I seem to have more energy.

Best, Monika

MRSA stands for Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus. The reason why MRSA is much more serious than the usual Staph we all carry on our skin is because very few antibiotics can treat it successfully. It is stubborn and can cause serious and lingering infections. These infections can be infections in the skin, respiratory tract, urinary tract, etc. You name it, MRSA can find a way to it.

MRSA used to be something that was only seen in hospitals or other institutional facilities. Now it is out into our communities and the new MRSA is called community acquired MRSA. Overuse of antiobiotics is what health professionals are saying is why this type of infection has come about. It is typically a staph infection that has become resistant to most antibiotics. Even so, I do not think anyone really knows the full answer as to why this superbug is upon us. In my opinion, 10-20 years from now, they may decide it was something else we were all doing, eating, using, etc that brought this about.

An even worse infection than MRSA is VRSA which is even more antibiotic resistant than MRSA. The "V" in VRSA stands for Vancomycin if I am not mistaken. Please, someone correct me if I am wrong here. Vancomycin is one of the antibiotics that is used now to get rid of stubborn MRSA. It is the one sure one that will kill it eventually. Vancomycin is given by way of IV and is usually done in a hospital. Some people though I do know have had a PICC line put in place and can hook their own IVs up at home if they are well enough.

You all can google more about MRSA and VRSA and you can find loads of information about them, but I still truly do not think that anyone really knows why these superbugs for sure have come about.

Sorry for butting in here, I don't mean any harm. I am a nurse and I have treated others with IV antiobiotics for MRSA many many times in my years as a nurse. Now, in the last two years, I have battled it myself on my skin. I think I may be a carrier of it, as I was tested positive for it in my nostrils a couple of years ago, and the doctor told me then that I am a probable carrier of it and to always, always use thorough handwashing techniques. That is all fine to keep others from contracting it, but this is the third time for me that I have had a bad infection myself from it. It is frustrating as all get out.

With the borax added, do you wait awhile before eating?