UC-San Diego Study: Azithromycin Could Fight Superbugs
A study by UC-San Diego researchers finds that the antibiotic azithromycin -- the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in the country -- can kill many drug-resistant bacteria, also known as superbugs. The antibiotic previously was believed to be ineffective against such bacteria. In a release, Victor Nizet, study co-author and professor of pediatrics and pharmacy at UC-San Diego, said the findings show that "[u]nquestioning adherence to a single standardized lab practice may be keeping doctors from considering potentially life-saving antibiotics -- therapies that are proven safe and readily available in any hospital or pharmacy."
- "Study: Common Antibiotic Kills Drug-Resistant Bacteria" (Feller, UPI, 6/10).
- "Widely Used Antibiotic 'Could Counter Superbugs' in Medical U-Turn" (Medical News Today, 6/11).