NPR: Drug Resistance https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=155104151 Drug Resistance en Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only Story API Shim 1.2.24 Tue, 06 May 2025 22:49:57 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 NPR: Drug Resistance https://www.npr.org/tags/155104151/drug-resistance Malaria is on the ropes in Bangladesh. But the parasite is punching back What does it take to beat malaria? Thousands of moccasins walking down rural roads, overnight bus rides for lab tests ... and a highly effective drug. But the parasite isn't going along with the plan. Wed, 20 Sep 2023 15:22:37 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/09/20/1199485212/malaria-is-on-the-ropes-in-bangladesh-but-the-parasite-is-punching-back https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/09/20/1199485212/malaria-is-on-the-ropes-in-bangladesh-but-the-parasite-is-punching-back hasthya kormi, or community health worker, with the malaria elimination program in Bangladesh, goes door to door to treat malaria patients. "This is my job, my duty," says Aktar. "Every single home, I have to know about them and visit them."'/>

What does it take to beat malaria? Thousands of moccasins walking down rural roads, overnight bus rides for lab tests ... and a highly effective drug. But the parasite isn't going along with the plan.

]]> Ari Daniel Drug-resistant malaria is emerging in Africa. Doctors are worried — yet hopeful Resistance to the drug artemisinin was confirmed in Africa. Without better surveillance, experts say it is hard to track the threat. Sun, 06 Feb 2022 07:00:21 -0500 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/02/06/1077953012/drug-resistant-malaria-is-emerging-in-africa-doctors-are-worried-yet-hopeful https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/02/06/1077953012/drug-resistant-malaria-is-emerging-in-africa-doctors-are-worried-yet-hopeful

Resistance to the drug artemisinin was confirmed in Africa. Without better surveillance, experts say it is hard to track the threat.

]]> Pratik Pawar Study: Malaria Drugs Are Failing At An 'Alarming' Rate In Southeast Asia Mutant parasites have built up resistance to first-line malaria drugs, according to two new studies in <em>The Lancet</em>. Scientists worry that this could overturn global progress against the disease. Mon, 22 Jul 2019 18:31:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/07/22/742674941/study-malaria-drugs-are-failing-at-an-alarming-rate-in-southeast-asia https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/07/22/742674941/study-malaria-drugs-are-failing-at-an-alarming-rate-in-southeast-asia

Mutant parasites have built up resistance to first-line malaria drugs, according to two new studies in The Lancet. Scientists worry that this could overturn global progress against the disease.

]]> Jason Beaubien Hospitals Look To Nursing Homes To Help Stop Drug-Resistant Infections Hospitals and nursing homes in California and Illinois think that regional cooperation — and a particular soap — could help them all gain the upper hand against deadly superbugs. Tue, 02 Apr 2019 05:00:19 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/02/707842736/enter-title https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/02/707842736/enter-title

Hospitals and nursing homes in California and Illinois think that regional cooperation — and a particular soap — could help them all gain the upper hand against deadly superbugs.

]]> Anna Gorman 'Nose-y' Bacteria Could Yield A New Way To Fight Infection The search for lifesaving antibiotics is on. Scientists have turned up one promising candidate in an unlikely place — the human nose. Wed, 27 Jul 2016 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/27/487529338/nose-y-bacteria-could-yield-a-new-way-to-fight-infection https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/27/487529338/nose-y-bacteria-could-yield-a-new-way-to-fight-infection The search for lifesaving antibiotics is on. Scientists have turned up one promising candidate in an unlikely place — the human nose.

]]> Carolyn Beans Infections With Dangerous Gut Microbe Still On The Rise <em>Clostridium difficile </em>sickens nearly half a million Americans annually, killing about 29,000, say federal health officials. They warn hospitals and nursing homes to tighten hygiene protocols. Wed, 25 Feb 2015 17:00:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/02/25/389017912/infections-with-dangerous-gut-microbe-still-on-the-rise https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/02/25/389017912/infections-with-dangerous-gut-microbe-still-on-the-rise Clostridium difficile bacteria can inflame the colon with a life-threatening infection.'/>

Clostridium difficile sickens nearly half a million Americans annually, killing about 29,000, say federal health officials. They warn hospitals and nursing homes to tighten hygiene protocols.

(Image credit: Dr. David Phillips)

]]> Rob Stein In New York, Video Chat Trumps Quarantine To Combat TB Ebola isn't the first dangerous microbe to spur calls for quarantine in American cities. But as New York City's experience with drug-resistant tuberculosis suggests, isolation isn't always best. Wed, 03 Dec 2014 16:22:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/12/03/367814133/in-new-york-video-chat-trumps-quarantine-to-combat-tb https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/12/03/367814133/in-new-york-video-chat-trumps-quarantine-to-combat-tb Ebola isn't the first dangerous microbe to spur calls for quarantine in American cities. But as New York City's experience with drug-resistant tuberculosis suggests, isolation isn't always best.

]]> Fred Mogul Last-Resort Antibiotics In Jeopardy As Use Rises Globally Antibiotic sales in clinics and pharmacies around the world rose by more than a third over a decade. Now drugs reserved for the most dangerous bacteria are at risk of losing their effectiveness. Wed, 09 Jul 2014 19:18:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/07/09/330143669/last-resort-antibiotics-in-jeopardy-as-use-rises-globally https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/07/09/330143669/last-resort-antibiotics-in-jeopardy-as-use-rises-globally

Antibiotic sales in clinics and pharmacies around the world rose by more than a third over a decade. Now drugs reserved for the most dangerous bacteria are at risk of losing their effectiveness.

(Image credit: Suzanne Plunkett)

]]> Michaeleen Doucleff Fast Tests For Drug Resistance Bolster Malaria Fight Pockets of malaria that are resistant to the frontline drug have recently emerged in Southeast Asia. Health workers worry the problem could spread to Africa. To stay ahead of the parasite, scientists have developed a fast way to detect resistant malaria and map its spread through a community. Wed, 11 Sep 2013 08:50:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/09/10/221085395/fast-tests-for-drug-resistance-bolster-malaria-fight https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/09/10/221085395/fast-tests-for-drug-resistance-bolster-malaria-fight

Pockets of malaria that are resistant to the frontline drug have recently emerged in Southeast Asia. Health workers worry the problem could spread to Africa. To stay ahead of the parasite, scientists have developed a fast way to detect resistant malaria and map its spread through a community.

(Image credit: Paula Bronstein)

]]> Richard Knox Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea Rises In Great Britain Gonorrhea cases resistant to one of the last effective drugs increased by nearly six times from 2004 to 2011 in Great Britain. Hard-to-treat gonorrhea is a growing trend worldwide, as the bacterium begins to thwart our last defenses. Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:43:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/06/11/190699103/drug-resistant-gonorrhea-rises-in-great-britain https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/06/11/190699103/drug-resistant-gonorrhea-rises-in-great-britain

Gonorrhea cases resistant to one of the last effective drugs increased by nearly six times from 2004 to 2011 in Great Britain. Hard-to-treat gonorrhea is a growing trend worldwide, as the bacterium begins to thwart our last defenses.

]]> Michaeleen Doucleff