Flu Shots Decrease Use of Antibiotics

Superbugs spreading out of the subcontinent

(NEWSER) - Could the world soon witness an encore performance from a new, drug-resistant Black Death? It's increasingly possible, because thanks to a combination of rampant antibiotic use and poor hygiene and sanitation, India has become a hotbed of "superbugs" that don't respond to antibiotics—not even high-powered remedies of last resort, Bloomberg reports. What's more, these bugs are spreading around the world; more than 40 countries have discovered them in patients' blood and urine so far. More»

CDC panel proposes vaccinations for additional 30M kids

(NEWSER) - All schoolchildren in the US should get flu shots, a CDC panel advises. Current guidelines call for shots for those ages 6 months to 5 years, but the new recommendation raises the age to 18, an expansion of 30 million youngsters, the AP reports. The CDC is expected to adopt the advice, but it may not have a practical effect until next year's round of shots. More»

It calls attention to use of antibiotics in livestock: Researchers

(NEWSER) - Here's a happy thought with summer barbecue season just around the corner: A new study suggests that about half the meat sold in the US is contaminated with potentially harmful bacteria, the Los Angeles Times reports. Researchers tested beef, chicken, turkey, and pork from supermarkets around the country and found that 47% of the 136 samples had strains of Staphylococcus aureus, the bacteria that causes staph infections from the mild to the severe. Of those, 52% were resistant to at least three classes of antibiotics. More»

Hint: Florida's not the place to be during flu season

(NEWSER) - Think spring is around the corner and the end to sneezing and sick ickyness is in sight? Think again, because there's lots of flu left to pass around. The Daily Beast runs down the 20 sickest cities, as broken down by health ranking, vaccination coverage, influenza deaths, and how much flu activity remains between now and May.

1. Dayton, Ohio—140 deaths per 100,000 people of influenza or pneumonia
2. Tampa—about 5% of its flu activity remains

Cloth seats harder to clean, allow dangerous bacteria to thrive

(NEWSER) - If you are fighting for a seat on San Francisco's BART trains, maybe you should think again—the seats are full of nasty bacteria, including a drug-resistant strain of staphylococcus aureus superbug, and several types of mold, says a new report commissioned by The Bay Citizen . “I would love to sit down, but it just grosses me out," says one 26-year-old passenger. "They’re disgusting." More»