News & Events

Nasty stomach bug becoming far more common

Feb 26, 2015 | CBS News

A nasty intestinal bug sickens nearly twice as many Americans each year as was previously thought, according to the largest U.S. study to look at the problem. The germ - Clostridium difficile, or C. diff. - flourishes in the gut after antibiotics kill off other bacteria and causes diarrhea. It can be severe and is blamed for about 15,000 deaths annually - mostly in people over the age of 65.

Understanding CRE, the 'nightmare' superbug that contributed to 2 deaths in L.A.

Feb 19, 2015 | CNN

The term "nightmare bacteria" does not bode well for anyone who may get infected. That's what CDC epidemiologists call carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, which kill up to half the patients who contract them.

News Brief: UNC Study Demonstrates Clinical Impact of Verigene® BC-GP

Feb 2, 2015 | Nanosphere News

A study from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill published online last week in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Microbiology illustrates the impact of the Verigene® Gram-Positive Blood Culture Test (BC-GP) on treatment optimization for patients with streptococcal and enterococcal bacteremia. It is the first study to investigate the clinical impact of a rapid blood culture test on patients with streptococcal bacteremia.

President’s 2016 Budget Proposes Historic Investment to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria to Protect Public Health

Jan 27, 2015 | The White House

President Obama submitted his proposed fiscal year 2016 budget to Congress on Feb. 2, which includes a historic investment to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria – an immediate and severe public health threat. The $1.2 billion investment being sought nearly doubles the 2015 funding level for combating antibiotic resistance.

News Brief: Verigene RP Flex Submitted to FDA

Jan 8, 2015 | Nanosphere News

In December, Nanosphere submitted its new multiplex respiratory tract infection test, the Verigene Respiratory Pathogens Flex Nucleic Acid Test (RP Flex), to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for 510(k) clearance. RP Flex is an automated, sample-to-result test for the identification of the most common viruses and bacteria that cause acute respiratory infections.

Antibiotic Resistance Will Kill 300 Million People by 2050

Dec 16, 2014 | chemistryworld

A new review commissioned by the government of the United Kingdom and the Wellcome Trust predicts that by the year 2050, 300 million lives and $100 trillion will be lost as a direct result of antimicrobial resistance. If action is not taken, 100 million premature deaths may occur by 2030.