Bacterial Infections

Bacterial Infection information including symptoms, diagnosis, misdiagnosis, treatment, causes.

Antibiotics For Bacterial Vaginosis? Will This Cure My Vaginal BV Discharge?

Written by WWarren on 6/25/2009 02:03:00 PM

Bacterial Vaginosis is a very common vaginal infection that one in three women will get at some point during their lives. Bacterial Vaginosis is caused when the vagina is overwhelmed with bad bacteria, a perfectly normal healthy vagina has bacteria too.

Many women will avoid booking an appointment at the doctors because of the embarrassing symptoms that come with BV. Please don't be embarrassed, it's very important to get BV diagnosed as soon as possible, although BV doesn't cause any serious health risks it can and does cause other health complications when left untreated.

If your doctor has diagnosed you with BV the most common prescribed treatment is antibiotics to help kill off the bad bacteria in your vagina. Antibiotics work for some people but the problem with antibiotics is they kill off the good bacteria and bad bacteria in your vagina. A healthy vagina has good bacteria and normally a small amount of bad bacteria, so when taking antibiotics your basically killing off both all bacteria, doing so will leave your vagina a venerable place for other infection to breed.

Most women don't realize just how much bacteria would have inside our bodies, if you could take all of the bacteria out of the normal health healthy body and pile it all onto a scale you would have around 1-3 pounds of bacteria altogether. The bacteria is there for a reason to taking antibiotics to kill off bacteria isn't always the best option.

Antibiotics have helped eliminate BV from a number of women, but studies have shown that around 30% to 60% of women will get bacterial vaginosis once again within a month or two. Antibiotics can cause severe reactions in your body and they can have an impact on a lot of things and hence you have to be very careful while consuming them. Do not make antibiotics a habit or you will see that a lot of natural balance of the body will be lost.

Antibiotics for Bacterial Infections

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Facts About Tetracyclines

Written by WWarren on 6/21/2009 01:06:00 AM

Tetracyclines were discovered in the late 1940s and were extremely popular when they were first introduced.

Tetracyclines got their name because they share a chemical structure that has four rings. They were originally derived from soil bacteria Streptomyces aureofaciens.

Tetracycline antibiotics are broad-spectrum bacteriostatic agents, that inhibit bacterial protein synthesis and may be effective against a wide variety of microorganisms.

These medications are used in the treatment of infections of the respiratory tract, sinuses, middle ear, urinary tract, skin, intestines. They are also used to treat Gonorrhoea. Their most common current use is in the treatment of moderately severe acne and rosacea.

The most commonly prescribed tetracycline antibiotics are: tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline.

How do they work?

Tetracyclines act at the ribosomal level where they interfere with the protein synthesis of susceptible bacteria. They also have several non-antibiotic properties, which are not well understood:

  • Anti-inflammatory effects
  • Inhibition of metalloproteinases (enzymes that inhibit collagen and gelatin production)
  • Reduction of new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis)
  • Reduction of programmed cell death (apoptosis)

Resistance to Tetracyclines

One of the major drawbacks of tetracyclines is the development of resistance. Resistance to these drugs occurs in two main ways: ribosomal protection and efflux of drug outside of cell. Cross-resistance to all of the drugs in the tetracycline class is due to these two mechanisms.

Tetracyclines side effects

Common side effects associated with tetracyclines include cramps or burning of the stomach, diarrhea, sore mouth or tongue. Tetracyclines can cause skin photosensitivity, which increases the risk of sunburn under exposure to UV light. This may be of particular importance for those intending to take doxycyline long-term doxycyline on holidays as a malaria prophylaxis.

Rarely, tetracyclines may cause allergic reactions. Very rarely severe headache and vision problems may be signs of dangerous secondary intracranial hypertension.

These antibiotics should not be used in children under the age of 8, and specifically during periods of tooth development. Tetracyclines are classed as pregnancy category D. Use during pregnancy may cause alterations in bone development.

Effects on contraceptives

There is little evidence that tetracyclines reduce the efficacy of the birth control pill unless they cause gastrointestinal upset. However, to be absolutely safe, extra precautions should be taken, particularly in the first four weeks of starting the antibiotics.

Yury Bayarski is the contributing author of eMedExpert.com.

More information about doxycycline and minocycline is available on author's website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yury_Bayarski

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Antibiotics For Bacterial Vaginosis

Written by WWarren on 6/21/2009 01:06:00 AM

To start out on the right foot let's set this straight - Antibiotics for Bacterial vaginosis do not eliminate this infection. This condition where the normal PH balance of bacteria in a woman's vagina is disrupted and harmful bacteria begin to grow there. Your first thought would be to assume antibiotics for bacterial vaginosis is the correct course of treatment but you'd be wrong. Natural remedies eliminate this type of infection.

While it is not life threatening, it does come with some very unpleasant symptoms. The most common are burning and itching, along with an off-colored or gray discharge, which will usually have a fishy odor.

If left untreated, this infection can cause serious complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease. It can also enhance your chances of contracting STD's such as, AIDS, gonorrhea, syphilis or herpes.

The causes of bacterial vaginosis are not known but certain activities can increase the chances of you getting it. Some of those are:

• Douching
• Poor Hygiene
• Use of an IUD
• Multiple sex partners or a new sex partner

Yes, it is easily treated. The common antibiotics for bacterial vaginosis relief that your doctor might prescribe are Flagyl and Metronidazole. These can both be taken orally by pill or vaginally using a cream or gel. One of the side effects of these medications is a yeast infection and for that reason Tinidazole is sometimes prescribed instead, as it appears to have fewer side effects than Metronidazole and is just as effective. But you must realize, this is for a quick relief and your infection will reappear in a few weeks.

Case studies show that 60 percent of women who have had this type of bacterial infection in the past will have it again at some point in the future. Why? Because women rely on doctor prescribed antibiotics that don't eliminate this type of problem.

If you fall into this group of women, then it might be advantageous for you to check into some natural remedies and alternative treatments. The repeated use of any antibiotic for bacterial vaginosis is not recommended. Your body will build up immunities to them and soon you find yourself with another problem.

There are a few natural remedies that have shown great success. One treatment involves douching with a solution of half hydrogen peroxide and half water. You can also dip a tampon into a water glass filled with this half and half solution and insert that in the normal way. This can be worn all day and will alleviate many of the symptoms and discomfort from bacterial vaginosis.

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Cipro- Source of Treat Bacterial Infections

Written by WWarren on 6/18/2009 11:33:00 PM

Cipro, an antibiotic in a group of drugs called fluoroquinolones is used to care for different types of bacterial infections such as infections of the lower respiratory tract, the abdomen, the skin, the bones and joints, and the urinary tract including bladder inflammation in women. It is also prescribed for severe sinus or bronchial infections, infection diarrhea, typhoid fever, inhalational anthrax, infections of the prostate glands, and some sexually transmitted disease. Some doctors prescribed Cipro for certain serious ear infections, tuberculosis, and some of the infections common in people with AIDS. It fights bacteria in the body. It works by stopping the production of essential proteins needed by the bacteria to stay alive. Bayer pharmaceuticals introduced it.

The intravenous formulation of Cipro was introduced more than 15 years ago. Cipro is available as a tablet and an oral suspension. This medication is effective only for certain type of bacterial infections, before beginning treatment your doctor may perform tests of identify the specific organisms causing your infections. This drug may also be prescribed for children with a urinary tract infection or kidney infection when other antibiotics are not effective. Patients can take Cipro with or without food. This drug should not be taken with dairy products such as milk or yogurt or calcium fortified juices alone. Cipro may be taken with a food that has these products. Cipro works well when there is a stable quantity in the blood and urine.

To help keep the level stable, endeavor not to miss any dose and take them at in the region of the same time every day. Patients are supposed to stop taking Cipro and get emergency help if they have any signs of affected by reactions such as hives, difficulty breathing, swelling on face, lips, tongue or throat. If patients have any serious side effects like sudden pain or swelling near joints, queasiness, stomach pain, low fever, lost desire for food, dark urine diarrhea, chest pain, pounding or fast heartbeats, vomiting, dizziness and many others. In that condition, stop taking Cipro. Buy Cipro online is the right option to save money as well as time. Online drug stores provide prescription FDA approved at reasonably priced price. You are to search over the internet and you can buy Cipro straightforwardly.

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Antibiotic Use For Acne May Cause Increased Incidence of Common Infections

Written by WWarren on 6/18/2009 11:33:00 PM

An experiment was conducted among volunteers whom were on antibiotic therapy for acne for at least 6 weeks or more. According to experts, this group was more than twice as likely to develop an upper respiratory tract infection within one year as individuals with acne who were not treated with antibiotics.

According to experts, acne patients who are being treated for active acne lesions through the use of long -term antibiotic therapy are the ideal population to study the consequences of over utilization and over use of antibiotics. They represent a unique and natural population in which to study.

These experts from the School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, focused on individuals diagnosed with acne between the years 1987 and 2002, aged 15 to 35 years, in a medical database in the United Kingdom (UK).

The scientists sifted through information such as how often individuals were likely to visit a physician and compared the incidence of a upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), in those treated with antibiotics for acne and those whose acne was not treated with these medications.

Within the first year, experts reported that 15.4 per cent of the patients with acne had at least one URTI, and within that year, the odds of a URTI developing among those receiving antibiotic treatment were 2.15 times more likely to develop a URTI than those not receiving the antibiotic treatments.

Experts explain that overuse of antibiotics can lead to an increase in infectious disease and resistance. Furthermore, killing acne causing bacteria is a fruitless and destructive approach. It is destructive because it upsets the natural balance of bacteria in our body, eradicates good probiotic bacteria and enables the intrusion of harmful bacteria to the skin. It is fruitless not only because of the acne bacteria eventually becoming resistant, but it doesn't treat the environment that caused the acne bacteria to multiply.

The only way to stop acne permanently is to neutralize the acne environment, and it requires a multi-faceted and comprehensive approach aimed at balancing a variety of bodily functions.

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Bacterial Infections - Protecting Yourself From Common Pathogens

Written by WWarren on 6/17/2009 06:21:00 AM

Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms. There are thousands of different kinds, and they live in every conceivable environment all over the world. They live in soil, seawater, and deep within the earth's crust. Some bacteria have been reported even to live in radioactive waste. Some bacteria live in the bodies of people and animals—on the skin and in the airways, mouth, and digestive and genitourinary tracts—often without causing any harm.

Only a few kinds of bacteria cause disease. They are called pathogens. Sometimes bacteria that normally reside harmlessly in the body cause disease. Bacteria can cause disease by producing harmful substances (toxins), invading tissues, or doing both.

Classification

Bacteria can be classified in several ways:

  • Scientific names: Bacteria, like other living things, are classified by genus (based on having one or several similar characteristics) and, within the genus, by species. Their scientific name is genus followed by species (for example, Clostridium botulinum). Within a species, there may be different types, called strains. Strains differ in genetic makeup and chemical components. Sometimes certain drugs and vaccines are effective only against certain strains.
  • Staining: Bacteria may be classified by the color they turn after certain chemicals (stains) are applied to them. A commonly used stain is the Gram stain. Some bacteria stain blue. They are called gram-positive. Others stain pink. They are called gram-negative. Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria stain differently because their cell walls are different. They also cause different types of infections, and different types of antibiotics are effective against them.
  • Shapes: All bacteria may be classified as one of three basic shapes: spheres (cocci), rods (bacilli), and spirals or helixes (spirochetes).
  • Need for oxygen: Bacteria are also classified by whether they need oxygen to live and grow. Those that need oxygen are called aerobes. Those that have trouble living or growing when oxygen is present are called anaerobes. Some bacteria, called facultative bacteria, can live and grow with or without oxygen.

Bacterial Defenses

Bacteria have many ways of defending themselves.

Biofilm: Some bacteria secrete a substance that helps them attach to other bacteria, cells, or objects. This substance combines with the bacteria to form a sticky layer called biofilm. For example, certain bacteria form a biofilm on teeth (called dental plaque). The biofilm traps food particles, which the bacteria process and use, and in this process, they probably cause tooth decay. Biofilms also help protect bacteria from antibiotics.

Capsules: Some bacteria are enclosed in a protective capsule. This capsule helps prevent white blood cells, which fight infection, from ingesting the bacteria. Such bacteria are described as encapsulated.

Outer Membrane: Under the capsule, gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane that protects them against certain antibiotics. When disrupted, this membrane releases toxic substances called endotoxins. Endotoxins contribute to the severity of symptoms during infections with gram-negative bacteria.

Spores: Some bacteria produce spores, which are an inactive (dormant) form. Spores can enable bacteria to survive when environmental conditions are difficult. When conditions are favorable, each spore germinates into an active bacterium.

Flagella: Flagella are long, thin filaments that protrude from the cell surface and enable bacteria to move. Bacteria without flagella cannot move on their own.

Antibiotic Resistance: Bacteria develop resistance to drugs because they acquire genes from other bacteria that have become resistant or because their genes mutate. For example, soon after the drug penicillin was introduced in the mid-1940s, a few individual Staphylococcus aureus bacteria acquired genes that made penicillin ineffective against them. The strains that possessed these special genes had a survival advantage once penicillin was commonly used to treat infections. Strains of Staphylococcus aureus that lacked these new genes were killed by penicillin, allowing the remaining penicillin-resistant bacteria to reproduce and over time become dominant. Chemists then altered the penicillin molecule, making a different but similar drug, methicillin, which could kill the penicillin-resistant bacteria. Soon after methicillin was introduced, strains of Staphylococcus aureus that were resistant to methicillin and related drugs developed because they acquired additional resistance genes. These strains are called methicillin
-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The genes that encode for drug resistance can be passed to following generations of bacteria or sometimes even to other species of bacteria.

The more often antibiotics are used, the more likely resistant bacteria are to develop. Therefore, doctors try to use antibiotics only when they are necessary. Giving antibiotics to people who probably do not have a bacterial infection, such as those who have cough and cold symptoms, does not make people better but does help create resistant bacteria. Because antibiotics have been so widely used (and misused), many bacteria today are resistant to certain drugs.

Resistant bacteria can spread from person to person. Because international travel is so common, resistant bacteria can spread to many parts of the world in a short time. Spread of these bacteria in hospitals is a particular concern. Resistant bacteria are common in hospitals because antibiotics are so often necessary and hospital personnel and visitors may spread the bacteria if they do not strictly follow appropriate sanitary procedures. Also, many hospitalized patients have a weakened immune system, making them more susceptible to infection.

Resistant bacteria can also spread to people from animals. Resistant bacteria are common among farm animals because antibiotics are often routinely given to healthy animals to prevent infections that can impair growth or cause illness.

Bacterial Vaginosis Flagyl

Written by WWarren on 6/16/2009 11:32:00 PM

Bacterial vaginosis is commonly relieved with Flagyl, a doctor prescribed medicine in the United States. Flagyl is also known as Metronidazole. Understand when you see these two names, metronidazole and flagyl, they are both the same and used commonly for feminine infections.

Many women have had side effects with bacterial vaginosis flaygl and experience a severe degree of discomfort. Flagyl is taken as a pill and works throughout the whole body. Many times women notice that the redness and itching will actually get worse. This is one of the side effects of Flagyl. Many times a yeast infection will follow and another trip to the doctor is in order. If you notice the symptoms getting worse do call the doctor right away.

Bacterial vaginosis flagyl is not the only answer to curing this problem. There are many home remedies that can be used. One of the best ones known at the present time is plain yogurt. This can be applied to the open broken sensitive skin and will help sooth right away. The yogurt used as a douche will also help the bacteria within the vagina get back to normal as yogurt contains good bacteria that are needed to get the body back in check.

And while many doctors use these medicines it is proven that natural home remedies work best to eliminate bacterial vaginosis instead of flagyl. Research shows that those prescribed the flagyl usually experience a reoccurrence within three to four weeks. Many feel as though they just get rid of the symptoms and it then it begins all over again. This can be for some women a cycle that is hard to put a stop too.

What many doctors have begun is prescribing Flagyl and suggesting patients use home remedies to help speed up the cures. So in effect, doctors know there is truth in home remedies but still have you waste time with prescriptions. And although women have gotten great results with the use of the bacterial vaginosis flagyl along with the natural home remedies, many women still experience the allergic reaction from the flagyl. Once the medication is done being taken the home remedies are continued and many have notice much better results.

Just when I was about to give up for good, I found a natural bacterial vaginosis treatment. I discovered everything I needed to permanently get rid of BV and get back my sex appeal. It only took 72 hours too!

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Antibiotics and Acne - What You Need to Know

Written by WWarren on 6/16/2009 11:32:00 PM

For some, suffering from acne becomes such a problem that no cream or ointment seems to be able to cure the problem. A lifetime of struggling with painful and unsightly spots has lead to medical research into medicinal help for acne, and is therefore available to those suffering from long term acne problems.

Before rushing to the doctor, however, there are a few things one should bear in mind. It is preferable to only view antibiotics for acne as an absolute last measure, when all else has failed. Antibiotics are powerful drugs and have side effects, and repeated antibiotic use can also build up a tolerance that could be problematic should you suffer a serious infection and need antibiotic treatment. There is a point, however, when it is natural to want to solve an acne problem once and for if nothing else appears to be working; in these situations, an appointment with a doctor is an apposite way of proceeding.

There are several different antibiotics licensed for the treatment of acne. As with any drug, they vary wildly in their side effects and also in their efficacy in different people, and there is no guarantee that the first one you are prescribed will be the one to solve the problem. It may well be a case of trial and error, but by taking steps to treatment acne at its root problem - with the primary infection of the hair follicle - the problem can usually be erased.

There are two types of antibiotics most commonly used for acne treatment. The first port of call for most doctors is tetracycline, which is the most used antibiotic for acne in the world and also one of the most effective. It does, however, have its drawbacks; tetracycline needs to be taken on an empty stomach, and cannot be taken by pregnant women or children.

For those for which tetracycline is not applicable, the second most commonly used antibiotic is erythromycin. Unlike tetracycline, this can be taken by anyone - including mothers to be - and can be taken at any time, rather than just with food. Clinical studies have shown it to be minutely less effective than tetracycline, but the difference is minimal and it is an effective solution for those who cannot take tetracycline.

One of the best natural cures for acne was developed by Chris Gibson by trial and error to rid himself of his own acne problems. His program is called Acne Free in 3 Days and has an incredible 98% success rate. It relies on both a detoxifying diet and application of a topical cream to help rid your body of the toxins that are the root cause of your acne problems.

How to Choose the Best Vaginosis Remedy - Why Natural Home Remedies Are

Written by WWarren on 6/16/2009 02:05:00 PM

When choosing a vaginosis remedy you have many options to choose from, you can go with the traditional prescription antibiotics, over the counter creams or natural home remedies. Many women today are choosing to go with the home cure option over antibiotics; below I will compare these two treatment options.

Antibiotics have been the staple for curing vaginosis; it will provide some measure of relief for some period of time. Bacteria vaginosis occurs when you have an overgrowth of negative bacteria in your vagina, antibiotics will kill off this negative bacterium. The antibiotics will also kill off the needed positive bacteria, you now have a bacteria neutral vagina that needs to grow back the positive bacteria, it will also grow back the negative bacteria and it usually grows back faster causing another outbreak of BV. This is the vicious cycle that occurs with antibiotics.

The recurrent issue that comes with antibiotics is the reason many women have turned to using natural home remedies to cure their bacterial vaginosis. Home cures focus on building the bodies' natural defence against BV while at the same time working towards curing the current inflammation. The natural methods utilize items that are readily available in most grocery or health food stores for a fraction of the cost of prescription medications. Once you have cleared the current outbreak the natural methods work towards keeping it gone for good.

As you can see I am pretty slanted when it comes to my chosen vaginosis remedy path. Having been a recurrent sufferer I can't tell you how thankful I am that I came across natural home cures, the home treatment options helped me to clear up my BV for good.

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About Bacterial Infections

Bacterial Infections

Bacteria are single-celled creatures with tiny flagella. Bacteria are alive. They are very small organisms, often only a single cell. Bacteria need to get energy, and may emit toxins or waste products. By comparison, viruses are much smaller, and are not exactly "alive" in the normal sense. more