Latest news with #Enterococcus
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
NJ beach advisories: 6 Jersey Shore beaches under water quality alerts
Six beaches in Monmouth and Ocean counties are under water quality advisories after health authorities found high levels of a bacteria common in feces in water samples collected this week. Each beach had high levels of Enterococcus, a microbe found in feces of humans and animals. High levels of the bacteria can result from sewage leaks, stormwater runoff, or wildlife and pet waste washing into streams and rivers. As of Aug. 6, these beaches had bacteria levels higher than what New Jersey environmental officials considers safe for swimming, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. Keyport beach near Broad Street. Shrewsbury River Yacht Club in Fair Haven. Windward Beach in Brick. Cedar Bridge Manor Park in Brick. Cedar Point in South Toms River. Beachwood's beach, which will remain closed for the season due to chronically elevated bacteria levels. Despite the water quality advisories, the areas remain open to swimming as of Aug. 6. Swimming in water contaminated with bacteria can lead to several types of illnesses, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and infections of the ears, nose, eyes or throat. Health officials urge people not to swim near stormwater outflow pipes or in water that smells or is discolored. Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 17 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@ or 732-557-5701. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bacteria counts trigger warning at 6 Jersey Shore beaches Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
28-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
"Running Out of Cures": Experts warn of India's silent AMR catastrophe
New Delhi: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is no longer a looming global health threat—it is already here, silently claiming thousands of lives across India every week. Infections that were once treatable are now proving deadly, and doctors are increasingly witnessing the failure of even last-resort antibiotics. In a recent ETHealthworld webinar titled 'Running Out of Cures: A Deep Dive into India's Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis,' leading clinicians, researchers, and public health experts dissected the alarming rise of AMR and what India must do—urgently—to contain the fallout. 'When Nothing Works': A Clinician's Dilemma Dr. Tanu Singhal, Infectious Disease Specialist at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, recalled devastating cases where no antibiotic proved effective. One such case involved a liver transplant patient battling multiple infections, including a highly drug-resistant Enterococcus faecium. 'The infection was resistant to vancomycin, daptomycin, and linezolid. The only option was tigecycline—unsuitable for bacteremia. We eventually lost her. She left against medical advice, unable to afford prolonged care, and died en route to her home,' she said. Even when effective drugs exist, the cost can be prohibitive. 'We had to import cefiderocol rupees four lakh per day—for an patient with Acinetobacter pneumonia. Though we cured the infection, the patient eventually died of a heart attack due to prolonged hospitalization,' she added. In neonatal care, the scenario is no better. 'Gone are the days when ampicillin and gentamicin were enough. We now see newborns with carbapenem-resistant infections requiring colistin and even imported drugs like cefiderocol,' Dr. Singhal warned, citing India-specific studies showing alarmingly high resistance rates in neonatal sepsis. Hospitals Prepared, But Surveillance Still Fragile While larger hospitals are equipped to manage outbreaks, challenges persist, particularly in smaller and rural facilities. 'Accredited hospitals have adequate manpower and isolation infrastructure for MDR cases,' said Dr. Anita Arora, Director of Medical Operations and IPC Head at Fortis Healthcare. 'But gaps exist in standardization and surveillance, especially across the country's vast non-accredited and tier-2, tier-3 healthcare facilities.' Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar, former ICMR scientist and Distinguished Professor at Symbiosis International University, pointed out the lack of robust, generalizable AMR surveillance data as a major impediment to public health action. 'ICMR's surveillance network includes 20-odd urban tertiary hospitals. That doesn't reflect the national AMR burden. Surveillance must extend to secondary and primary care levels—and even into communities—if we want real change,' he emphasised. India's National Action Plan on AMR, nearing a decade since launch, remains limited in its implementation. 'We have a policy, but not a vertical program like for TB or HIV. That's why AMR doesn't get priority in funding or policy enforcement,' Dr. Gangakhedkar noted. Despite sepsis from multi-drug resistant organisms becoming one of India's top infectious killers, there is no emergency response system. 'We lack a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach. Without demand from the public or advocacy from clinicians, every death remains anecdotal,' he warned. Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, Director and CEO of C-CAMP, highlighted the emerging biotech response to AMR through the India AMR Innovation Hub (IAIH). 'Over 80 new diagnostic and therapeutic innovations are in the pipeline, including point-of-care detection tools, small-molecule therapies, peptides, and even mAbs,' he said. Within five years, IAIH aims to bring 15–20 AMR solutions to market. 'Our focus is on affordability, accessibility, and adaptability to Indian healthcare settings. We are also partnering with state governments to test and deploy these solutions,' Dr. Saiyed said. What Fuels the AMR Crisis? Rampant over-the-counter (OTC) use and physician-driven overprescription are key drivers. 'We frequently see patients self-medicating with azithromycin for fever,' said Dr. Singhal. 'There's an urgent need for public campaigns discouraging this behavior and educating people that antibiotics are not for viral infections.' Physician behavior must also change. 'Nearly 70% of outpatient visits are viral, yet antibiotics are often prescribed. Pharmacies dispensing antibiotics without prescriptions must be stopped. The government should crack down on irrational fixed-dose combinations and improve antibiotic quality,' she added. India's AMR crisis is tightly linked to its infectious disease burden. 'If we reduce infections, we automatically reduce antibiotic use,' Dr. Singhal argued. 'Better water, sanitation, hygiene, and vaccination—like typhoid vaccines—are critical long-term AMR containment tools.' A Call for National Coordination and Accountability All experts agreed that AMR cannot be tackled in silos. 'This is not just a medical or regulatory issue. It's a community issue, a veterinary issue, a poultry issue, a pharma issue. Everyone must be accountable,' Dr. Gangakhedkar stressed. Dr. Arora echoed that sentiment: 'No irrational antibiotic combinations should be manufactured or prescribed—anywhere. Regulatory agencies must crack down at the state level, and hospitals must not allow irrational drugs inside their doors.' India's AMR crisis is no longer silent—it is deafening for those willing to listen. But without systemic surveillance, public advocacy, rational prescription practices, and coordinated innovation, the country risks running out of curative options. As Dr. Gangakhedkar summed it up: 'Every patient asking, 'Do I really need this antibiotic?' is a step forward. Every death from untreatable infection must not be forgotten—it must become a rallying cry for urgent action.'
AsiaOne
17-07-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
NEA monitoring E. coli at Sentosa after elevated bacteria levels delay World Aquatics events, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — The National Environment Agency (NEA) has started monitoring levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) at Sentosa's beaches, following news that swimming events at the World Aquatics Championships were twice delayed due to elevated levels of the bacteria in the waters. NEA does not usually assess marine water quality based on E. coli levels. Instead, it follows World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to determine the suitability of a recreational beach for primary contact activities, by measuring the levels of another group of bacteria, Enterococcus. In response to queries from The Straits Times, NEA said that WHO recommends using only Enterococcus for assessing marine water quality. Epidemiological studies have shown a strong correlation between Enterococcus levels in marine waters and public health risks. NEA said that its weekly water monitoring showed that the water quality at Sentosa beaches has been in the "normal" range in the past few weeks. The recreational beaches are also graded every six months based on the past 100 samples. NEA said that the Sentosa beaches were graded "good" in the latest grading exercise in January 2025, and suitable for swimming and other primary contact activities. While most strains are harmless, some can cause serious illnesses such as diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and sepsis. Meanwhile, Enterococcus is another group of bacteria - also naturally found in the intestines of animals and humans - which can also cause urinary tract infections and gall bladder infections. It can also sometimes be found in soil, water and plants. The bacteria can also survive longer in marine environments. ST previously reported that World Aquatics adopts stricter water quality standards compared to guidelines set for recreational swimming, given the prolonged exposure faced by athletes during competition, with 10km races typically lasting around two hours. The men and women's races were later again pushed to 1pm and 4pm respectively on July 16 as the results from a sample taken on Tuesday (July 15) morning showed that the levels are still above "acceptable thresholds" despite improvement. The next open water swimming events are men and women's 5km races scheduled for July 18. World Aquatics had said that regular water quality monitoring and testing continues throughout the competition period to ensure athlete safety, with the health and safety of all participants continuing to guide all competition-related decisions. Associate Professor Yann Boucher, co-director for the climate, environment and health programme at NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said that athletes are more at risk as the strenuous exercise can lead to swallowing more water as compared with recreational swimming. "The length of time spent in the water can also contribute as the risk is proportional to how much water is swallowed," he added. Experts said that potential sources could vary from animals and humans to wastewater discharge. Professor Boucher said that the bacteria can come from various sources such as birds, humans swimming, wastewater leakage or discharge - which he said is often linked to the systems being overwhelmed by heavy downpours. Professor Paul Tambyah, past president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, said that it could also come from boats which are not properly disposing of human or animal waste. [[nid:720302]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
AsiaOne
17-07-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
NEA monitoring E. coli at Sentosa after elevated bacteria levels delays World Aquatics events, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — The National Environment Agency (NEA) has started monitoring levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) at Sentosa's beaches, following news that swimming events at the World Aquatics Championships were twice delayed due to elevated levels of the bacteria in the waters. NEA does not usually assess marine water quality based on E. coli levels. Instead, it follows World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to determine the suitability of a recreational beach for primary contact activities, by measuring the levels of another group of bacteria, Enterococcus. In response to queries from The Straits Times, NEA said that WHO recommends using only Enterococcus for assessing marine water quality. Epidemiological studies have shown a strong correlation between Enterococcus levels in marine waters and public health risks. NEA said that its weekly water monitoring showed that the water quality at Sentosa beaches has been in the "normal" range in the past few weeks. The recreational beaches are also graded every six months based on the past 100 samples. NEA said that the Sentosa beaches were graded "good" in the latest grading exercise in January 2025, and suitable for swimming and other primary contact activities. While most strains are harmless, some can cause serious illnesses such as diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and sepsis. Meanwhile, Enterococcus is another group of bacteria - also naturally found in the intestines of animals and humans - which can also cause urinary tract infections and gall bladder infections. It can also sometimes be found in soil, water and plants. The bacteria can also survive longer in marine environments. ST previously reported that World Aquatics adopts stricter water quality standards compared to guidelines set for recreational swimming, given the prolonged exposure faced by athletes during competition, with 10km races typically lasting around two hours. The men and women's races were later again pushed to 1pm and 4pm respectively on July 16 as the results from a sample taken on Tuesday (July 15) morning showed that the levels are still above "acceptable thresholds" despite improvement. The next open water swimming events are men and women's 5km races scheduled for July 18. World Aquatics had said that regular water quality monitoring and testing continues throughout the competition period to ensure athlete safety, with the health and safety of all participants continuing to guide all competition-related decisions. Associate Professor Yann Boucher, co-director for the climate, environment and health programme at NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said that athletes are more at risk as the strenuous exercise can lead to swallowing more water as compared with recreational swimming. "The length of time spent in the water can also contribute as the risk is proportional to how much water is swallowed," he added. Experts said that potential sources could vary from animals and humans to wastewater discharge. Professor Boucher said that the bacteria can come from various sources such as birds, humans swimming, wastewater leakage or discharge - which he said is often linked to the systems being overwhelmed by heavy downpours. Professor Paul Tambyah, past president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, said that it could also come from boats which are not properly disposing of human or animal waste. [[nid:720302]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Straits Times
17-07-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
NEA monitoring E. coli at Sentosa after elevated bacteria levels delays World Aquatic events
Find out what's new on ST website and app. NEA said that the E. coli levels on July 15 were low and they will continue to monitor the water quality at the Sentosa beaches over the next few days. SINGAPORE - The National Environment Agency (NEA) has started monitoring levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) at Sentosa's beaches, after swimming events at the World Aquatics Championships were twice delayed due to elevated levels of the bacteria in the waters. NEA does not usually assess marine water quality based on E. coli levels. Instead, it follows World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to determine the suitability of a recreational beach for primary contact activities, by measuring the levels of another group of bacteria, Enterococcus. In response to queries from The Straits Times, NEA said that WHO recommends using only Enterococcus for assessing marine water quality. Epidemiological studies have shown a strong correlation between Enterococcus levels in marine waters and public health risks. WHO has assessed that there is currently insufficient data to develop similar guidelines for E. coli bacteria – a suitable faecal indicator for freshwater – for marine waters, NEA added. 'While NEA will continue monitoring our beach water quality based on Enterococcus, we are currently also monitoring E. coli levels at the Sentosa beaches arising from this latest development,' said NEA. It added that the E. coli levels on July 15 were low and that the agency will continue to monitor the water quality at the Sentosa beaches over the next few days. NEA said its weekly water monitoring showed that water quality at the beaches has been in the 'normal' range in the past few weeks. The recreational beaches are also graded every six months based on the past 100 samples. NEA said the Sentosa beaches were graded 'good' in the latest grading exercise in January , and were suitable for swimming and other primary contact activities. It is not known what is the cause of the elevated levels of E. coli in the waters, but the bacteria is commonly found in the intestines of people and animals. While most strains are harmless, some can cause serious illness such as diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and sepsis. Meanwhile, Enterococcus is another group of bacteria – also naturally found in the intestines of animals and humans – which can also cause urinary tract infections and gall bladder infections. It can also sometimes be found in soil, water and plants. The bacteria can survive longer in marine environments. The elevated levels of E. coli in the waters at the site off Sentosa have led to delays in open water swimming events at the World Aquatics Championships, which is being held in Singapore for the first time. According to World Aquatics regulations, E. coli levels in ocean and transitional (tidal) waters must not exceed 250 colony-forming units per 100ml . ST previously reported that World Aquatics adopts stricter water quality standards compared with guidelines set for recreational swimming, given the prolonged exposure faced by athletes during competition, with 10km races typically lasting around two hours. The women's 10km event held in the waters off Palawan beach was initially scheduled for July 15, but after water samples drawn at the race site off Sentosa two days prior showed 'exceeding levels' of the E. coli bacteria, it was moved to July 16, 10.15am, about three hours after the men's 10km race. The next open water swimming events are men and women's 5km races scheduled for July 18. PHOTO: ST FILE The men and women's races were later again pushed to 1pm and 4pm respectively on July 16 as the results from a sample taken on July 15 morning showed that the levels are still above 'acceptable thresholds' despite improvement. The next open water swimming events are men and women's 5km races scheduled for July 18. World Aquatics had said that regular water quality monitoring and testing continues throughout the competition period to ensure athlete safety, with the health and safety of all participants continuing to guide all competition-related decisions. Associate Professor Yann Boucher, co-director for climate, environment and health programme at NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said that athletes are more at risk as the strenuous exercise can lead to swallowing more water as compared with recreational swimming. 'The length of time spent in the water can also contribute as the risk is proportional to how much water is swallowed,' he added. Experts said that potential sources could vary from animals and humans to wastewater discharge. Professor Boucher said that the bacteria can come from various sources such as birds, humans swimming, wastewater leakage or discharge - which he said is often linked to the systems being overwhelmed by heavy downpours. 'E. coli is not native to marine environments and can only survive there for a limited period of time. For levels to remain high, there has to be continuous contamination from human or animal sources as it lives in the gut,' he added. Professor Paul Tambyah, past president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, said that it could also come from boats which are not properly disposing of human or animal waste. He added that sea water is less vulnerable to and other bacteria due to the higher salt content and direct sunlight which kills most bacteria. 'Most regulatory authorities use as a marker for how clean the water is as grows easily and can be readily detected with commercial kits,' he said. 'If we begin to see more in the water near the shore which does not have such a high salt content, we need to check the waste disposal systems and ensure that there is no contamination of the water by untreated sewage before people start getting sick from salmonella or other infections,' he added. The Straits Times has asked the Sentosa Development Corporation if it is looking into the potential sources of E. coli contamination.
