Vaping deaths hit 47

And almost 2300 people have been hospitalized. That is all.

Future cancer patients of America

The good news: Smoking in America is at an all-time low. The bad: One in seven still does, according to the latest CDC figures.

Bacterial warnings

Those shifty Danes have found a new and somewhat surprising way bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. Like some plants do, bacteria under attack can send out warning signals to other bacteria. The bacteria that receive those signals will then avoid the area with the antibiotic (or the bacteriophage), in what one researcher called “a smart survival mechanism for the bacteria.”

Could antibiotics lead to Parkinson’s?

Could, yes, at least according to a Finnish study. What’s the connection? Heavy use of antibiotics can disrupt the gut microbiome enough that it leads to the disease.

The link between antibiotic exposure and Parkinson’s disease fits the current view that in a significant proportion of patients the pathology of Parkinson’s may originate in the gut.

Meet darobactin

It looks to be an entirely new kind of antibiotic, attacking cells in a different way than existing drugs.

Darobactin binds to the BamA protein, located in the external membrane of gram negative bacteria. As a result, the establishment of a functional external membrane is disrupted and the bacteria die off. “It is particularly interesting to note that this previously unknown weak point is located on the outside of the bacteria where substances can easily reach it.”

Losing it the smart way

If you have patients looking to lose weight, there are a lot of ways to do it. Pro tip: Diet pills or laxatives are not a good one. It’s not just the potential for liver and kidney damage. There’s also a higher risk of ending up with an eating disorder.

[U]se of these products for weight control may serve as a “gateway” to further disordered eating practices by dysregulating normal digestive function and fostering dependence on unhealthy and ineffective coping methods.