News in brief - Aug. 1, 2011

CDC aims to stop proliferation of drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae - Secondhand smoke exposure linked to hearing loss in youths

CDC aims to stop proliferation of drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae

To prevent the spread of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains that are resistant to cephalosporins, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that physicians use two antibiotics, rather than one drug, to treat the bacterium.

Physicians should prescribe a cephalosporin as well as either azithromycin or doxycycline to patients with N. gonorrhoeae, according to a report in the July 8 issue of the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6026a2.htm).

Gonococcal cephalosporin resistance has been documented in Asia and Norway, the report said. The potential emergence of such resistance in the U.S. is a concern because the country's gonorrhea control strategy relies on effective antibiotic therapy, the CDC said.

Doctors should remain vigilant about identifying treatment failures in patients with the gonococcal infection. Signs of treatment failure include persistent symptoms and a positive follow-up test despite treatment, the CDC added.

Secondhand smoke exposure linked to hearing loss in youths

Exposure to tobacco smoke increases the risk of hearing loss among adolescents, according to a study published in the July Archives of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery.

Researchers examined data on 1,533 adolescents 12 to 19 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2006. The participants, who were not actively smoking, received blood tests for cotinine and hearing tests. Cotinine is a metabolite of nicotine and indicates tobacco smoke exposure.

The study showed that teens exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher rate of low-frequency and high-frequency hearing loss than individuals who live in a smoke-free environment (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21768409). Additionally, more than 80% of the adolescents with hearing problems were not aware of the issue.

Mild hearing loss can cause children to have trouble understanding what is being said in the classroom, among other problems, the study authors said. They recommend that physicians regularly screen the hearing of children who are exposed to secondhand smoke.