"UB At Sunrise" to Focus On Drug Resistance In Bacteria

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Have humans lost the war against infectious bacteria?

A question that medical experts have been asking, with reports of growing incidence of drug resistance among bacteria, it will be the focus of a "UB at Sunrise" program to be held from 7:30-9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10, in the Center for Tomorrow on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

Charles Ballow, UB clinical associate professor of pharmacy who is director of anti-infectives research at Millard Fillmore Hospitals, will speak.

Ballow recently told an international medical meeting that based on a study conducted by researchers at UB, Millard Fillmore and the University of Iowa College of Medicine, the problem of growing drug resistance in bacteria can be compared with "a rocket ship."

He predicted that by the year 2000, half of the infections caused by the bacterium responsible for 7 million cases of otitis media in children and 500,000 cases of pneumonia in children and adults each year in the U.S. will have some resistance to penicillin.

The problem, he notes, is a reminder that "humans are not alone in the evolutionary process."

"UB at Sunrise" is a series of breakfast programs jointly produced by the Alumni Association, Office of Conferences and Special Events, News Services and Office of Publications, all at UB. It also is supported by the Office of University Development and UB Office of Public Service and Urban Affairs.

The price of the program, which includes a full breakfast, is $10 for members of the UB Alumni Association and $12 for all others.

For more information, contact the alumni association at 829-2608. Ticket orders must be received by Monday, Feb. 9.