Approximately 25% (90% CrI: 13%–42%) of the 15.9 million episodes of gastroenteritis that occur in Australia were estimated to be transmitted by contaminated food. This equates to an average of approximately one episode of foodborne gastroenteritis every five years per person. Data on the number of hospitalisations and deaths represent the occurrence of serious foodborne illness. Including gastroenteritis, non-gastroenteritis and sequelae, there were an estimated annual 31,920 (90% CrI: 29,500–35,500) hospitalisations due to foodborne illness and 86 (90% CrI: 70–105) deaths due to foodborne illness circa 2010. This study concludes that these rates are similar to recent estimates in the US and Canada.A main aim of this study was to compare if foodborne illness incidence had increased over time. In this study, similar methods of assessment were applied to data from circa 2000, which showed that the rate of foodborne gastroenteritis had not changed significantly over time. Two key estimates were the total number of gastroenteritis episodes each year, and the proportion considered foodborne. In circa 2010, it was estimated that 25% of all episodes of gastroenteritis were foodborne. By applying this proportion of episodes due to food to the incidence of gastroenteritis circa 2000, there were an estimated 4.3 million (90% CrI: 2.2–7.3 million) episodes of foodborne gastroenteritis circa 2000, although credible intervals overlap with 2010.
Besifloxacin (INN/USAN) is a fourth-generation fluoroquinolone antibiotic. The marketed compound is besifloxacin hydrochloride. It was developed by SSP Co. Ltd., Japan, and designated SS734. SSP licensed U.S. and European rights to SS734 for ophthalmic use to InSite Vision Incorporated (OTC Pink: INSV) in 2000. InSite Vision developed an eye drop formulation (ISV-403) and conducted preliminary clinical trials before selling the product and all rights to Bausch & Lomb in 2003.The eye drop was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 29, 2009, and marketed under the trade name Besivance. Pharmacodynamics
Besifloxacin is a fluoroquinolone that has a broad spectrum in vitro activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative ocular pathogens: e.g., Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum, Moraxella lacunata, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus hominis, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus salivarius. Besifloxacin has been found to inhibit production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro. The mechanism of action of besifloxacin involves inhibition of two enzymes which are essential for the synthesis and replication of bacterial DNA: the bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. Clinical trials indicated that Besifloxacin was 91% effective at eliminating the causative bacteria after five days, compared to 60% in the placebo group. This did not, however necessarily correlate with condition resolution, as bacterial presence is only a part of conjunctivitis. Medical use
Besifloxacin is indicated in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis caused by sensitive bacteria, as well as in the prevention of infectious complications in patients undergoing laser therapy for the treatment of cataracts.