When 28-year-old Sahil Mehra* from Mumbai was at the verge of kidney failure, and running out of option, a new lifeline came to him, in form of a breakthrough medicine.

Mehra was diagnosed with a severe urinary tract infection, caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is one of the toughest superbugs known to medicine. It has a history of resisting every antibiotic available. Last-resort drugs like colistin and polymyxins also barely held the infection at bay while worsening his kidney function.

Dr Tanu Singhal, a consultant-pediatrics and infectious diseases at Kokilaben Hospital, Mumbai said, "We were running out of time," reports TOI.

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It was the breakthrough of Zaynich, a combination of Cefepime + Zidebactam that the doctors had secured access to. This was India's first new antibiotic in more than three decades. Within four days, Mehra's fever subsided, and his infection markers fell, with his kidneys now stabilized. Soon, he was discharged.

A similar case is of a 36-year-old woman who was battling a malignant ear infection, caused by a multidrug-resistant-organism, that threated to spread to her skull base and brain. Despite eight weeks of antibiotics, there was no improvement. However, after a 10-day regimen of Zaynich, her symptoms eased, and the infection cleared.

Even abroad too, there have been promising results. At St Jude's Hospital in Memphis, USA, a 15-year-old leukemia patient with a life-threatening infection caused by NDM-producing E. coli recovered after 41 days on Zaynich. Before that, the patient witnessed failure of nine other antibiotics. As of now, 51 patients, worldwide, are successfully treated.

What Makes Zaynich So Different?

It is developed by Mumbai-based Wockhardt, and is now hailed as the first-in-class antibiotic. This is the first of its kind globally, in over 30 years.

It is a combination of two medicines, including:

• Cefepime: a fourth-generation cephalosporin that disrupts bacterial cell wall synthesis.
• Zidebactam: a novel β-lactam enhancer that restores and boosts cefepime’s effectiveness.

Together, they disable bacterian defence enzymes while directly targeting critical bacterial protein. There are several studies to that point towards 97% effectives against drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. It also includes hospital-acquired pneumonia. In the phase 3 trials, it also outperformed Meropenem, which is a gold standard antibiotic, with a 20% higher cure rate.

Why Is It Essential?

India remains one of the worst-hit countries by antimicrobial resistance, which is spreading like silent pandemic in hospitals, and communities alike.

The main concern that India and the world faces today are carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter. For For CR Klebsiella and E. coli, there had been some options, however, for Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter, only polymyxins worked, and that too not very effectively. This is what makes Zaynich life-saving.

Wockhardt plans to launch Zaynich in India later this year, pending approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).

*Names have been changed to protect the identity.

Every year on October 16, World Spine Day is observed. The spine is the backbone of a human, and takes care of a lot of things including movement, posture, and overall well-being. However, spinal conditions are often ignored, and with the rise of sedentary lifestyle, spinal posture is severely affected. To address these issues, World Spine Day was introduced.

World Spine Day 2025 Theme

The theme for World Spine Day 2025 is 'Invest in Your Spine'. This highlights the need to prioritize spinal health through preventive care, rehabilitation, and supportive workplace and lifestyle practices.

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This day also encourages individuals to take simple steps, but stay consistent in maintaining proper posture, exercising regularly, and following ergonomic habits at work.

The theme also calls for policy makers to strengthen access to rehabilitation and education programmes, and ensure that spine care becomes an integral part of the public health sphere.

World Spine Day Origin

World Spine Day was originated in 2012. This is when the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) launched the day to raise awareness about spinal health and disorder. The first theme was 'Straighten Up and Move'.

This initiative also evolved into a global event with participation from health organizations and communities worldwide to promote spine health and prevent back pain. As even doctors note that most of the spinal injuries are preventable.

Significance of World Spine Day

This day aims at raising awareness about common spine problems, including back pain, scoliosis, and slipped discs. It may come as a surprise to many but in 2020, low back pain (LBP) affected 619 million people globally. LBP is also the single leading cause of disability worldwide, and the same condition that can be prevented or people may benefit form rehabilitation.

Most spinal injuries and issues could be experienced at any age, thanks to the sedentary lifestyle and bad posture. However, the age prevalence increases among the people up to 80, with the mean age at 50-55. LBP is also said to be more common in women.

What Are The Common Spinal Problems That Affect People?

Low Back Pain

Low back pain remains one of the most common reasons for missed work and a decline in daily comfort. Long hours of sitting, poor posture, and improper lifting can strain the spine and its supporting muscles, leading to stiffness, fatigue, and persistent discomfort.

Scoliosis and Other Spinal Deformities

Scoliosis refers to an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine, often developing during childhood or teenage years. While mild cases may cause little to no symptoms, severe curvature can interfere with posture, lung function, and movement, making early diagnosis and treatment essential.

Herniated or Slip Disc

A herniated or “slipped” disc happens when the soft, gel-like center of a spinal disc pushes through a tear in its tougher outer layer. This pressure on surrounding nerves can lead to intense pain, tingling, or muscle weakness, particularly in the lower back, buttocks, and legs.

Sir Bradley Wiggins CBE, a legend really. He is Britain’s cycling icon and the first Briton to win the Tour de France, was once the face of national pride. His victories at the 2012 Olympics turned him into a symbol of discipline and determination. But behind the gold medals and charming public persona was a man quietly sinking into trauma, addiction, and self-destruction.

“I wasn’t on cocaine the first time we met,” Wiggins recalls in a recent interview with Time. “But I was the night before.”

The admission marks how far one of Britain’s most celebrated athletes had fallen, and how complex the relationship can be between success, trauma, and mental health.

The Trauma No One Talks About

Wiggins’ journey into darkness began long before the drugs. As a teenager, he was sexually abused by his cycling coach, Stan Knight. From ages 13 to 16, what began as “training guidance” turned into years of manipulation and assault.

“He’d tell me it was for sport, that men shower together,” Wiggins said. “He’d demonstrate how to clean myself, touch me, show me what to do. That’s how it started.”

For decades, he buried those memories under medals and fame. Speaking about them for the first time in 2023 was both liberating and devastating. “It just poured out,” he said. “I’d never told anyone. When I finally did, I broke down for an hour after reading it.”

The confession triggered others to come forward—four men who said they too had been abused by Knight. It became a small but powerful #MeToo moment within British cycling.

The Descent into Addiction

Retirement from cycling should have been peaceful. Instead, it exposed the emotional void that sport had masked for decades. Wiggins turned to cocaine, a habit that spiralled rapidly.

“I was high most of the time for years,” he admitted. What began as occasional use became constant dependence. He isolated himself in hotel rooms for days, sometimes weeks. “My ex-wife, Cath, came to find me once. She said, ‘You’re going to die, Brad.’ She found 120 empty Covid-test tubes filled with cocaine residue in an Aesop bag.”

At his lowest, he ran out of money and slept on park benches. “Clapham Common. It was scary,” he said quietly. “I don’t know how I didn’t die.”

Addiction research shows that unresolved trauma dramatically increases the risk of substance use. According to mental-health experts, drugs often serve as a way to numb pain or silence intrusive memories. Wiggins’ story mirrors that pattern, a man trying to escape the ghosts of childhood abuse and the pressure of public perfection.

Hitting Rock Bottom and Finding Help

His turning point came in 2023 after a desperate plea to his son Ben, himself a cyclist. “I sent him a video, crying. I didn’t think he’d judge me. He never does.” Soon after, fellow cyclist Lance Armstrong flew him to the U.S., helped him enter rehab, and encouraged him to face his addiction head-on.

Now a year sober, Wiggins attends Narcotics Anonymous meetings and follows a strict recovery plan. He’s in what the program calls the “accountability phase,” learning to apologise, rebuild relationships, and stay honest. “I wanted to tell my story myself, good and bad,” he says.

What Happens In Childhood, Continues To Be With You

Wiggins’ memoir, The Chain, reveals how deeply abandonment shaped him. His father, Gary Wiggins, an Australian cyclist, left when Bradley was 18 months old. “I took up cycling to feel close to him,” he admits. The two met briefly when Bradley was 19, before his father’s death in 2008 after a violent assault.

Without a stable father figure, the young Wiggins was vulnerable—an easy target for a predatory coach who offered validation disguised as mentorship. “I was lonely,” he says simply. “It was really lonely.”

Even now, the emotional scars are deep. “There’s shame attached to it,” he admits. “It’s emasculating.”

Shame is a common barrier for abuse survivors, often delaying disclosure and healing. According to mental-health research, shame distorts self-perception and drives many into self-punishment through addiction or risky behavior.

“I never wanted to come across as a victim,” Wiggins insists. “I’m a victim of my own choices.” Yet, slowly, he’s learning self-compassion. “I don’t hate myself anymore,” he says. “I don’t know if I love myself yet—but I’m getting there.”

The Ongoing Recovery

Wiggins’ recovery revolves around structure, the same discipline that once fuelled his athletic career. His day begins at 6:15 a.m.; he makes his bed, exercises, tracks his sleep and nutrition using an Oura ring, and avoids alcohol entirely.

“I live like a professional athlete again,” he says. “If I drink, it might lead me back to cocaine. I can’t risk that.”

Physical activity, experts note, can play a crucial role in addiction recovery. Exercise stimulates endorphins, reduces cravings, and helps re-establish healthy routines. “Gym and cycling keep me sane,” Wiggins says. “That sense of freedom I had as a kid—it’s back.”

Today, Wiggins lives in Balham, south London. He co-parents his five-year-old daughter Ava and has repaired his relationship with his older children, Ben and Bella. “Taking Ava to school every morning is my daily joy,” he says.

He’s no longer homeless, no longer bankrupt, and has started speaking openly about mental health. “I thought about becoming a therapist one day,” he says, laughing. “I’ll probably need more therapy first.”

A resident of New York has tested positive for the chikungunya virus, marking the first local transmission of the mosquito-borne illness in the United States in six years, according to state health officials. The New York State Department of Health confirmed Tuesday that the case was detected in a person from Nassau County, Long Island.

The county’s health department stated that the individual began showing symptoms in August after traveling outside the region but not leaving the country. Officials have not disclosed the person’s identity or the exact source of infection.

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What Is Chikungunya?

The illness is known for causing high fever and severe joint pain, often intense enough to affect mobility. The name “chikungunya” originates from a word meaning “that which bends up,” describing the stooped posture people often develop due to the pain. There is currently no antiviral treatment for the infection, and care mainly focuses on relieving symptoms. Most individuals recover within a week, though some experience lingering joint discomfort for weeks or months.

What Are The Symptoms Of Chikungunya?

Other signs of chikungunya include:

• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Joint swelling
• Rash
• Fatigue
• Nausea

Is Chikungunya Contagious?

While New York has recorded three other cases of chikungunya earlier this year, all were linked to international travel. Local mosquitoes, however, are capable of carrying and spreading other viruses such as West Nile, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and Jamestown Canyon virus.