Experts anticipate rise in antibiotic-resistant superbugs
Infectious disease experts believe an antibiotic-resistant superbug may be more widespread than previously believed, following two confirmed cases in the US.
In May, US army scientists reported finding E. coli bacteria harbouring a gene which rendered the antibiotic colistin, generally used as a last ditch effort, useless.
But just this week researchers have confirmed an another strain of E. coli with the same gene was present in a patient treated for an infection as early as last year, suggesting the antibiotic-resistant superbug is far more widespread than initially thought.
The antibiotic-resistant strain has been identified in over 20 countries around the world over the past six months, although there are no confirmed case in Australia.
But the thing that has health experts worried is the possibility for the troublesome gene to leap into bacteria that is already resistant to all or virtually all other types of antibiotics, which would theoretically make a range of infections untreatable.
Dr Brad Spellberg, professor of medicine at the University of Southern California, told AAP, “You can be sure it is already in the guts of people throughout the United States and will continue to spread.”
It’s quite a scary prospect. What’s your take on the situation? Do you think more should be done to prevent the occurrence of potentially deadly superbugs?
Let us know in the comments.
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