Health officials are reporting the first US case of a human infected with a “superbug” – a drug-resistant infection that leaves it victims with few, if any, options for treatment. Cases have been seen in humans and pigs in China and in Canada, Africa, Europe and South America.
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While this type of bacteria resistant to nearly all antibiotics has been present in the US, what makes this different is this particular strain.
According to a report by CNN, 49-year-old woman from Pennsylvania appeared to have traces of a rare E. coli strain, the first of its kind to be discovered in the US. The study’s authors wrote the woman had a urinary tract infection, but CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said that was an error because the woman carried the bacteria but did not develop an infection.
Local health experts say this new “super-bug” bacteria is an uncommon threat that can be easily prevented with some common sense.
“(This) heralds the emergence of truly pan-drug resistant bacteria”, said the study, which was conducted by the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. In some instances, these superbugs kill up to 50 per cent of patients who become infected. Frieden confirmed that the antibiotic only used in last-resort cases – colistin – had proved ineffective, despite being held only for use with “nightmare bacteria”. However, authorities say she had not travelled outside the US within the past five months.
The woman was treated and released and has no other medical problems related to the bacteria that we know of, according to Dr. Alex Kallen, a medical officer with the CDC. But during her recovery process, further testing found that the E. coli infecting her body was carrying a gene resistant to the drug colistin.
The CDC said it is looking for other potential cases in the health care facility the patient visited. She recovered, but there are concerns that if this resistance spreads to other bacteria, the United States may soon be faced with superbugs unaffected by all known antibiotics, the Associated Press reported.
“It is the end of the road for antibiotics unless we act urgently”, Frieden said according to CNBC.
“It’s the first time that we’ve seen this resistance, this bug, present in the United States”. He has cautioned doctors against the overuse of antibiotics in the past, and is now urging scientists to begin development of new drugs.
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The 49-year-old woman in Pennsylvania has recovered but United States health officials warned of the risk of it being “the end of the road” for antibiotics. And yet, because doctors have run out of weapons to fight a growing number of infections that evade more modern antibiotics, it has become a critical tool in fighting off some of the most tenacious infections.
