The urinary tract infection sample in Pennsylvania was from a 49-year-old female patient who was being treated at a military facility.
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Multiple health entities are responding to a case of an antibiotic-resistant superbug reported in Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf said Thursday.
“The bacteria is unique because it’s the first time we have seen these bacteria in the United States, and it’s resistant to the last drug available”, said Kaiser Permanente Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Adam Jackson.
The bacterial infection was then found to be resistant to the antibiotic colistin, described as “the last agent used to combat bacteria that are resistant to the strongest antibiotics”, a news release said.
“We risk being in a post-antibiotic world”, Reuters quoted the official as saying at the National Press Club in Washington.
Local health experts say this new “super-bug” bacteria is an uncommon threat that can be easily prevented with some common sense. But in this case, tests showed it was resistant to first-line antibiotics – those usually used for these infections.
“The take home message is we all have to think about using antibiotics wisely, because it’s a limited resource”. The gene can be transferred to other bacteria, which could increase concerns about global antimicrobial resistance. So far, the United States has not. There have been a few bacterias that have become resistant to a number of antibiotics, but quite often this was found to be the result of a mutation in a single organism.
Clinicians and public health officials have long warned of the dangers of superbugs, calling for antibiotic stewardship programs to curb the inappropriate use of antibiotics.
In the meantime, Cassell said people can best protect themselves from the superbug and from other bacteria resistant to antibiotics by thoroughly washing their hands, washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly and preparing foods appropriately.
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The colistin-resistant strain had been discovered in Europe, Africa, South America and Canada following reports of Chinese and British researchers finding the bacteria in pigs, raw pork meat and some people in China in November. But this is the first time it has occurred in the United States. “It is a feeling of such horror and helplessness”, said Frieden. The emergence of a transferable gene that confers resistance to this vital antibiotic is extremely disturbing.
