Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Superbug Fears Grow In the U.S.



ABC News: Superbug E. Coli Found for Just Second Time in US

For just the second time in the U.S., researchers have found evidence of E. coli bacteria that are genetically resistant to a last-resort antibiotic, according to a report published today in the medical journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

The superbug has a gene that makes it resistant to treatment with colistin, an antibiotic often used by doctors as a last resort for antibiotic-resistant infections, the report states.

In this case, the bacteria were genetically resistant to colistin but not to other forms of antibiotics that could be used to kill the E. coli. However, researchers are concerned that these bacteria could transfer genes to other E. coli and different bacteria that are already resistant to all forms of antibiotics except colistin, leading to the chance of a fully antibiotic-resistant strain of bacterium. Researchers are especially concerned about the possibility that the gene could be transferred within the Enterobacteriaceae family of bacteria, which includes E. coli. Some strains in that family are already largely resistant to many kind of antibiotics in the U.S.

Read more ....

Update #1: Infection experts warn of more U.S. superbug cases in coming months (Reuters)
Update #2: A 'slow catastrophe' unfolds as the golden age of antibiotics comes to an end (L.A. Times)

WNU Editor: My brother is in the biotech field .... a top researcher working in the Bay Area in California. He has been warning about the rise of superbugs for years .... and now it is at our doors. Make no mistake about it .... this is going to impact all of us in the years to come.

6 comments:

RRH said...

More people shouldbr concerned about this. Especially those who do a lot of travelling. If the private sector won't get onthis issue, the publuc sector should.

War News Updates Editor said...

RRH. As I said, my brother is a top researcher in the biotech field. He was actually in Ottawa about 5-6 years ago proposing a course of action and budget to develop new antibiotic products that will be one step ahead of these resistant bugs. No one in the government or in the opposition parties were interested in what he was proposing. As he told me .... on the government's priority list .... both here and in the U.S. .... this is not even on the priority list. He did tell me a few months ago that there are now a a few drug companies interested in developing new drugs .... the problem is that it takes years and testing before one can be brought to the public, and current government regulations (at least in the U.S.) are impeding much of this investment.

Anonymous said...

One more reason to steer clear of Chipotle!

RRH said...

I wonder what other governments are doing about this and how much intellectual property rights, free trade rules and other regulations affect this research. I also wonder how many of these government officials represent certain private interests who may be against this initiative.

If the Canadian Government/opposition are against moving on something this big, it's one more reason to state what many of us already know:They don't represent thepublic interest and nedd to go.

War News Updates Editor said...

There is some work in Switzerland and in Japan .... but governments do not have the expertise or scientists to work on this. Their power is in money and regulations. Again .... patents are government regulated and enforced.

RRH said...

"Again .... patents are government regulated and enforced."

Shows just who they work for.