Saturday, April 4, 2015

Common bacteria on verge of becoming antibiotic-resistant superbugs

News Brief by Jessica Newfield

The Washington University School of Medicine recently published an article conveying that antibiotic resistance is spreading much more easily and rapidly through two common genes that are the most responsible for hospital-related infections. The infections that most commonly result from antibiotic resistance in hospital settings are respiratory and urinary infections. The causes of these infections are believed to be linked to contaminated scopes with bacteria that resist carbapenems, which are antibiotics used by gravely ill patients. Author Gautam Dantas, PhD, suggests that we may even be past the times of using antibiotics, as they are becoming less and less effective, and may even cause more harm than good. Carbapenem-resistant bacteria are now considered one of the three most urgent threats among antibiotic resistant bacteria. The two genes responsible for carbapenem-resistant diseases are KPC and NDM-1, both found on contaminated medical equipment. After sequencing the genome of these two resistance genes, researchers have determined that it is only going to get easier for antibiotic resistance to spread.

Reference:
Washington University School of Medicine. (2015, March 25). Common bacteria on verge of becoming antibiotic-resistant superbugs. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 4, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150325210513.htm
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