Second patient infected with bacteria carrying mcr-1 ‘superbug’ gene indentified in US
29 Jun 2016
Scientists have identified a second patient in the US has been infected with a bacteria carrying the mcr-1 'superbug' gene, Reutuers reported.
The gene gives the bug high resistance to a last-resort class of antibiotics, according to experts.
Late last month, the gene was found in a patient having urinary tract infection caused by E coli.
The finding was published yesterday in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
The mcr-1 gene gives the bacteria resistance to colistin, an antibiotic used to treat multi-drug-resistant infections, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae or CRE, which US health officials had dubbed a 'nightmare' bacteria.
Colistin is the last antibiotic against bacteria resistant to the strongest antibiotics.
The drug had so far been the best tool available to treat multi-drug resistant bacteria, but the latest discovery showed that colistin might be losing its effectiveness in antimicrobial therapy.
What was concerning about the mcr-1 gene discoveries in the US was that bacteria had the capability to share resistance genes.
US officials worry over the possibility of the mcr-1 gene finding its way into CRE bacteria, which could create bacteria resistant to virtually all types of antibiotics.
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