Fears antibiotic-resistant superbug could cause global epidemic

Scientists in China have identified infectious bacteria that may be resistant to antibiotics. The “alarming” discovery that another line of defence against infection may have been breached is worrying researchers who warn that investment is needed to discover new drugs to prevent epidemics. The untreatable superbugs originated in animals before spreading to humans and are highly resistant to antibiotics known as polymyxins, our last line of defence against disease when all else fails. They include E.coli, the pneumonia bug Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa which can trigger serious lung, blood and surgical infections.

These are extremely worrying results which reveal the emergence of the first polymyxin resistance gene that is readily passed between common bacteria, suggesting the progression to pan-drug resistance is inevitable.

Lead researcher Professor Jian-Hua, from the South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou

Researchers also discovered that a particular strain of E.coli that had infected meat sold in China was able to genetically transfer its polymyxin immunity to other strains of bacteria. Bugs from infected patients at hospitals in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces were also tested and the proportion of samples that were positive for the super-resistant gene increased every year. Professor Nigel Brown, president of Britain’s Microbiology Society, said: “This discovery that resistance to polymyxins can be transferred between bacteria is alarming. Now that it has been demonstrated that resistance can be transferred between bacteria and across bacterial species, another line of defence against infection is in danger of being breached.”

We need careful surveillance to track the potential global spread of this resistance, and investment in research to discover new drugs with different modes of action.

Professor Nigel Brown, president of Britain’s Microbiology Society

Health superbug