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Study links common antibiotics to increase in untreated superbugs
A new study published in the journal Nature has found a common antibiotic is causing a surge of virtually untreated superbugs. Superbug is the name given to bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi that have developed resistance to one or more antibiotics used to treat them, also known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Read on to learn more about the study.
Common antibiotics linked to increase in untreated superbugs
A recent study published Thursday has identified a common antibiotic that is causing a surge of virtually untreated superbugs. The study was led by the University of Melbourne, the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and Austin Health and published in the journal Nature.
The study found that the antibiotic rifaximin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic for liver disease patients, could put them at greater risk of dangerous superbugs.
Superbug is the name given to bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi that have developed resistance to one or more antibiotics used to treat them, also known as superbugs. antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The World Health Organization (WHO) says AMR is one of the world’s most urgent health problems. It has directly caused the deaths of about 1.27 million people and 4.95 million worldwide in 2019.
The new eight-year study found that the antibiotic rifaximin has led to the global emergence of a virtually untreatable form of the AMR superbug vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), a contagious bacterial infection that can cause severe reactions in hospitalized patients. Could.
Laboratory experiments and clinical studies conducted by researchers found that the use of rifaximin caused changes in the DNA of VRE, making it resistant to daptomycin, a drug used to treat multidrug-resistant pathogens. One major last resort option is antibiotics.
Glenn Carter, senior author of the study from the University of Melbourne and the Doherty Institute, said the study challenges the previously held belief that rifaximin has a low risk of causing AMR.
“We have shown that rifaximin makes VRE resistant to daptomycin in a way that has not been seen before,” he said.
“There is also concern that these daptomycin-resistant VRE may be transmitted to other patients in hospital; “A hypothesis we are currently investigating.”
Dr. Adriana Turner, lead author of the study, said the findings highlighted the need to monitor and investigate how bacteria become antibiotic-resistant, allowing researchers to conduct clinical trials to understand the prevalence of such bacteria. And allows for genomic surveillance. Gardin.
Austin Health professor Jason Kwong emphasized that rifaximin is still effective when used appropriately and that people who are taking it to treat advanced liver disease should continue to do so.
“But we need to understand the implications when treating individual patients and from a public health perspective going forward,” he said.
The researchers said the findings highlight the critical need for effective genomics-based surveillance to detect emerging AMR.
(With inputs from IANS)
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