Global threat seen in new drug-resistant superbug
The world might be battling a new superbug infection, on behalf of Brits venturing to India for nip-and-tuck discounts who have brought home a fatal stowaway. A new superbug infection could spread worldwide after infecting plastic surgery clients in south Asia who brought it home to Britain. The most powerful antibiotics accessible won't stem infections born from a bacteria-jumping gene in the new superbug. While Large Pharma chases lucrative conditions like erectile dysfunction, experts say governments have to do something to encourage more investment in antibiotic research.
Superbug gene helps bacteria defeat antibiotics
After travelling from Britain to India via medical tourism, a new superbug infection is threatening to spread all over the world. There are few drugs strong enough to treat it, researchers said. Reuters reports that a newly found gene-- New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase, or NDM-1-has been found by researchers in clients in both south Asia and also the U.K. Bacteria are altered by the NDM-1 gene to become highly resistant to most antibiotics, including carbapenems-the most powerful class available. Drug experts say the research pipeline has no new antibiotics in progress to suppress it. Reuters said that Timothy Walsh, who led the study, fears that with international travel for cheap cosmetic surgery procedures increasing, the new superbug could soon spread to hospitals worldwide.
Superbug gene transfers drug-resistance
Researchers published an article Wednesday in Lancet Infectious Diseases that said the superbug gene was already well-established in India, where hospitals aren't equipped to detect it and also the drugs aren't available to fight it. The Associated Press reports that the superbug gene has been identified in 37 individuals in Britain with drug-resistant bacterial infections after having plastic surgery in India or Pakistan. The superbug gene has also been detected by medical researchers in Australia, Canada, the U.S., the Netherlands and Sweden . The superbug has "an alarming potential to spread and diversify," since the gene is found on DNA structures called plasmids that are copied and very easily between bacteria , the authors of the Lancet article said.
Superbug takes a backseat to Big Pharma profits
The pharmaceutical industry lacks interest in superbugs. Because bacteria adapts so easily, new antibiotics don't have the shelf life to be sufficiently lucrative . The Wall Street Journal reports that in order to earn enough for shareholders, Large Pharma wants governments to subsidize research with large tax breaks. Pharmaceutical businesses also blame strict research and development demands from official regulators that cut into potential profits. However, Pfizer and Merck within the Americas, Novartis in Switzerland and GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca within the U.K are engaged in antibiotic research .
Additional reading
Reuters
reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67A0YU20100811
Associated Press
google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gpFQ3Bz7hIFhSsHlYpROVwTVwwoAD9HHAI6G0
Wall Street Journal
online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100811-710190.html