Bacteria resistant to an antibiotic of last resort have been found in pigs, meat and a small number of hospital patients in China, setting off alarm bells for doctors and researchers.
Scientists discovered bacteria with a gene that makes them resistant to an old antibiotic called colistin.
"What they discovered is that by mouth it doesn't work, it doesn't get absorbed. But you could put it through your veins and it's very powerful because we haven't used that antibiotic for a very long time," Dr. Peter Lin, a family physician and medical commentator on CBC News Network, said Thursday.
Many antibiotics (including colstin) are naturally produced by microorganisms to combat other bacteria, and some bacteria in the environment have evolved resistance to these antibiotics. The main problem occurs when these resistance genes get transferred to from the soil bacteria in which they typically occur into human pathogens.rootone said:I seems odd that bacteria would develop a gene which confers resistance to an antibiotic which hasn't been used for a very long time.
When the "last line of defence" for antibiotics is breached, it means that bacteria have become resistant to all available antibiotics, rendering them ineffective in treating infections caused by these bacteria.
It is concerning when the "last line of defence" for antibiotics is breached because it means that there are limited or no treatment options available for infections caused by these resistant bacteria. This can lead to longer and more severe illness, and in some cases, even death.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria mutate or acquire genes that allow them to survive the effects of antibiotics. This can happen through natural selection, where only the resistant bacteria survive and reproduce, or through the transfer of resistance genes between bacteria.
The overuse and misuse of antibiotics are major contributing factors to the breach of the "last line of defence." This includes prescribing antibiotics for viral infections, not completing a full course of antibiotics, and using antibiotics in agriculture. Additionally, inadequate infection control measures and lack of new antibiotic development also play a role.
To address the issue of antibiotic resistance, it is crucial to use antibiotics responsibly, both in human and veterinary medicine. This includes only using antibiotics when necessary and completing the full course as prescribed. Additionally, improving infection control measures, developing new antibiotics, and promoting research into alternative treatments are also important steps in combating antibiotic resistance.