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Emergence of a new antibiotic resistance mechanism in India, Pakistan, and the UK (11/08/2010)

A new superbug that is resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics has entered UK hospitals, experts warn.

Study co-author, Dr David Livermore, director of antibiotic resistance monitoring at HPA said: "The findings of this paper show that resistance to one of the major groups of antibiotics, the carbapenems, is widespread in India. This is important because carbapenems were often the last 'good' antibiotics active against bacteria that already were resistant to more standard drugs.

"We have now also identified bacteria with this type of resistance - NDM - in around 50 patients in the UK. Most, not all, had previously travelled to the Indian subcontinent, and many had received hospital treatment there. International travel gives a great potential for spread of resistant bacteria between countries.

"Few antibiotics remain active against these bacteria. Their spread underscores the need for good infection control in hospitals both in the UK and overseas, and the need for new antibiotic development." 

For more information, contact the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Infections press office on 0208 327 7097/6647/7751
http://www.hpa.org.uk/NewsCentre/NationalPressReleases/2010PressReleases/100811resistance/

(MDN)