India strongly refutes on UK’S report on superbug NDM-1
British scientists began to emphasize that the new superbug which is resisting all powerful antibiotics have entered UK from India and this has been rejected by India. The health ministry of India said this statement as malicious propaganda. Several Indian MPS described it as a conspiracy.
But British scientists say that patients returned from India after having treatment at India had bacteria that make NDM 1 enzyme.
Health experts say already some of the bacterias like E.colli are having NDM 1 inside them and make resistant to antibiotics.
And the journal Lancet infectitious diseases said that the bacteria have entered UK and it is likely to spread around the globe.
The health ministry of India official spokesman told and described the report of UK as sensational and added that it is not correct on the part of UK to link India with superbug origination.
The Indian health ministry made the following comments against UK’s report.
The superbug bacteria may be found in environment, human intestine and animal universally.
It is as wrong propaganda
Superbug could become infected from anywhere in the world
Strongly refuting the name given to superbug as New Delhi Metallo Beta Lactamase.
Strongly refuting about the UK statement about the hospitals of India stating as not safe for taking treatment.
Drug resistance has evolved from time immemorial. It has crossed states, countries and continents with increasing travel (may it be for medical tourism or otherwise).
What makes a micro organism a ‘Superbug’ is the genetic makeup of the bacteria. These are usually coded in packets (Plasmids) in the bacteria and are transmitted just like human transmission of genetic mutations. The decoding of these plasmids give insight into the character of the bacteria (how long it will live, how many drugs it is resistant to, how fast they can be transmitted etc) and is similar to gene mapping in humans which tells the character of humans (colour, cancer carriers, genetic disorders, height, how long we will live, will he be diabetic etc).
Most superbugs can generally be detected in routine standard microbiology labs eg. MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, ESBL (Extended spectrum beta lactamase) in E coli, Klebsiella and others, MBL (metallobetalactamase etc). Research studies can detect special characters (genetic makeup) in such bugs (e.g. in MRSA mecA, in ESBL- CTX-M, IMP, in MBL BlalMP, VIM, NDM-1 etc ) . Routine laboratories anywhere in the world cannot detect such special characters.
Superbugs are rare but when it occurs it should trigger ANY government, state, health care facility to the following aspects:
1. Resistance evolves in bacteria due to abuse of antibiotics. (so probably hospital or community physicians are abusing drugs). Abuse of antibiotics occurs usually in the subcontinent and south east asian countries.
2. Some codes are transmitted by drug feeds in poultry or the food we eat, how close we are with animals can manufacture and these bugs (Again antibiotic abuse).
3. Regular isolation of the same organism from the same location (hospital, country) can result in outbreaks or epidemics). Outbreaks of this organism can occur if the organism is transmitted quickly usually due to poor infection control practices in the hospitals.
4. The hospital should be aware and report such types of bugs both in the interest of the patient and community as a whole.
5. Its not where these isolates come from but how their transmission can be prevented that is important. Sometimes where it comes from is important as incase of Bioterrorism agents (Anthrax etc)
6. If increasing Superbugs are seen in a locality they should be tested in research laboratories to know the genetic makeup.
So don’t blame countries. Be scientific not political.
Learn to develop research facilities that can detect such infections.
Look into all Hospital systems and Microbiology laboratories to see if facilities are in place to identify and isolate superbugs.
Finally report these to the international community and the interest of patient care as a whole.
Dr Godwin Wilson, Clinical Microbiologist (Google me to Contact me)
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