Radio NZ: New superbug spreading from Asia

A bacterial enzyme known for being resistant to all antibiotics is spreading through bacteria in India and Pakistan, according to a paper in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

An excerpt: (read in full here)

“The BBC reports the battle for supremacy between bacterial infection and antibiotics is intensifying and new treatments are in short supply.

“Until now, when all else fails, clinicians have been able to fall back on powerful drugs called carbapenems. But bacteria carrying NDM-1 – often E.Coli – are resistant to these and other antibiotics.

“The bugs spread easily, usually in hospital but sometimes in the community.”