New Threat to Public Health by Emerging Bacterial
Infection Resistant to Treatment with Most Common Antibiotics
Dr. C. C. Lin
Biotechnology Consultant
13 August 2010
A report on a new type of emerging
bacterial infection resistant to the treatment with the most common antibiotics
has been published online in the leading medical journal Lancet Infectious
Diseases on 11 August 2010. This
news has also been widely reported as a major global public health problem all
over the world by the news media.
Such multi-drug-resistant bacterial
infection was originated in New Delhi, India. The specific bacterium having multi-drug-resistant
capability has been identified with a particular gene which is capable of
jumping to other bacterial species through the plasmid (extra-chromosomal DNA)
spreading worldwide apparently by people having low-cost treatments,
particularly facial reconstruction surgery at the hospitals in India and
Pakistan. They
inadvertently carried the multi-drug-resistant infectious bacteria to their
home country.
Increasing incidences of bacterial
infections resistant to the treatment of antibiotics have been partly triggered
by the inappropriate and misuses of antibiotics which promote the growth and
spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Sadly, the big pharmaceutical companies in the world stopped developing
new antibiotics years ago as antibiotics are less profitable drugs as compared
to cardiovascular and diabetic drugs which the patient needs to take daily for
the rest of the life. Antibiotic
business usually does not contribute significantly to the profit of big
pharmaceutical companies. The
investors such as stock share holders of such big pharmaceutical companies also
demand annual increase in profits in order to increase the value of their share
holdings. However, some of the
medium and small biotechnology companies are still working on the development
of new antibiotics. It is hopeful
that they would contribute the effective treatment of the emerging multi-drug
resistant infectious bacterial diseases.
It is always very helpful for all of us to practice good hygiene and maintain excellent sanitary condition in our living environment in order to prevent a global epidemic of multi-drug-resistant bacterial infections.