July 30, 2019

Anna Murray 

A study, published in this week’s scientific journal Nature Microbiology, finds that the deadly antibiotic resistant superbugs are transmitted around European hospitals. The result of the research is based on analyzing nearly 2000 K. pneumoniae samples from patients in 244 hospitals over 32 European countries.

K. pneumoniae is considered as ‘extremely drug resistant’ (XDR), and carbapenem antibiotics are the last line of defense against drug-resistant. When carbapenem antibiotics can’t cure some K. pneumonia strains, infants, the elderly, and patients with impaired immune systems are in danger to fight infections and other diseases.  

There were 341 deaths caused by carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae in 2007 across Europe. And. the number of death had been up six-fold to 2094 by 2015.    

Professor Hajo Grundmann, co-lead author of the study, told the press that it is important to hold and handle the circulation of these pathogens by the help of a sanitary hospital’s early finding and setting apart patients who carry these bacteria.

Photo:Webshot.