Second case of bacteria resistant to colistin found in US

Article from the AMA Morning Rounds, 7/12/2016

The Washington Post (7/11, Sun) reports researchers have detected bacteria with the mcr-1 gene, which makes them resistant to the “antibiotic of last resort” colistin, in a second patient in the US, according to a study published on Monday in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. The CDC is planning to establish seven regional laboratories to test bacteria for genes such as mcr-1, because currently many hospitals lack the equipment to carry out such testing.

Reuters (7/11, Pierson) reports infectious disease experts are predicting future cases of such bacterial infections in the coming months because the researchers also detected the mcr-1 gene in bacteria taken from patient samples in other countries around the world. The article reports that in addition to the regional laboratories, the CDC is taking other steps to expand surveillance efforts to track such bacteria.

The Los Angeles Times (7/11, Healy) reports that if the mcr-1 gene is located on a plasmid that can be easily spread to other bacteria creating new superbugs that could possibly be immune to all antibiotics, then the “golden age of antibiotics” may be coming to an end.