Guest guest Posted August 20, 2001 Report Share Posted August 20, 2001 http://www.asahi.com/english/national/K2001081800423.html Drug-resistant strain of salmonella discovered The Asahi Shimbun Aug 18, 2001 A new strain of drug-resistant salmonella has been discovered for the first time in Japan, researchers from the Kori Hospital of Kansai Medical University said. The strain was discovered last summer in an infant who had been brought to the hospital with bloody stools and severe diarrhea. The infant was diagnosed as being infected with salmonella, a bacteria that commonly causes food poisoning, and hospitalized. During tests on the salmonella bacteria found in the infant's stool, Hideo Nakaya, head technician at the Clinical Laboratory Center, discovered the strain was unaffected by modern quinolone antibiotics and other drugs usually used to treat the disease. Only the drug fosfomycin was beneficial. After being treated with fosfomycin, the infant recovered and was discharged two weeks later. Doctors do not know how the baby became infected with salmonella. Researchers will publish a report of their findings in the September issue of a journal for infectious diseases. Salmonella is a relatively common bacterial infection with symptoms that include passing bloody stools. In extreme cases, however, it can lead to death. Of 6,908 people infected last year, one died, doctors said. Modern quinolone antibiotics, which are used as a last resort to treat diarrhea caused by bacterial infections, usually are effective in clearing up salmonella, said Haruo Watanabe, head of the Department of Bacteriology at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. But with the discovery of a salmonella bacteria that is resistant to these antibiotics, Nakaya said research is needed to find drugs that effectively fight the strain. Some researchers believe overuse of antibiotics can cause bacteria to mutate and become resistant to drugs once used against them. ``It will be a massive problem if bacteria that is resistant to modern quinolone antibiotics spreads,'' Watanabe said. ``We need to prescribe drugs used to treat infection carefully to ensure the bacteria does not increase its resistance to the drugs.'' Doctors said freely prescribing antibiotics to patients suffering from diarrhea without due consideration for the patients' symptoms can result in misdiagnosis and lead to complications, even death. (08/18) Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Messenger http://phonecard./ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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