(JP)Drug-resistant strain of salmonella discovered

[Guest guest]

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./