What Is NDM-1?

NDM-1, which stands for New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 is a gene (DNA code) carried by some bacteria. If a bacteria strain carries the NDM-1 gene it is resistant to nearly all antibiotics, including carbapenem antibiotics - also known as antibiotics of last resort.

Carbepenems are the most powerful antibiotics, used as a last resort for many bacterial infections, such as E. coli and Klebsiella. The NDM-1 gene makes the bacterium produce an enzyme which neutralizes the activity of carbepenem antibiotics.

A bacterium carrying the NDM-1 gene is the most powerful superbug around.

Put simply:

* NDM-1(New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase-1) is the gene (the DNA code) found in some types of bacteria
* This gene makes the bacteria produce an enzyme called a carbapenemase - making carbepenem antibiotics ineffective (as well as virtually all other antibiotics).
* Carbepenem antibiotics are extremely powerful and used to fight highly resistant bacteria (when other antibiotics have not worked).
* There are no current antibiotics to combat NDM-1
* There is no research in the pipeline on drugs to combat NDM-1
* A bacterium with the NDM-1 DNA code has the potential to be resistant to all our current antibiotics, as well as new antibiotics which may come into the market in the near future.

The DNA code can easily jump from one bacteria strain to another through horizontal gene transfer. IF NDM-1 jumps to an already antibiotic-resistant bacterium, there is a risk of seriously dangerous infections which would spread rapidly from human-to-human. These infections might be untreatable.

UK doctors say they had only ever seen a few cases which are resistant to carbapenems - and these had not been able to transfer resistance to other bacteria. The fact that NDM-1 can easily transfer to different bacteria strains is very worrying, they say.

Currently (12 August 2010) we know that some strains of bacteria, such as E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae carry the NDM-1 gene.

The origin of NDM-1
The gene was discovered by Young and team and was named after New Delhi, the Indian capital. The gene is widespread in India and Pakistan, especially in hospitals.

Europeans who have undergone hospitalization in the Indian subcontinent have brought NDM-1 back to Europe. A significant number of Europeans who brought the gene back to Europe had undergone cosmetic surgery in India/Pakistan because it is cheaper there.

How untreatable is this superbug?
So far, doctors in the UK have managed to fight these infections with a combination of several different medications. However, scientists have detected some bacterial strains that are resistant to ALL antibiotics.

The only way to currently combat the spread of NDM-1 is through surveillance, prompt identification and isolation of infected patients, disinfecting hospital equipment, and thorough hand-hygiene procedures in hospitals. This is going to be a challenge and will require international cooperation.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/197616.php