The U.S. has a special reserve of antibiotics for infections that are particularly hard to treat. Doctors use these drugs only when others fail, only as a “last resort.” Unfortunately, a rare kind of E.coli resistant to the drug Colistin, held in that special reserve, has made its way into the U.S.
According to a new report, a 49-year-old woman with the infection was treated in Pennsylvania for a urinary issue, and doctors at her clinic forwarded a sample to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for analysis. Thankfully, the patient is well now — but her case has got a slew of top health experts worried about a potentially powerful superbug. Here’s what you need to know.
What is this superbug E. coli?
You may have heard the term “superbug” before, but you may not know why this type of bacteria is as concerning as it sounds: It cannot be killed using multiple antibiotics. The mcr-1 E.coli found in Pennsylvania was first discovered last November by scientists in China, and the global medical community has been keeping a close eye on its emergence ever since. This is the first case to reach the United States.
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