Friday 13 August 2010

NDM-1 Superbug

Recently, alarm has been raised over the spread of drug resistance to carbapenem antibiotics among coliforms (E.coli and Klebsiella), due to production of an enzyme named NDM-1 (or New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase).

Carbapenems are a class of beta-lactam antibiotics that have broad spectrum activity and are often reserved for emergency use and 'last resort' treatment. They have a structure that renders them highly resistant to beta-lactamases found in antibiotic resistant bacteria. Resistance to the carbapenems is found throughout India.