[ALERT]: New Super-Strain E. Coli Is Spreading FAST
Just when you thought antibiotic resistance wasn’t terrifying enough, science has uncovered an even hardier super-strain E. coli marching through hospital halls at this very moment.
This new strain proves dangerously infectious… adept at resisting treatments… and has already sparked large outbreaks, leaving doctors alarmed.
Here’s what you need to know about this devious pathogen…and how to dodge infection.
Now, most of the E. coli bacteria minding their business in your intestines or environment are harmless. But some aggressive strains bring severe stomach issues or other infections.
Well, one variety—called carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or carbapenem-resistant E. coli (CREC) for short—is infamous for defying multiple powerful antibiotics. And scientists recently identified the ST410 CREC subtype as especially troublesome after it became the dominant resistant strain lurking in Chinese hospitals from 2017-2021.
But today an even nastier variation of ST410 emerged—dubbed B5/H24RxC. This latest E. coli has a scarier antibiotic resistance arsenal AND brings more severe illness symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and fatigue.
It’s already caused two dangerous outbreaks in a children’s hospital.
In lab testing, B5/H24RxC grew faster and induced more tissue damage than earlier CREC versions. Meaning, not only can it resist treatment, but it spreads quickly and brings more severe illness once inside a host.
Researchers also discovered cases of infection with the tenacious ST410 strain across 26 Chinese provinces over the 5-year analysis. Most instances involved urine samples, indicating a tie to urinary tract infections (UTIs). But the bacteria turned up in blood, mucus, and in various hospital settings, too.
The fact that ST410 spawned an EVEN deadlier variation so soon shows these sneaky microbes continue to mutate, staying steps ahead of our medical defenses. And the fact that cases are rising inside hospitals means vulnerable patients face high infection risks.
The discovery rings urgent alarm bells for enhanced infection control and antimicrobial resistance surveillance. But in the meantime, there are some simple steps to safeguard yourself, especially if you need to be in the hospital any time soon:
- Practice good hand hygiene with thorough washing
- Clean wounds properly and cover before interacting with others
- Finish antibiotic regimens fully, even after feeling better
- Prepare foods appropriately and cook meats at proper temperatures
Stay alert and speak up when symptoms, like diarrhea, develop. If you suspect an infection or feel “off” in any way, be sure to consult your doctor.
To squashing the superbugs,
Rachel Mace
Editor, e-Alert with contributions from the research team
P.S. Is there an obvious solution to the antibiotic resistance crisis that the mainstream is IGNORING? Get the scoop here.
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