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Toddler Infected With Antibiotic-Resistant ‘Superbug’ In Connecticut

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A toddler in Connecticut has contracted an antibiotic-resistant strain of the E.coli bacteria, government officials confirmed, making it the fourth case in the United States.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) on Friday, stating that the E.coli strain was found in a 2-year-old girl who may have been exposed to the bacteria during a trip. The strain, called MCR-1, caused fever and diarrhea in the child while she was traveling in the Caribbean, Tech Times reports.

MCR-1 was resistant to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic for bacteria resistant to drugs, but it was treated with the antibiotic paromomycin, proving that the E.coli strain could still be cured, albeit with more difficulty.

The first MCR-1 case in the country was discovered in April of this year when a 46-year-old woman went into a Pennsylvania clinic for a check-up on her UTI symptoms. Tests showed the presence of the new superbug in her urine.

The CDC report said,

The patient took paromomycin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, from symptom onset until a pediatric outpatient visit on June 16, at which time a stool specimen was collected.

The child did not have to be hospitalized, and only had one additional emergency room visit throughout the course of her illness.

Also, the E.coli did not spread to others, even those who were in close contact with the girl. But health officials warn that more cases might emerge and urge more vigilance on colistin-resistant bacteria.
Health specialists stated that food is the most common way to contract the bacteria out of the country and that the Connecticut case might have been caused by food as well.

The toddler reportedly consumed chicken and goat meat from a live animal market while on holiday in the Caribbean and fell ill just before returning to the US.

Drug-resistant diseases are a growing health concern all over the world, as health officials worry that simple medical procedures and routine operations might become more dangerous as these “superbugs” proliferate.

Scientists are now looking into the problem, including a 2014 study that discovered how antibiotic-resistant bacteria could be disabled so they are defenseless and can hopefully be eliminated once and for all.

 

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