The WHO on Friday called on health authorities around the globe to monitor a multidrug-resistant superbug that surfaced in South Asia and spread to Britain.
The WHO said research published in The Lancet medical journal on Aug. 11 identified a new gene that enables some types of bacteria to be highly resistant to almost all antibiotics.
“While multidrug-resistant bacteria are not new and will continue to appear, this development requires monitoring and further study to understand the extent and modes of transmission, and to define the most effective measures for control,” it added in a statement.
Multidrug-resistant bacteria generally “constitute a growing and global public health problem,” the UN health agency noted.
It underlined the value of hospital infection control measures to limit the spread of such resistant strains and prudent use of antibiotics to reduce the generation of resistant bacteria.
Indian doctors warned earlier this year about the threat from a new multidrug-resistant superbug known as NDM-1 — months before the British study — warning that it could spread worldwide with patients.
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