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New Delhi superbug gene on Arctic
Why is it in news?
- Soil samples taken in Svalbard — a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole — have now confirmed the spread of blaNDM-1 (called New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase-1) into the High Arctic.
More in news
- History: This Antibiotic-Resistant Gene (ARG), originally found in Indian clinical settings, conditionally provides multi-drug resistance (MDR) in microorganisms.
- Spread: British scientists later found the “superbug” in New Delhi’s public water supply. Since then, the resistant gene has been found in over 100 countries, including new variants.
What is NDM-1?
- NDM-1 stands for New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase-1.
- A medical team first isolated the gene in a Swedish patient of Indian origin who traveled to India in 2008.
- An NDM-1 superbug is resistant to almost all antibiotics.
- The NDM-1 protein product itself does not cause disease, but it has the potential to change the characteristics of bacteria.
- The gene makes bacteria resistant to antibiotics. In this way, it can lead to a range of conditions, such as a urinary tract, bloodstream, or wound infections and pneumonia.
- The NDM-1 gene allows the bacterium to produce an enzyme that neutralizes the activity of these antibiotics.
Source
The Hindu, medicalnews