Pathogen Genome Highlights Antibiotic Resistance Threat

To better understand the molecular drivers behind the resistance, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, recently conducted a whole-genome analysis of an unusual bacterial strain cultured from a patient in the United States. An isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae, resistant to all 26 antibiotics available for treatment was used in the study. De Man and his collaborators identified four genes known to confer resistance to beta-lactams. Two of those genes were found on the chromosome, which means they were in the inheritable genetic material of the bacteria. Two were found on plasmids, the other genes identified in the analysis are associated with resistance to fosfomycin, tetracyclines, and other antibiotics. The isolate at the center of the new study belongs to a strain type that has spread around the world. @ https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/pathogen-genome-highlights-antibiotic-resistance-threat