Think MRSA Infection is Bad? NDM-1 Infection is Worse!

Image from Wikipedia

NDM-1 (New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1) is an infection for which there is no (or at best maybe only 1 or 2) antibiotic treatment. It is the superman of superbugs.

The NDM-1 actually is a gene that produces an enzyme that deactivates basically all antibiotics and is felt to have originated in India where it was first encountered.

This gene most commonly is found in gram negative organisms like E. Coli and Klebsiella, but the scary thing is that this gene can be transferred from one to another bequeathing its awesome antibiotic resistance. Think superman who can transfer all his powers to a mere mortal easily.

Polymyxins and tigecycline have been found to be the only antibiotics that may have some effect on NDM-1.

Ho-hum superbugs like MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus) can still be eradicated by a few antibiotics like clindamycin and bactrim if community acquired and vancomycin and linezolid if hospital acquired.

I have yet to encounter a patient with NDM-1 and pray that I never do in the future.

Read a news article about a patient who survived NDM-1 as Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA) here.