ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

A virulent strain of an antibiotic-resistant superbug has been found circulating in a Malaysian hospital. And it is posing a significant challenge to global public health, according to a new study.

Acinetobacter baumannii infections have been identified at the main tertiary hospital in Terengganu, Malaysia. Typically found in healthcare settings, A. baumannii can cause infections in the blood, lungs, urinary tracts and wounds.

Researchers discovered that the majority of Malaysian A. baumannii infections are resistant to multiple antibiotics, with most resistant to carbapenems which are the drugs of choice for these types of infections.

The international research team also found that 97 per cent of the bacterial samples carried plasmids- tiny DNA 'toolkits' that help to spread antibiotic resistance. The strain has been listed by the World Health Organization as a critical priority antibiotic-resistant pathogen due to its ability to resist antibiotic treatment.

"Understanding how the disease evolves is critical in helping to prevent the spread of disease, as well as developing and optimising treatments," said the study's co-author Dr David Cleary. "A. baumannii keeps evolving new resistance tricks, and low- and middle-income countries need more tools to track it.

"There's an urgent need for continuous surveillance and the development of effective treatment protocols to combat the spread of MDR A. baumannii."

According to the Center for Disease Control, patients at highest risk of A. baumannii infections include those who have open wounds, are fitted with devices such as catheters or who are on breathing machines. The CDC advises patients and caregivers to keep their hands clean by regularly washing with soap and water or to use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.