Chinese and foreign scientists discover "superbug" gene with strong drug resistance

Chinese and foreign researchers have recently found a "superbug" gene that can fight powerful antibiotics in livestock and humans, meaning that the "last line of defense" of antibiotics used by humans is at risk of being breached. The researchers called for greater efforts to control the abuse of antibiotics.

The study was jointly conducted by Chinese and foreign researchers such as Liu Jianhua of South China Agricultural University, Shen Jianzhong of China Agricultural University, and Dr. Jim Spencer of the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, and the results were published in the new issue of the Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The researchers analyzed bacterial samples collected from pork, chicken and human patients and found that there was a special gene MCR-1, the bacteria carrying the gene showed strong resistance to polymyxin, and this resistance could be quickly transferred to other strains.

Compared with the bacterial samples collected from animals, the positive rate of bacteria in humans is lower. The researchers speculate that MCR-1 's resistance to polymyxin may have originated in animals, but has begun to spread to humans. In view of the widespread use of polymyxin in agriculture and animal husbandry, several researchers suggested that all unnecessary use of polymyxin should be limited as much as possible.

The researchers believe that although the discovery of MCR-1 is limited to China, the gene is likely to spread around the world like other drug-resistant genes. To this end, they called for the urgent establishment of a global collaborative mechanism to deal with drug-resistant bacteria and carry out close monitoring and research cooperation.