Doctors Observe Superbug Appearance
Doctors in the U.K. have observed the exact moment when a new strain of drug resistant bacteria evolved in a patient. These ?superbugs? are new bacteria that cannot be treated with existing antibiotics. Relatively harmless bacteria are capable of turning into superbugs when they acquire new genetic material from other bacteria that have become resistant to various antibiotics, usually from overexposure to the drugs.
Until now, no one had been able to pinpoint exactly how a regular bug turned into a superbug. This changed when a baby who had been hospitalized from birth because of breathing problems picked up a respiratory tract infection. It was identified as a normal, non-resistant Staphylococcus bacteria and the usual antibiotics were given.
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