Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Experts warn that a global health crisis is on the horizon as drugs available for once treatable diseases lose their edge. A dreaded superbug has just been found for the first time in a U.S. woman and a recent report stated that 10 million deaths will be caused each year due to resistance if nothing is done by 2050.
Go through the gallery to find out which infections are becoming, or have already become, a concern.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Gonorrhea – In the United States, over 350,000 cases of this sexually transmitted infection were reported in 2014, caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Resistance to antibiotics began to occur soon after their introduction in the 1930s and has continued to rise with resistance now seen against at least five of the drugs once used to treat it -- which include the commonly used antibiotics penicillin and tetracycline.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Enterococcus – Hospitals are one of the main places superbugs are causing concern, as doctors are running out of viable options for antimicrobials. Leading the way are a group of bugs known as the ESKAPE pathogens, the first of which is Enterococcus faecium.This bacteria is commonly found in the intestines and female genital tract, but can sometimes cause infections. In some cases it has become resistant to the vancomycin antibiotic used to treat infections and mostly in hospitals. Keeping hands clean is the main way to prevent transmission.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Staphylococcus aureus – Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is a common type of bacteria which is often found on the skin, in nostrils and in the throat. According to the CDC, one in three people carries it in their nose without being affected by it. It can cause mild infections of the skin, but if the bacteria gets into the bloodstream it hast the potential to become life threatening by poisoning blood.
Multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been a concern for many years in hospitals. People with infected with this form of the bacteria are estimated to be 64% more likely to die than people with a non-resistant form of the infection.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Klebsiella – Klebsiella bacteria have also developed a high level of resistance to antibiotics, such as carbapenem. The bacteria naturally occurs in the intestines where it does not usually cause disease, but it can cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections and meningitis.
It's unlikely that healthy people are affected by the bacteria, but patients in hospitals who use a ventilator, intravenous catheters or long courses of certain antibiotics are at higher risk of becoming infected.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Acinetobacter – Acinetobacter is a type of bacteria mostly found in soil and water. It can cause human disease, particularly in people with weakened immune systems or diabetes.
Outbreaks usually happen in intensive care units and healthcare settings, with the bacteria becoming resistant to most commonly used antibiotics. Treatment has to be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Pseudomonas – Pseudomonas bacteria can be deadly for patients who are in critical care. According to CDC it's the cause of about 51,000 healthcare-associated infections in the United States each year. More than 6,000 of these cases are multi-drug resistant, leading to around 400 deaths per year. The most serious Pseudomonas infections usually occur in hospitals, affecting patients who are on breathing machines, using catheters or with wounds from surgery.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
E. coli – The bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) naturally occurs in your gut, and while most strains are harmless, some can cause severe foodborne diseases, with symptoms ranging from fever, nausea and vomiting to bloody diarrhea. The infections are transmitted by eating or drinking contaminated food and water.
Multi-drug resistance in E. coli has been increasingly reported in urinary tract infections (UTIs). According to the WHO, the most widely used oral treatment -- fluoroquinolones -- are also becoming ineffective. A U.S woman was reported to be infected with a rare kind of E. coli infection that is resistant to antibiotics, even one used as a last resort.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Tuberculosis – Tuberculosis almost disappeared in the majority of the Western world as countries developed. But the disease persists globally, with an estimated 9.6 million people developing TB in 2014 and 1.5 million dying from it.
The bacterium behind the disease, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has developed into multidrug resistant (MDR) forms, which require an additional pool of more toxic drugs to treat it. In 2014, there were 480,000 cases of MDR-TB worldwide and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB had been reported in 100 countries. India is one country that reported patients with total resistance to all drugs available. With few new drugs in the pipeline to control the bacteria, total resistance could spread.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Influenza – Influenza virus types A and B sweep through countries annually in the winter months; they cause fever, headaches and muscular pain in most cases, but also cause three to five million cases of severe illness and 250,000 to 500,000 deaths each year. The antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir are the main means of fighting infection. Preventative antivirals amantadine and rimantadine were once used to control seasonal spread, but high levels of resistance means their use is no longer recommended.
Resistance to zanamivir has also been reported. While the majority of viruses found globally are still sensitive to the key drugs, the resistant forms could easily spread as no other drug options remain available.
Photos: The unstoppable superbugs that could kill millions
Typhoid Fever – Immunization remains the weapon of choice in controlling typhoid fever. The disease still affects approximately 21 million people worldwide, with 222,000 deaths occurring annually, most of them children. The bacterium behind the disease, Salmonella typhi, can be killed with various antibiotics, but resistance is now arising to multiple antibiotics.
Most cases are reported in developing countries but increased global travel means the disease has potential to spread. The United States sees over 5,000 people infected each year after consuming contaminated food and drink abroad.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital confirmed on Monday 12 cases of a drug-resistant staph infection in its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), according to a statement from the hospital.
The six babies, including one who is potentially symptomatic, and six symptomatic employees who have tested positive for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are being treated, UPMC said.
MRSA causes staph infections that are resistant to some antibiotics and therefore are difficult to treat. Though a common germ, staph can sometimes cause skin or wound infections, pneumonia, blood infections and in more extreme cases, sepsis or even death, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
With several tests still pending, the hospital said it will provide updates as more information becomes available.
"UPMC always follows CDC guidelines, and isolation protocols and infection control procedures are in place," the hospital stated. "We immediately notified the Allegheny County Health Department and Pennsylvania Department of Health and are collaborating to ensure the safest possible environment for patient care."
An estimated 119,247 staph bloodstream infections were seen in 2017, which resulted in 19,832 deaths, according to a recent CDC report. From 2005 to 2013, the rates of MRSA bloodstream infections diagnosed in hospitals declined on average 17.1% every year, however no significant change in infection rates has been observed since, the CDC says.
In health care settings, MRSA is usually spread by contact with an infected wound, by someone who is infected or someone with contaminated hands, according to the CDC. Patients can also become infected with MRSA when they touch contaminated bed linens, bed rails, medical equipment or other contaminated surfaces.
