Multidrug Resistance Gene Released By Chinese Wastewater Treatment Plants

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday December 17, 2013 @03:05PM from the giving-them-a-sporting-chance dept.

MTorrice writes "In recent years, increasing numbers of patients worldwide have contracted severe bacterial infections that are untreatable by most available antibiotics. Some of the gravest of these infections are caused by bacteria carrying genes that confer resistance to a broad class of antibiotics called beta-lactams, many of which are treatments of last resort. Now a research team reports that some wastewater treatment plants in China discharge one of these potent resistance genes into the environment. Environmental and public health experts worry that this discharge could promote the spread of resistance."

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Summary is garbage by russotto · 2013-12-17 16:59 · Score: 5, Informative

Beta lactam resistance is common. That's the class of antibiotics which includes penicillin; not an antibiotic of last resort by any means. (Resistance is so common that if you're prescribed a beta lactam antibiotic nowadays, it'll probably be compounded with a beta lactamase inhibitor) Since beta lactam resistance is so common, the gene will no doubt be common in the waste stream, not just in China but everywhere.
Re:Antibacterial soap Frankenstein by ShanghaiBill · 2013-12-17 17:48 · Score: 5, Informative

Antibacterial soaps are a frankenstein. Invented as something to cure a sppoky "risk" (like "bacteria") and sold, sold, sold.
Good news: The FDA is planning to restrict antibacterial additives.