India - High levels of superbug found in leading hospital in New Delhi

[Gert van der Hoek]

Ganga Ram study finds high levels of superbug NDM1

Durgesh Nandan Jha, TNN | Oct 5, 2011

New Delhi: India might have vehemently opposed an antibiotic-resistant superbug being named New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (NDM1), but a study in a leading city hospital has found a worryingly high prevalence of the deadly gene.

According to a study carried out in the ICU and wards of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the overall prevalence of NDM1 varied between 8.1% in isolates of E coli and 38.02% in the isolates of K pneumoniae - two types of bacteria found commonly in post-operative patients, immune-compromised patients and those suffering from terminal illnesses.

Dr Chand Wattal, senior consultant and chairman, department of clinical microbiology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said prevalence of NDM1 in a hospital setting is high but it mostly goes unreported. "We conducted this study over a five-month duration. A total of 10,889 samples were processed, of which 2,669 samples from wards and 2,598 from ICU were found positive for significant growth of bacteria.

From these positive samples, we isolated 379 units of E coli and 305 isolates of K pneumoniae - hosts to NDM1 and frequent culprits in respiratory and lung infections," said Wattal. However, the hospital did not check the mortality rate.

Read more - Times of India

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India - High levels of superbug found in leading hospital in New Delhi

Govt wakes up to superbug

Durgesh Nandan Jha, TNN | Oct 6, 2011

New Delhi: A day after TOI reported the findings of a private hospital that confirmed the prevalence of the NDM1 superbug in hospital settings, the state health department has been jolted into action. It has called an emergency meeting of all stakeholders to analyse the report and find a solution to the danger .

Delhi Health Minister A K Walia said the meeting will be held on Friday and representatives from Ganga Ram hospital, which has conducted the study, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and pathologists from Lok Nayak hospital among others are expected to attend.

"It is a serious issue. We have not received any report from the hospital concerned. But I have called a meeting of all stakeholders to discuss the matter," said Walia.

read more - Times of India

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India - High levels of superbug found in leading hospital in New Delhi

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Sir Ganga Ram's surveillance for NDM-1 is a sign of a strong research facility


New data presented at the 1st Global Forum on Bacterial Infections in New Delhi this week showed that bacteria carrying the NDM-1 gene have been isolated in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi as well as in Kolkata. NDM-1, or New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1, is a gene that confers a high level of resistance to antibiotics, and there are few to no treatments available for infections caused by bacteria that contain the NDM-1 gene.

These findings have set off a wave of concern about NDM-1 in the specific hospital locations where the study took place.

However, it is very likely that NDM-1 is widespread in most other secondary and tertiary hospitals as well. The only difference is that Sir Ganga Ram Hospital has a strong department of microbiology and a research culture that has allowed surveillance for NDM-1 in their facility. Their commitment to this study should be commended.

read more - IBNlive