Research shows just how strong 'superbug' is

NORWALK, Conn. New research into Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, one of the “superbugs” reveals that the bacterium has an incredible ability to resist antibiotics and other drugs, according to soon-to-be-published findings.

Steno thrives in moist environments, such as around taps and showerheads, and can be transmitted to people. “This is the latest in an ever-increasing list of antibiotic-resistant hospital superbugs. The degree of resistance it shows is very worrying,” study senior author Matthew Avison, of the University of Bristol, said in a prepared statement. “Strains are now emerging that are resistant to all available antibiotics, and no new drugs capable of combating these pan-resistant strains are currently in development.”

The organism, which is also found in the lungs of many adults with cystic fibrosis, can cause pneumonia and septicemia. Steno only enters the body through devices, such as catheters or ventilation tubes, which are left in place for long periods of time. It sticks to the catheter, grows into a ‘biofilm,’ and enters the patient’s bloodstream when the catheter is next flushed.

Researchers are now working on studying the sequence on the Steno genome in hopes of figuring out how it works and how it can be combated.