How Did a Pennsylvania Woman Acquire a Rare Superbug?

Jason C. Gallagher, PharmD, FCCP, FIDSA, BCPS, president, Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists, explains if we know how the case of mcr-1 E. coli superbug was contracted.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

“The report was very brief and we don’t know a lot of specific details. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating this along with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to see if they can figure out exactly where this came from in her. What is notable, is that she has no history of travel.

This type of resistance was first reported in China late last year, but once they started looking for it, it’s been found in over a dozen different countries. This is the first time we know of that it’s been found in the United States. We don’t know how she acquired it.”