Was the Pennsylvania Superbug Pan-resistant?

Jason C. Gallagher, PharmD, FCCP, FIDSA, BCPS, President, Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists, provides more information on the Pennsylvania case of mcr-1 E. coli.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

“This [case] is [frequently] being reported as a pan-resistant-bacteria, one that is resistant to everything, but that’s been inaccurate.

[In] this [particular case], [the bacteria] was very drug-resistant. It was resistant to over 12 different antibiotics. But it was susceptible to a few, including carbapenems, [and] nitrofurantoin, which is an oral medication that [the patient] could have taken, and just a few other [antibiotics]; [therefore] it wasn’t truly pan-resistant.

[However], it is quite possible that this plasmid could be transmitted to another bacteria that is already very resistant, so that that bacteria could learn colistin-resistance, as well. That’s the true fear here.”