Scientific letters
NDM-1 has arrived: First report of a carbapenem resistance mechanism in South Africa
W Lowman, C Sriruttan, T Nana, N Bosman, A Duse, J Venturas, C Clay, J Coetzee
Abstract
The New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) resistance mechanism in Enterobacteriaceae threatens to render serious Gram-negative infections untreatable. The NDM-1 enzyme hydrolyses all available penicillin, cephalosporin and carbapenem antibiotics, and is commonly accompanied by additional resistance mechanisms to multiple antibiotic classes. Initially identified as a significant healthcare risk on the Indian sub-continent, it has rapidly become a global problem, posing significant diagnostic and management challenges. Here we report the first laboratory-confirmed case of NDM-1 in South Africa.
Authors' affiliations
W Lowman, NHLS & Wits University
C Sriruttan, NHLS & Wits University
T Nana, NHLS & Wits University
N Bosman, NHLS & Wits University
A Duse, NHLS & Wits University
J Venturas, Wits University
C Clay, Ampath Laboratories
J Coetzee, Ampath Laboratories
Keywords
carbapenem; resistance; NDM-1; Enterobacteriaceae
Cite this article
South African Medical Journal 2011;101(12):873.
Article History
Date submitted: 2011-09-30
Date published: 2011-11-25
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