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

Full Text

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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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