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Medical experts issue new superbug warning

07/05/2008

Medical experts have warned about the increasing prevalence of the hospital 'superbug' Steno.

Infections from the newly emerging bug are still relatively uncommon but scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and University of Bristolsay cases are increasing.

They have unravelled the infection's genetic information, revealing that it has a large capacity for drug resistance.

Steno (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia) is as hard to treat as the more commonly known infections MRSA and C.difficile, although it is rarer and is exclusively acquired in hospitals.

There are about 1,000 reports of Steno blood poisoning in the UK each year, with a mortality rate of about 30 per cent.

The infection exists in moist environments such as taps and showerheads and enters the body through devices such as catheters or ventilation tubes that are left in place for long periods of time.

Dr Matthew Avison from the University of Bristol said the degree of Steno resistance is "very worrying".

"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," he added.

The scientists who sequenced the infection's code say they hope the research will help to address questions about how to treat and prevent the spread of Steno.

"If we know which proteins cause it to stick to surfaces, we could try to develop biochemical compounds that interfere with this interaction," said Dr Lisa Crossman from the Sanger Institute.

"If we understand its antibiotic resistance mechanisms, we might be able to design inhibitors that block them."

Commenting on concerns about Steno, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said "clean and safe treatment in the NHS is a top priority for the government".

They cautioned that Steno does not cause infections in healthy people and said an investment of £270 million per year by 2010/11 has been assigned to support infection prevention efforts.

"NHS staff have worked extremely hard to drive down the number of hospital acquired infections and the Healthcare Commission is now inspecting each and every acute trust against the Hygiene Code to ensure that all NHS organisations take appropriate precautions to protect patients," the spokesperson added.