New research has revealed that (), a bacterium that normally lives within the human gut, can spread through the population at a rate comparable to swine flu.
For the primary time, researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, University of Oslo, University of Helsinki, Aalto University in Finland, and their colleagues have been capable of estimate how efficiently one person can transmit gut bacteria to others. Such a calculation, which measures transmission rates, was previously only possible for viruses.
Detection of dangerous strains within the population
The study, published today (November 4), examined three essential strains circulating within the UK and Norway. Two of those strains are immune to several common classes of antibiotics. They are also probably the most common causes of urinary tract and bloodstream infections in each countries. Better surveillance of those strains could guide public health responses and help prevent outbreaks of infections which are difficult to treat, the researchers suggest.
In the long run, gaining insight into the genetic aspects that contribute to the spread could lead on to more targeted treatments and fewer reliance on broad-spectrum antibiotics. The approach developed on this study will also be adapted to analyze other bacterial pathogens and improve strategies for managing invasive infections.
is a crucial explanation for infection worldwide.1 Although most strains are harmless and typically live within the intestines, bacteria can enter the body through direct contact resembling kissing or through indirect means resembling shared surfaces, food, or living spaces. When transmitted to areas resembling the urinary tract, it will probably cause severe illness, including sepsis, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems.
Antibiotic resistance has made these infections much more common. In the UK, greater than 40% of bloodstream infections are actually immune to a key antibiotic,2 Reflecting a world trend of rising resistance levels.
Application of viral-style transmission matrices in bacteria
Scientists often state that a pathogen is using a basic reproduction number, often known as R0. This number is an estimate of what number of recent cases a single infected person could cause. It is usually applied to viruses and helps predict whether an epidemic will spread or decline. Until now, researchers have been unable to assign an R0 value for bacteria that normally colonize the gut, as they often live within the body without triggering disease.
To overcome this, the team combined data from the UK's Baby Biome Study with genomic information from bloodstream infection surveillance programs within the UK and Norway, previously compiled by the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
Using a software platform called Alfie3 .
Their findings show that one particular strain, often known as ST131-A, can spread between people as quickly as some viruses which have caused global outbreaks, including swine flu (H1N1). This is very surprising since the flu will not be spread through airborne droplets like viruses.
Two other strains studied, ST131-C1 and ST131-C2, are immune to multiple antibiotic classes but spread way more slowly in healthy individuals. However, in hospitals and other health care environments, where patients are more vulnerable and phone is frequent, these resistant strains can move rapidly through populations.
Understanding the R0 for bacteria
Assigning an R0 value to bacteria opens the door to a clearer understanding of how bacterial infections spread. It also helps discover which strains pose the best risk and may inform public health strategies to higher protect individuals with compromised immune systems.
Co-first writer Fanny Ojala of Aalto University in Finland explained: “It was possible to develop a simulation model to predict R0. To our knowledge, this has not been done for us, it has not been done for any bacteria. We need to understand, track and hopefully stop the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections.”
Dr. Trevor Lawley, group leader on the Wellcome-Saenger Institute and co-leader of the UK's Baby Biome Study, who was not involved within the research, noted: “This is the first bacteria to be found in another baby's gut, and to understand how our bacteria are used, we need to know where we start. Insights and methods that will hopefully benefit us all.”
A brand new lens on bacterial genetics
Professor Jokka Korender, senior writer from the Wellcome-Saenger Institute and the University of Oslo, added: “R0 for R0 allows us to see the spread of bacteria through the population in very clear detail, and this can be compared to other infections, and this can also be compared to other infections. Healthcare settings, which are particularly important for bacteria that are already resistant to multiple types of antibiotics. are resistant.”
The success of this study trusted extensive genomic data from the UK and Norway, that are organized on the Wellcome Sanger Institute. This massive amount of knowledge made it possible to discover transmission patterns intimately. The datasets originated from an earlier study, which published,4,5 That laid the muse for the modeling advances on this recent research.
Note
- Companion to antimicrobial resistance. (2022) 'Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a scientific evaluation.' doi: 1016/S0140-6736(21)02724-0
- UK Health Security Agency. New data shows there are 148 severe antibiotic-resistant infections a day in 2021. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-data-shows-148-severe-antibiotic-sistant-infections-a-day-in-2021#:~: textext=over%220TWO-FIFTSE220E20E20CEFIDEROCOL %20202020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020 2020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020202020…..
- Elfie might be present in: https://www.elfi.ai/
- RA Gladstone, (2021) 'Emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli causing bloodstream infections in Norway 2002-17: a nationwide, longitudinal, microbial population genomics study'. doi: 10.1016/S2666-5247(21)00031-8.
- AK Pontinen, (2024) 'Modulation of multidrug-resistant clone success in Escherichia coli populations: a longitudinal, multi-country, genomic and antibiotic use cohort study'. doi: 10.1016/S2666-5247(23)00292-6.