What are Superbugs?

Superbugs are strains of microorganisms that are resistant to the drugs used to treat them, which is often used as an informal term. The number of different antibiotics they can resist determines the degree of superbugs. Some are resistant to one or two drugs, but some are resistant to multiple drugs. As such, they are a major obstacle to effective treatment of common diseases.

Superbugs that arise as a result of antibiotic resistance pose a serious threat to global public health. This is because antibiotic resistance is a phenomenon that can be controlled but not stopped. Some bacteria are born resistant to antibiotics. And other bacteria can become resistant over time. In the past, most of these bacteria were confined to medical facilities. More recently, superbug infections have begun to appear in the broader general population outside of hospitals.

Several Dangerous Superbugs

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

MRSA

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus

VRE

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae

CRE

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae

ESBL-producing bacteria

Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

MDR-PA

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter

MDR-A

Why are Superbugs So Dangerous?

Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria

Superbugs are multi-drug resistant bacteria that have demonstrated resistance to antibiotics. Although we have developed hundreds of different types of antibiotics, these bacteria have evolved to survive and have become increasingly common and powerful through spontaneous mutations and DNA transfers. The widespread resistance of superbugs may have developed for several reasons.

Bacteria produce inactivating or passivating enzymes that disrupt the structure of the antibiotic, rendering it inactive.
Alteration of the structure and number of target proteins on which the antibiotic acts, so that the bacteria are no longer sensitive to the antibiotic.
Bacterial cell membrane permeability change, so that antibiotics can not enter the interior of the bacteria.
Bacterial active drug efflux pump action, the antibiotics out of the bacterium.
The formation of bacterial biofilm, which reduces the antibiotic effect.

It is important to note that drug resistance is easily spread from bacteria to bacteria. If a bacterium carries a drug resistance gene and another bacterium does not have the gene, then the drug resistance genes will be passed on, which is equivalent to enhancing the resistance of other bacteria.

Fight against Superbugs

Antibiotic resistance can occur in many different ways. If a bacteria becomes resistant to an antibiotic, it means that the antibiotic is no longer effective. Antibiotic resistance is now a growing problem. We need new weapons to fight superbugs. Scientists are fighting superbugs by researching and developing ways to detect, treat and prevent antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic Resistance Detection

The results of resistance studies can help predict the frequency of resistant mutants that emerge after exposure to antibiotics and the types of resistant strains that may develop or emerge clinically.

Novel Antibiotic Development

Fighting superbugs means searching for new antibiotic molecules or drug classes from scratch, as well as finding possible ways to restore the efficacy of existing drugs.

Antibiotic Resistance Prevention

We should improve the awareness and understanding of antibiotic resistance, and use antibiotics in a standardized and optimal way to avoid the development of antibiotic resistance.

We can be an important partner in your research program to fight superbugs. This is because we can combine different aspects of fine resistance research and antibiotic development to develop the positive, desired outcome of your project.

All of our services are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.