Main superbugs, symptoms and treatment

Superbacteria are bacteria that acquire resistance to various antibiotics due to the incorrect use of these drugs, and are also known as multidrug-resistant bacteria. The incorrect or frequent use of antibiotics can favor the appearance of mutations and mechanisms of resistance and adaptation of these bacteria against antibiotics, making treatment difficult.

Superbacteria are more frequent in the hospital environment, especially operating rooms and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), due to the weaker immune system of patients. In addition to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and the patient's immune system, the appearance of superbugs is also related to procedures performed within the hospital and hand hygiene habits, for example.

Main multiresistant bacteria

Multidrug-resistant bacteria are found more often in hospitals, especially in ICUs and operating theaters. This multidrug resistance mainly happens due to the wrong use of antibiotics, either interrupting the treatment recommended by the doctor or using when not indicated, giving rise to superbugs, the main ones being:

• Staphylococcus aureus , which is resistant to methicillin, being called MRSA. Learn more about Staphylococcus aureus and how the diagnosis is made; Klebsiella pneumoniae , also known as carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella , or KPC, which are bacteria that can produce an enzyme capable of inhibiting the activity of some antibiotics. See how to identify and treat KPC infection; Acinetobacter baumannii , which can be found in water, soil and the hospital environment, with some strains resistant to aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones and beta-lactams; Pseudomonas aeruginosa , which is considered an opportunistic microorganism causing infection mainly in ICUs in patients with compromised immune systems; Enterococcus faecium , which normally causes infections of the urinary and intestinal tracts in people who are hospitalized; Proteus sp. , which is mainly related to urinary tract infections in the ICUs and which have acquired resistance to several antibiotics.

In addition to these, there are other bacteria that are beginning to develop resistance mechanisms against antibiotics that are normally used to treat their infections, such as Salmonella sp ., Shigella sp ., Neisseria gonorrhoeae , Haemophilus influenzae and Campylobacter spp . Thus, the treatment becomes more complicated, since it is difficult to combat these microorganisms, and the disease is more serious.

Symptoms caused by the superbug

The occurrence of the superbug does not normally cause symptoms, with only the characteristic symptoms of the infection being noticed, which vary according to the type of bacteria responsible for the disease. Usually the presence of superbugs is perceived when the treatment indicated by the doctor is not effective, with the evolution of symptoms, for example.

Thus, it is important that a new microbiological examination and a new antibiogram be performed to verify whether the bacteria has acquired resistance and, thus, to establish a new treatment. See how the antibiogram is made.

Superbacterial Treatment

Treatment against superbugs varies according to the type of resistance and the bacteria, and in some cases it is recommended that treatment be done at the hospital with injections of antibiotic combinations directly into the vein to fight the bacteria and prevent the appearance of new infections.

During treatment the patient should be isolated and visits should be restricted, it is important to use clothing, masks and gloves to avoid contamination from other people. In some cases, it may be necessary to combine more than 2 antibiotics for the superbug to be controlled and eliminated. Although the treatment is difficult, it is possible to completely combat the multi-resistant bacteria.

How to use antibiotics correctly

In order to use antibiotics correctly, avoiding the development of superbugs, it is important to take antibiotics only when they are prescribed by the doctor, following the guidelines of dose and time of use, even if the symptoms have disappeared before the end of treatment.

This care is one of the most important because when the symptoms start to subside, people stop taking the antibiotic and thus the bacteria gain more resistance to the drugs, putting everyone at risk.

Another important precaution is to only buy antibiotics with a prescription and when you are cured, take the rest of the medicine left to the pharmacy, not throwing the packaging in the trash, the toilet, or the kitchen sink to avoid contamination of the environment, which also makes the bacteria more resistant and more difficult to cure. Clarify other questions about antibiotic use.