This study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases aims at measuring the prevalence of NDM-1 β-lactamase-producing bacteria in the drinking water and seepage samples in New Delhi, India. Plasmid-encoding Carbapenemase-resistant Metallo-B-Lactamase (PCM or NDM-1) is an enzyme that makes bacteria resistant, not only to a broad range of antibiotics such as carbapenems and other β-lactam, but also to multiple other antibiotic classes, leaving very few treatment options available, when a person gets infected with such bacteria.
Map of NDM-1-positive samples from New Delhi centre and surrounding areas
Plasmids carrying the gene for this carbapenemase, can have up to 14 other antibiotic resistance determinants and can transfer this resistance to other bacteria, resulting in multidrug-resistant or extreme drug-resistant phenotypes. Resistance of this scale can have serious public health implications because much of modern medicine is dependent on the ability of antibiotics, to treat infections.
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