A study of diarrhoea patients from two sites, kolkata and delhi reveals how extensively the Cholera bacteria have developed resistance against most routinely used antibiotics. The highest resistance (99.8%) was seen against the antibiotic sulfamethaxozole, whereas resistance to neomycin was the least, with only 4% showing resistance.
Isolates collected from kolkata showed relatively less resistance than isolates collected from delhi. This might probably because the kolkata isolates were collected between 2008 and 2013, while the delhi samples were collected during 2014-2015. The team sequenced the whole genome of the bacteria isolated during 1980, 2000s, 2014 and 2015. In 1980, fewer antibiotics were used and resistance was minimal.
With increasing usage of different antibiotics, the resistance against them has also increased. By 2014-2015 the bacteria have become extensively drug resistant (XDR) to all commonly used antibiotics.
Cholera: Cholera is caused due to Vibrio cholerae Bacterium through food, water etc.. The occurrence of disease is very rare in india which is less than 100 thousand cases per year. However, the World health Organization (WHO) has in the past warned that cholera can rear its head in india like it used to do in the past.
