Superbug has spread outside of healthcare facilities in Colorado

© National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) This image shows two rod-shaped bacteria called Klebsiella pneumoniae that are resistant to treatment with the “last resort” antibiotic drug called carbapenem.
Rachael Rettner writes at msn.com,

Six people in Colorado recently became infected with a "nightmare" superbug that until now, has mostly been limited to people in hospitals, according to a new report. The new cases suggest the superbug may have spread outside of health care facilities.

...the six cases appear to be "community-associated" CRE infections, meaning the patients may have picked up these bacteria from somewhere in their everyday lives, outside of a health care setting.

...CRE have been dubbed "nightmare" bacteria because they are resistant to nearly all antibiotics, and they can be highly lethal, killing up to 50 percent of infected patients, according to the CDC.

The type of bacteria that cause CRE infections can be found in human guts, where the bugs are usually harmless. But infections can arise if the bacteria enter another part of the body, such as the bloodstream, Janelle said. What makes CRE unique is that these bacteria have acquired the ability to produce enzymes that work against most antibiotics.

...Another risk factor for CRE infection is taking antibiotics. Studies have shown that when a person's normal gut bacteria community is disturbed (which happens when antibiotics are used), it puts that individual at risk for becoming sick with "bad" bacteria, including CRE. In addition, use of antibiotics increases the likelihood that bacteria will develop resistance to the drugs, either through a mutation or by acquiring genes from other bacteria.

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