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 On August 10, 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee and the WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, declared an end to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. This declaration was based on strong indications that influenza, worldwide, is transitioning toward seasonal patterns of transmission.
However, as the world emerges from one health crisis, attention has now focussed on the next potential one.
Concerns are growing about NDM-1 (New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1), a novel multidrug-resistance mechanism which has the potential to develop into a major global health problem.
NDM-1 has been identified in India, Pakistan and the UK; and the UK Health Protection Agency has issued a warning about the potential future threat that the it represents.
The HPA warning, issued after a study paper, ‘Emergence of a new antibiotic resistance mechanism in India, Pakistan, and the UK: a molecular, biological, and epidemiological study,’ was published by The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Study co-author, Dr David Livermore, director of antibiotic resistance monitoring at HPA said:
"The findings of this paper show that resistance to one of the major groups of antibiotics, the carbapenems, is widespread in India. This is important because carbapenems were often the last 'good' antibiotics active against bacteria that already were resistant to more standard drugs.
"We have now also identified bacteria with this type of resistance - NDM - in around 50 patients in the UK. Most, not all, had previously travelled to the Indian subcontinent, and many had received hospital treatment there. International travel gives a great potential for spread of resistant bacteria between countries.
"Few antibiotics remain active against these bacteria. Their spread underscores the need for good infection control in hospitals both in the UK and overseas, and the need for new antibiotic development."
Dr.Livermore's statement echoes the Lancet paper's stark warning: that the potential of NDM-1 to be a worldwide public health problem is great, and co-ordinated international surveillance is needed.
Business continuity managers are advised to track the development of this new microbiological threat and to ensure that employees continue with good hygiene-based disease control measures.
•Date: 17th August 2010 • Region: Various •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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