A new type of typhoid, which is highly resistant to drugs and medicinal methods (XDR) is spreading in Pakistan and has already infected more than 850 people according to National Institute of Health, Islamabad. The main problem is that it is expected to soon develop heightened resistance to drugs and might become incurable in the near future.

Bacterial diseases have been cured using antibiotics for ages and over time, bacteria have adapted to conventional remedies and many types have developed heightened resistance to antibiotics. This typhoid epidemic in Pakistan – caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi bacteria – is resistant to five types of different antibiotics and is feared to spread overseas as well.

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One such incident has already been reported in the UK and experts fear that the disease will spread rapidly causing millions of deaths if scientists don’t come up with a solution within months.

Out of Options

There’s only one known antibiotic capable of curing this typhoid, for now – its called azithromycin. But only one genetic adaptation could make typhoid completely incurable if it develops immunity against azithromycin as well. Dr. Eric Mintz, an epidemiologist from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said,

It’s a global concern at this point. Everything suggests this strain will survive well and spread easily—and acquiring resistance to azithromycin is only a matter of time.

Similar cases have been reported in other countries in the past and interestingly, it has only been seen in developing countries – like Pakistan – where healthcare services are inadequate and inaccessible for some people. The other countries being Iraq, India, and Bangladesh.

Incurable Bacteria

It should be noted that antibiotics are the only known cure for bacterial diseases such as typhoid fever. Bacteria evolved overtime and genetically mutated to counter antibiotics after continuously being treated this way. Remember that diseases other than typhoid, that rely on antibiotics, will become incurable as well if bacteria keeps evolving at this rate. A pathology professor in Aga Khan University, Dr. Rumina Hasan said,

This isn’t just about typhoid. Antibiotic resistance is a threat to all of modern medicine — and the scary part is, we’re out of options.

Typhoid fever is extremely dangerous and if uncured, can even result in death. Its symptoms usually include fever, diarrhea, headaches, and loss of appetite. It usually takes its toll on children below the age of 4 and is easily spread through food or water contaminated with bacterial wastes. Areas with poor sanitation and cleanliness are most vulnerable to it.

About 20 million people are affected by the disease every year, and roughly 10% don’t make it even after using modern antibiotics.

Via TheNewYorkTimes