Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Two Koreans infected with super bacteria
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The government confirmed Thursday that two patients have been infected with a bacterium resistant to most antibiotics, also called a super bacterium.
This is the first time that the New Delhi Metallo beta lactamase (NDM-1) CRE bacterium has been detected in the country, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said.
The authorities said they found the NDM-1 strain in two patients in a general hospital in Seoul. Two other patients in the same hospital, also suspected of being infected, are awaiting test results.
The two confirmed cases involved people who had have not traveled overseas, but had been hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) for a long time.
A male patient in his 50s has interstitial lung disease, which was being treated with steroids that had lowered his immunity response. The other patient ― a woman in her 70s ― has diabetes and purulent spondylitis.
They had been in ICU for their preexisting conditions.
The health ministry said NDM-1 infects those who have hospitalized in ICUs or have compromises immune systems. "There is no need to worry about the super bacteria too much, since we have the antibiotics to treat it such as Tigecycline and Colistin," a ministry official said. “There is only a slim chance for healthy people to be infected or spread the super bacteria."
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) is conducting a thorough examination to find the exact mechanism of the infection process. The KCDC designated NDM-1 an official contagious disease in October and has kept samples at 44 general hospitals nationwide.
Kim Eui-chong of the department of pathology at Seoul National University Hospital said it was important for hospitals to maintain cleanliness.
"The first super bacteria were found in 2008 and spread across the globe rapidly. Medical institutions should manage their sanitation and not abuse antibiotics," Kim said.
For healthy individuals, the KCDC asked people to wash their hands thoroughly and often, and maintain personal hygiene.
The health authorities added that NDM-1 is not resistant to all antibiotics, but to some of the most used ones. "Only one patient infected with the NDM-1 died in Belgium, out of 370 who were infected in 140 countries worldwide," a ministry official said.
Professor Song Jae-hoon at Samsung Medical Center said that the authorities need to establish systematic anti-infection measures to stem the further spread of superbugs. “We should not overuse antibiotics among other things,” he said.
The bacteria cause lung, kidney and blood problems. Early symptoms may include treatment-resistant infections, such as urinary tract or bronchial infections, ministry officials said.
By Kwon Mee-yoo
국내 환자 2명 슈퍼 박테리아 감염
한국 첫 슈퍼 박테리아 발견
목요일 정부는 환자 2명이 다제내성균에 감염 되었다고 발표했다.
보건복지부는 국내에선 처음으로 NDM-1 (뉴델리 메탈로 베타 락타메이즈)유전자를 가진 카바페넴 내성 장내세균(CRE)을 확인했다고 전했다.
복지부에 따르면, NDM-1은 서울의 한 종합병원에 입원중인 환자들에서 발견되었다. 같은 병원에 입원 중 인 다른 두 명의 환자 또한 감염의 의심을 받고 있다.
감염된 환자들은 모두 해외 여행 경험 없이 같은 중환자실에서 장기간 입원 중이었다.
50대 남성 환자는 간질성 폐질환을 오래 앓고 있어 스테로이드를 장기 복용해 면역력이 떨어진 상태였고, 또 다른 70대 여성 환자는 당뇨, 화농성척추염으로 장기간 입원치료를 받아왔다.
복지부는 NDM-1 CRE의 경우 주로 중환자실에 장기 입원하거나 면역체계가 저하된 중증 환자에게 감염을 일으켰다고 전했다. 당국자는 “감염이 되더라도 치료가 가능한 티게사이클, 콜리스틴 등의 항생제가 있기 때문에 과도하게 불안해할 필요는 없다,” 며 “일상 생활 중 감염될 확률은 희박하다”고 전했다.
질병관리본부는 현재 감영경로를 파악하기 위해 조사 중이다. 질병관리본부는 지난 10월 NDM-1 CRE를 법정 전염병으로 정해 관리해 왔으며 44개의 상급 종합 병원을 대상으로 표본감시체제를 가동해왔다.
관리본부는 사람들에게 손을 자주 씻고, 개인의 위생관리를 자주 할 것을 당부했다.