The Indore water contamination tragedy has once again highlighted the threats looming in sewage water. The improper construction of a sewage pipeline over the drinking water supply caused a major health crisis for the residents in the Bhagirathpura area.
The recent lab report released reveals that the deaths were due to the presence of general bacteria in the sewers. Though a culture report is awaited on identifying the particular bacteria causing the deaths, the most common one present is the Escherichia coli (E. coli).
One of the major issues with the E.coli bacteria is that they are intrinsically susceptible to almost all clinically relevant antimicrobial agents.
Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his latest ‘Mann Ki Baat’, raised concerns over antibiotic resistance and over the misuse of antibiotics amid rising superbugs.
Why has E. coli become antibiotic-resistant?
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There are several factors due to which E. coli has become antibiotic resistant. E. coli represents a major reservoir of resistance genes that may be responsible for treatment failures in both human and veterinary medicine. Many of these resistance genes were acquired by horizontal gene transfer.
What is horizontal gene transfer?
HGT is the movement of genetic material (DNA) between organisms that are not parent and offspring, allowing for rapid adaptation, especially in bacteria, by sharing genes for traits like antibiotic resistance or new functions, differing from traditional vertical inheritance
According to experts, there are several key defence mechanisms to survive exposure to antibiotics.
Driving factors
1. Inappropriate prescription of antibiotics in human medicine
2. Extensive use of antibiotics in livestock and fish farming, sometimes for growth promotion rather than disease treatment.
3. Patients not completing their full course of antibiotics, allowing partially resistant bacteria to survive.
4. Poor sanitation and hygiene standards, which facilitate the transmission of resistant strains through contaminated food, water, and direct contact.