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According to a recent article in the New Scientist, superbugs may be even more virulent and resistant than first thought. The conclusion comes as a result of a study carried out by the University of Lisbon in Portugal. Francisco Dionisio and his team examined 10 different strains of E. coli, and the results they discovered were startling. They found that some strains of the bacteria could dominate over non-resistant bacteria, even when antibiotics are not present. Normally, so-called ‘superbugs’ become prevalent in an environment where antibiotics are used extensively. This is why hospitals and residential care homes are at particular risk of superbug outbreaks. These healthcare patients rely on antibiotics to fight other infections they may have. However, it was previously considered that a viable way to reduce the risk of superbugs would be to reduce the use of antibiotics. The new research by the University of Lisbon indicates this may not be the case. In the tests, 32 per cent of the multi-resistant superbug strains prevailed against other bacteria even when antibiotics were not present. Isabel Gordo, of the Gulbenkian Science Institute, said: “It was a real surprise to find so many cases where the multi-resistant bacteria were at an advantage.” Whilst this research may suggest that superbugs are becoming more prevalent, there are ways to help reduce the risk of infection: by eliminating micro –organisms from clothing, bed-linen and reusable cleaning materials. The OTEX system developed by the commercial laundry company JLA utilises ozone in laundry washing to completely disinfect laundry on all wash cycles. The oxidising effects of ozone can achieve disinfection, eliminating viruses and bacteria, including MRSA, C. difficile and the aforementioned E. coli. In this way, OTEX can reduce the spread of superbugs in healthcare environments. http://www.jla.com/our-products-and-parts/otex/ JLA080811B
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