Drug-Resistant Superbug Found Among Houston Area Hospital Patients

HOUSTON, TX — Researchers at Houston Methodist Hospital System have discovered a rare and drug-resistant bacteria is becoming more common among Houstonians.

Researchers who conducted a four-year study, found that more than one-third of the patients receiving treatment at various Methodist Hospitals in Houston had this bacteria, the Houston Chronicle reported. (Want to get daily updates about traffic news and other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free Houston Patch morning newsletter.)

The superbug, known in scientific circles as Klebsiella pneumoniae or K. pneumoniae, is found in the human intestines and usually won’t harm the patient, unless it migrates to other parts of the body, where serious infections can occur, according to a CBS News report.

K. pneumoniae can trigger a number of infections, such as pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream or urinary tract infections, and it can be particularly harmful to hospitalized patients.

"Finding the otherwise uncommon strain in our city was a very surprising discovery," Dr. James Musser, the study's senior author said in a news release. "We urgently need to identify potential vaccine targets or other new treatments, and develop new and rapid diagnostic techniques."
Health officials have warned or years about potential superbug outbreaks, and some have already occurred.

In 2011, an outbreak of the Klebsiella bug killed seven people at the National Institutes of Health's clinical center in Bethesda, Maryland, and in January a Nevada woman who traveled to India, also died from a rare antibiotic-resistant superbug, NBC news reported.

Meanwhile, researchers are still not sure why K. pneumoniae has become so common in Houston.

You can read CBS News’ superbug report here.

Image: Shutterstock

Follow Us On Facebook: Engage with your neighbors in the Metro Houston area and keep up with the talk of the day by liking one of our Facebook pages. Houston / Midtown Houston / Houston Heights / Galleria - River Oaks / Bellaire / Meyerland / Humble-Kingwood / Conroe-Montgomery County / Sugar Land / Pasadena / The Woodlands / Clear Lake