Superbug fears in UAE shooed off

DUBAI — While hospitals in Dubai are equipped with new superbugs’ surveillance systems, experts say that the need to monitor a new drug-resistant superbug in the country is unnecessary despite the rapid spread of the bacteria internationally.

Asma Ali Zain

Published: Fri 17 Sep 2010, 12:52 AM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 4:41 PM

The so-called new superbug dubbed NDM-1 (New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1) poses a global threat, warned scientists on Monday, urging health authorities to track the bacteria. The scientists stressed the need to put in place an international surveillance system over the coming months. Such measures have already been agreed on in France and are under discussion in Japan, Singapore and China.

However, Dr Ashraf Mahmoud El Houfi, Chairman of the Infection Control Committee UAE, said: “Though we have monitoring systems for dangerous superbugs such as MRSA and other multidrug resistant bacteria, I feel there is no need to act on something that we do not have.”

“We can pass a judgment only after evidence has been passed on scientifically in the UAE,” he said.

NDM-1, which appears to have originated in India, is a gene that produces an enzyme that can deactivate all antibiotics. Since the bug was detected in Britain in 2007, the number of infected people began to increase reaching more than 70 in Britain and 170 in India and Pakistan. “The surveillance system screens only patients from certain categories. For example, if the patient is being brought from another hospital or with a low immune system disease such as HIV,” said Dr El Houfi. In-patients are also screened every 30 days. “We also have environmental prescheduled screenings such as for the hydro pool, solid surfaces and air conditioners to avoid spread,” he said.

The expert had earlier warned that unnecessary use of antibiotics was wiping out sensitivity and building up resistance. A central Infection Control Programme set up under the Dubai Health Authority and implemented in Dubai’s main hospitals including Rashid Hospital, Al Wasl and Dubai Hospital, has been seeing a constant increase in the number and percentage of infections over the past three years.

He reiterated that fear arising from such reports was largely unfounded. “In the case of H1N1, the warnings were issued by the World Health Organisation and the US Centre for Disease Control. No such warnings have been issued for this superbug as yet,” he said.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com