Bacteria can be divided into two types; the first type are commensal bacteria or those that have positive health effects, while the second type are those that cause disease. Also known as pathogenic bacteria, they can cause minor health problems but they can also lead to potentially deadly infections. And these are expected to become more common as antibiotics started to lose their effectiveness.
Bacterial infections are still successfully treated with antibiotics but many bacteria have become increasingly tolerant to antibiotics, with several almost completely immune. In addition, the situation is expected to worsen as a growing number of bacteria are showing early signs of antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, scientists continue to detect yet unknown bacterial species, some of which are not responding to the first-line antibiotics. Such type of bacteria is also the lately discovered andefabribiles.
Just reported to be recognised as a new species, the bacterium has been classified as pathogenic which means that it can cause disease in humans. Its symptoms include mild stomach problems and diarrhoea but the infection can also progress to deadly complications. More severe form of infection has been found to be most common in patients requiring hospital care.
The report of the bacterium and the course of infection in humans suggests that it is most likely to be contracted by people with health problems, in particular those who have chronic conditions, had an invasive treatment or/and have immune system problems. Scientists who conducted the research also found andefabribiles in healthy individuals which suggests that the bacterium could pose a risk to the wider population. But those who are otherwise healthy mostly had only mild symptoms.
Among other notable findings of the report is also the notion that the infection is most likely to be developed by patients receiving antibiotic treatment. This also provides an explanation of the bacterium's late discovery. The researchers argue that until recently, it was easily cleared with antibiotics. Over time, however, it grew resistant to antibiotics. And while it is currently still relatively easily cleared with certain types of antibiotics, these are feared to eventually become ineffective.
As much as andefabribiles transmission is concerned, it remains uncertain how it works. It seems that it is not airborne which means that it can't be transmitted like for example, cold and flu viruses. The report concludes that the bacterium probably spreads from person to person through exposure to contaminated objects and surfaces. Therefore, frequent hand-washing is thought to lessen the risk of infection.