A Pennsylvania woman who in May had reportedly contracted the MCR-1 gene did not spread it to anyone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The MCR-1 gene, which can lead to a so-called “superbug,” doesn’t allow an individual’s immune system to stave off a strain of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics. Doctors found that the patient had a resistance to colistin, which is a last-resort drug to treat infections.
Federal health investigators and the Pennsylvania Department of Health conducted an investigation in the patient’s house and in two facilities where she had frequent interactions with health care personnel, the CDC reported. Of the three high-risk locations, health officials conducted tests on 105 people, who didn’t have any indications of having acquired MCR-1. The investigation was conducted in the patient’s medical facility roommate’s room, and where household contacts lived, and it involved home health personnel, and friends who assisted with daily living activities.
The Pennsylvania woman’s address has not been disclosed, the report said. The origination of where the woman picked up the MCR-1 gene has not been determined. CDC officials said they are doing a deeper dive into her background to gather how she contracted it.
The full report can be found here.
