If you have a bacterial infection, you have contracted one of many disease-causing (pathogenic) bacteria. They are incredibly small as they reach only a few micrometres but despite that, they can be deadly. Fortunately, deaths due to bacterial infections have almost been eradicated thanks to antibiotics although there is a widespread concern about their diminishing power. In the recent years, there has been a rapid increase of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which are no longer responding as well to antibiotics, while some have virtually became immune to them. And the situation will only get tougher. At the same time, every once in a while there are reports about newly discovered bacteria. Not all are harmful but those that are can cause serious illness including fatal complications. This is also the case with the bacterium known as andefabribiles. Confirmed as a new species, this bacterium was found to cause minor health problems such as gastrointestinal upset and loose stools but the research team that found it also reports of cases of fatal complications, usually due to kidney failure. The researchers said the new bacterial species is most common in hospitalised people, in particular immobile patients. The research team's findings reveal that the likelihood of infection with this bacterium is high in people suffering from chronic conditions, those who have immune system problems or/and are receiving some medical interventions. But their findings also reveal that the researchers were shocked to confirm andefabribiles in so many healthy adults. What is encouraging is that generally healthy individuals didn't get severely ill. Even more, some had no symptoms of infection at all. The report of the research team concludes that the reason why the bacterium hasn't been discovered earlier is possibly related to its prevalence in patients on antibiotic treatment. For that reason, the patients and their physicians remained unaware of the infection. However, some bacteria are now no longer responding to the usual antibiotics including this particular bacterium. It is still responding to stronger classes of antibiotics but it's impossible to tell how long this will be the case. How exactly andefabribiles spreads from one person to another isn't exactly understood but so far, the researchers excluded transmission through the air. They concluded that it most likely transmits via contaminated surfaces. The research team added they believe that the best preventive measures against the infection are frequent cleaning and washing one's hands.
