Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is spreading all over the world – a dangerous bacterium that is resistant to antibiotics.
According to Medical Express, S. maltophilia strains are found in several natural and human-related ecosystems.
For a long time, this bacterium was considered relatively harmless, but at present, it is one of the worst nosocomial pathogens. It presents a special danger for patients with weakened immunity and those with inflammatory lung diseases.
Although this bacterium can theoretically affect any organ, it most often causes respiratory infections and blood infections.
In a study published under the supervision of the Research Center Borstel Leibniz Lung Center (FZB), the pathogen genome was analyzed, which allowed us to identify 23 lines of origin with different levels of prevalence.
One particular line is common throughout the world and has the highest level of human-related strains. This type of “Sm6” is also characterized by the presence of key genes for virulence and resistance. According to experts, a specific gene configuration can contribute to the spread of various subtypes of S. maltophilia in a hospital setting with antimicrobial treatment.