"Super bacteria" hundreds of people worldwide infected with the spread of

Out of China:

PRC "super bacteria" NDM-1 has spread worldwide trend, the United States three states and Canada have emerged infection.

医学界表示，细菌正在蔓延，但未知蔓延速度有多快，呼吁各国设立监控系统，检测入院人士，合力追踪病菌蔓延情况，并呼吁民众注意个人卫生，不要滥用抗生素。

Medical profession that the bacteria is spreading, but unknown how quickly spread, calls upon States to establish monitoring systems to detect people who admitted to jointly track the spread of the disease and urge people pay attention to personal hygiene, do not abuse antibiotics.

据报道，美国在境内3个州发现3名感染病例。

It is reported that within the three states in the United States found that three cases of infection. 据悉，这3名患者都曾到过印度，其中2人在当地接受医疗服务，余下1人则本身患病，需依赖导尿管。

It is reported that three patients had been to India, of which 2 were in the local medical services, and the remaining 1 is itself sick, to rely on the catheter.

3名患者目前没有生命危险，但未知他们接受了何种治疗。

Three patients are not life-threatening, but unknown what treatment they received.

加拿大也出现2宗感染“超级细菌”的个案，医生采用了混合抗生素治疗。

Canada also appeared two infections "super bacteria" cases, doctors use a hybrid antibiotics.

报道指出，目前，英国有超过70人感染这种NDM-1“超级细菌”，印度和巴基斯坦的感染人数则超过170人。

Reported that, at present, the United Kingdom more than 70 people infected with the NDM-1 "super bacteria", the number of infections in India and Pakistan more than 170.

（中新） (New)

No antibiotic candidates emerge to stem superbugs

From The Japan Times
Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010

Kyodo News

Japan's pharmaceutical industry doesn't have even a single candidate for new antibiotics to counter multidrug-resistant superbugs such as some types of Acinetobacter and E. coli bacteria, according to an expert reporting the situation to the government.

Shuhei Fujimoto, a professor at Tokai University's Department of Bacteriology and Bacterial Infection, said he alerted the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry's study group on superbugs to the lack of new antibiotics indispensable to treat people infected with such bacteria.

"Although the battle with multidrug-resistant bacteria has long been buttressed by developments of new antibiotics, we are in a critical situation at present," he said.

Low profitability of antibiotics appears to be a factor behind pharmaceutical manufacturers' reluctance to make developmental efforts for new antibiotics, he said.

A total of 58 people have been infected with multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter in Teikyo University Hospital since last year, including some who have died. E. coli with the gene to produce the NDM-1 enzyme that makes bacteria resistant to most antibiotics was reported for the first time in Japan last week.

Fujimoto said he has told the ministry's study group that low profitability stems from the fact that a bacterium capable of resisting a new antibiotic is detected and reported in only four years on average after the antibiotic debuts, although new antibiotics development requires huge costs.

The medical community overseas faces a similar situation under which the number of newly developed antibiotics in the 2000s has plunged to less than one-fourth the corresponding number in the 1980s, he said.

In Japan, there were some years during the 1980s when the annual number of newly released antibiotics exceeded five. But no antibiotic promising enough to lead a drugmaker to release it on the market has been found since 2000.

19 hospitals in China's major cities prepare superbug NDM-1 prevention

September 15, 2010

China's Ministry of Health has established a monitoring network nationwide for NDM-1 (New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase), which is code for an enzyme that makes bacteria resistant to antibiotics, and selected 19 hospitals in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai as sentinel hospitals in order to cope with potential threats, reporters learned on Sept. 14.
　　
It's said that entrusted by the health ministry, the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology under Peking University formulated a monitoring plan targeting the super bacteria NDM-1 at the end of August that includes identification, verification and quarantine measures. The plan is currently pending the review and approval of the health ministry and will be publicized in the near future.

"The departments have responded rapidly by conducting proactive monitoring rather than passive defenses," said Li Geng, director of the Antibiotics Office in the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology under Peking University.

To better monitor and identify NDM-1, the health ministry designated 19 hospitals in Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning and Jiangsu as sentinel hospitals. These hospitals must be equipped with necessary equipment and professional personnel in order to monitor and check patients with low immunity and critical illness, emergency patients as well as those from the South Asian subcontinent.

The Peking Union Medical College Hospital and the Peking University First Hospital in Beijing are among the sentinel hospitals. The Beijing Municipal Health Bureau said that the city's own bacterial resistant monitoring network to be established by the end of 2010 will focus on monitoring the superbug NDM-1 .

The monitoring plan requires that if any medical institution across the country finds positive drug-resistant Enterobacteria that has similar drug resistance features to NDM-1 during examinations, and does not have laboratory testing conditions, they must immediately send the bacterial strains to the nearest sentinel hospital. Furthermore, they should also report related information to the national drug-resistant bacteria monitoring network within 12 hours in order to get final confirmation by the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology under Peking University.

One day needed to identify super bacteria

The public can rest assured that China has techniques to easily detect and identify super bacteria. Li said that qualified hospitals will conduct both enzyme production experiments and genetic testing after receiving suspected bacterial strains.

"As the enzyme produced needs an overnight culture, an enzyme production experiment takes one day. Therefore, although the genetic testing only takes half a day, it will still take at least one day to identify super bacteria."

Once suspected bacteria are detected, the bacteria carrier should be immediately quarantined when researchers try to identify the bacteria in order to prevent the further spread.

Almost 100 percent accurate artificial gene

Health Ministry spokesman Deng Haihua said on Sept. 10 that China has not found any cases of the super bacteria so far, but a multi-layered defense system has been basically established.

A person in charge of the super-bacteria-related tasks at the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology of Peking University First Hospital said that based on the publicly available gene sequence of the super bacteria in question, China’s health authorities have synthesized a gene, which is almost 100 percent the same as the bacteria’s real gene, so as to examine whether a suspected strain of bacteria is genuine super bacteria or not. Therefore, super bacteria can be identified in time by using the synthesized gene before the standard gene is introduced to China.

Meanwhile, in order to solve the predicament that no drugs can kill the super bacteria, Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited and other scientific research institutions have already launched an anti-super bacteria drug R&D project, striving to achieve substantive results within five years.

By People's Daily Online

CDC to list new superbug NDM-1 as communicable disease

Taipei, Sept. 7 (CNA) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday that it is planning to list a new superbug NDM-1 as a communicable disease and that hospitals should immediately report any suspected cases, especially those in which the patient has received medical treatment in India or Pakistan.

-snip-

China decoding bug bites virus transmission to humans

[Out of Vietnam]
Tuoi Tre Online - Tuesday, 14 / 9

TT-- Chinese researchers have discovered a new virus from patients with insect bites in Henan Province. Information on the virus data is a "family" most deadly virus but the good news is this kind of a "kind word" most.

CE Professor Yuan, an epidemiologist at the University of Beijing at the same time as the team members sick on China's Health Ministry, said after morphological analysis showed that this virus is a member belong to the Bunyaviridae.

Bunyaviridae has hundreds of members and growing rapidly with all the different names according to geographical aspects such as the Andes, Seoul, Amur River, Blue River and Lake Bloodland.

A member of the family Bunyaviridae viruses known and most thoroughly studied is the hantavirus.

Hantavirus is harmless in mice. But the reasons that science can not explain, once people get into, it became the "killer," brutally attacked the RNA (ribonucleic acid), specific molecules responsible platelet production. Patients will be high fever, vomiting, terrible pain, and kidney damage if not emergency in 72 hours will die from blood loss.

Mortality due to hantavirus infection than 50% in North America in the 90s but today it dropped to about 10%.

According to Professor Tu Yuan Xiaoping, because patients in Henan Province have symptoms similar to hantavirus infection should the team fear that this type of defendant brought the deadly virus. The discovery of new viruses as they Bunyaviridae reinforce this concern.

However, when they breathe a little more careful analysis of the nucleic acid of the virus suggests this virus have different structures with hantavirus. In fact, it is very much different than "members" have their virus known Bunyaviridae.

CE Raw said: "This is the most gentle member of the family Bunyaviridae that we are known. The death rate so far only about 3%. "

CE Professor Nguyen concluded: "We can see clearly now this is not a disease. Virus does not seem likely to spread from person to person. In such cases, it is not too dangerous and controlling it is easier than seasonal flu. "

PRO/EDR> NDM-1 carrying Enterobacteriaceae - worldwide ex India, Pakistan (02)

14-SEP-2010
ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases

In this posting: [1] North America [2] Japan

[1] North America Date: Mon 13 Sep 2010 Source: Google news, Associated Press (AP) report [edited] An infectious-disease nightmare is unfolding: a new gene that can turn many types of bacteria into superbugs resistant to nearly all antibiotics has sickened people in 3 states and is popping up all over the world, health officials reported Mon 13 Sep 2010.

The USA cases and 2 others in Canada all involve people who had recently received medical care in India, where the problem is widespread.

A British medical journal revealed the risk in August 2010 in an article describing dozens of cases in Britain in people who had gone to India for medical procedures. How many deaths the gene may have caused is unknown; there is no central tracking of such cases.

So far, the gene has mostly been found in bacteria that cause gut or urinary infections. Scientists have long feared this, a very adaptable gene that hitches onto many types of common germs and confers broad drug resistance. "It's a great concern," because drug resistance has been rising and few new antibiotics are in development, said Dr M Lindsay Grayson, director of infectious diseases at the University of Melbourne in Australia. "It's just a matter of time" until the gene spreads more widely person-to-person, he said.

The American cases occurred in 2010 in people from California, Massachusetts, and Illinois, said Brandi Limbago, a lab chief at the CDC. 3 different bacteria were involved, and different mechanisms let the gene become part of them. "We want physicians to look for it," especially in patients who have traveled recently to India or Pakistan, she said.

The gene can spread hand-to-mouth, which makes good hygiene very important. It's also why health officials are so concerned about where the threat is coming from, said Dr Patrice Nordmann, a microbiology professor at South-Paris Medical School. India is an overpopulated country that overuses antibiotics and has widespread diarrheal disease and many people without clean water. "The ingredients are there" for widespread transmission, he said. "It's going to spread by plane all over the world."

The American patients were not related. The California woman needed hospital care after being in a car accident in India. The Illinois man had pre-existing medical problems and a urinary catheter, and is thought to have contracted an infection with the gene while traveling in India. The case from Massachusetts involved a woman from India who had surgery and chemotherapy for cancer there and then traveled to the USA.

Lab tests showed their germs were not killed by the types of drugs normally used to treat drug-resistant infections, including "the last-resort class of antibiotics that physicians go to," Limbago said. She did not know how the 3 patients were treated, but all survived.

Doctors have tried treating some of these cases with combinations of antibiotics, hoping that will be more effective than individual ones are. Some have resorted to using polymyxins, antibiotics used in the 1950s and '60s that were unpopular because they can harm the kidneys.

The 2 Canadian cases were treated with a combination of antibiotics, said Dr Johann Pitout of the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. One case was in Alberta, the other in British Columbia. Both patients had medical emergencies while traveling in India. They developed urinary infections that were discovered to have the resistance gene once they returned home to Canada, Pitout said.

The CDC advises any hospitals that find such cases to put the patient in medical isolation, check the patient's close contacts for possible infection, and look for more infections in the hospital. Any case "should raise an alarm," Limbago said. http://news.oneindia.in/2010/09/11/japanconfirms-five-more-cases-of-new-delhi-superbug.html

Japan has confirmed another 5 cases of infection with _Acinetobacter_, an antibiotic-resistant bacterium, carrying what is formally know as "New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 enzyme (NDM-1)".

The cases from Teikyo University Hospital have brought the total number of people infected with the bug to 58 in the country. Of the 58 people, 32 have died, including 9 whose deaths were likely caused directly by the infection, the Xinhua news agency reports.

NDM-1 is a type of bacteria resistant to carbapenems, one of the antibiotics of last resort for many bacterial infections. The bug is formally named after New Delhi, as it was reportedly discovered in the Indian capital. According to reports, it has spread to Britain and the USA through travelers who had surgery in India.

hat-tip Anne (Flutrackers.com)

New superbug gene, NDM-1, confirmed in Japan

Sep 07, 2010
Excerpt:

According to the WHO, NDM-1 needs more monitoring and further study.

Additionally, the UN agency recommends that governments focus their efforts to four areas: surveillance, rational antibiotic use, legislation to stop sales of antibiotics without prescription and rigorous infection prevention measures.

Meanwhile, on Thursday (September 9), Taiwan declared that NDM-1 had been classified as a category-four communicable disease, Tamil News Network (TNN) said. A category four means that hospitals and clinics will have to immediately report any suspected cases.

TNN also reported on Friday that the World Health Organization had recently designated antimicrobial resistance to be the official global theme for World Health Day 2011 scheduled on April 7.

UPDATE: New Drug-Resistant Superbugs Found in 3 States

Published September 14, 2010
| Associated Press


The U.S. cases occurred this year in people from California, Massachusetts and Illinois, said Brandi Limbago, a lab chief at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three types of bacteria were involved, and three different mechanisms let the gene become part of them.

"We want physicians to look for it," especially in patients who have traveled recently to India or Pakistan, she said.

-snip-

The CDC advises any hospitals that find such cases to put the patient in medical isolation, check the patient's close contacts for possible infection, and look for more infections in the hospital.
Any case "should raise an alarm," Limbago said.

New Drug-Resistant 'Superbug' Reaches U.S. Shores

Sept. 15, 2010 12:00 AM
Excerpts:

In the United States, carbapenem-resistant bacteria -- designated carbapenem-resistant carbapenemase (KPC) -- are usually transmitted in health-care facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, and are typically spread from patient to patient from contaminated surfaces and hands, he said.

-snip-

In the United States, three cases have been reported. They were in Massachusetts, Illinois and California, Kallen said. None of the U.S. patients died from their infections, he said.
While NDM-1 is new, carbapenem resistance has been increasing, Kallen said.


How dangerous NDM-1 will become isn't known, Kallen said. But some studies have found the death rate from KPC [the North American bacterium] to be as high as 40 percent, he said.


Most of the transmission of the NDM-1 (Indian) and the KPC (North American) bacteria happen as infected people travel around the world, Kallen added. "These people carry with them all their antibiotic-resistant bacteria and that mechanism [travel] has been recognized lots of times, including with NDM-1 and KPC," he said.

Docs: drug-resistant superbug is "time bomb" requiring global response

Published 15 September 2010

Researchers warn that the spread of a drug-resistant bacterial gene could herald the end of antibiotics; the bleak prediction follows his research into a drug-resistant bacterial gene called NDM-1, or New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1, which was first identified in India; the bug was found attached to E.coli bacteria, but the enzyme can easily jump from one bacterium to another and experts fear it will start attaching itself to more dangerous diseases causing them to become resistant to antibiotics.

[click on title for full story]

FAO says H5N1 outbreaks are up this year

Robert Roos * News Editor

Sep 13, 2010 (CIDRAP News) – Reversing a trend that began in 2007, the number of countries affected by H5N1 avian influenza and the number of reported H5N1 outbreaks in birds have increased this year, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says.

Sixteen countries (plus Hong Kong) had H5N1 outbreaks this year through August, compared with about 11 in all of 2009, according to charts in the Sep 2 issue of FAO AIDE News, a bulletin that reports periodically on avian flu.

In the first 6 months of this year, 390 H5N1 outbreaks were reported, versus 297 for all of 2009, the FAO said. However, those numbers do not include Indonesia, which reports the majority of H5N1 poultry outbreaks worldwide, because Indonesia, unlike other countries, counts outbreaks at the village level rather than the household level, the report says.

The FAO cautioned that the number of outbreaks is more subjective than the number of affected countries, because it is strongly influenced by such variables as the case definition, awareness level, and effectiveness of surveillance.

-snip-
The FAO also reports that H5N1 outbreaks have occurred this year in several countries where the disease was thought to have been eliminated: Cambodia, Israel, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Romania. The only country newly affected by the virus so far this year is Bhutan.

CytoGenix, Inc. Announces Positive Results from DNA Vaccine Study for Avian Flu

Sept. 14, 2010, 10:31 a.m. EDT
(BUSINESS WIRE) -- CytoGenix, Inc. (Pink sheets: CYGX-News) today announced publication of positive results of a study using CytoGenix's novel liner DNA technology.

CytoGenix reports positive results of an animal study where mice were immunized with CYDBA507, CytoGenix avian influenza vaccine candidate, protected against lethal challenge with avian influenza virus. CYDBA507 is CytoGenix's avian influenza vaccine candidate which built on CytoGenix's synDNA platform and expresses influenza virus type A/H5N1 HA and NA proteins. The ability of CYDBA507 to express HA and NA proteins in human cells was confirmed in laboratory studies.

-snip-

Reassortant between Human-Like H3N2 and Avian H5 Subtype Influenza A Viruses in Pigs: A Potential Public Health Risk

Plosone

Abstract
Background

Human-like H3N2 influenza viruses have repeatedly been transmitted to domestic pigs in different regions of the world, but it is still uncertain whether any of these variants could become established in pig populations. The fact that different subtypes of influenza viruses have been detected in pigs makes them an ideal candidate for the genesis of a possible reassortant virus with both human and avian origins. However, the determination of whether pigs can act as a “mixing vessel” for a possible future pandemic virus is still pending an answer. This prompted us to gather the epidemiological information and investigate the genetic evolution of swine influenza viruses in Jilin, China.


Methods

Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from pigs with respiratory illness in Jilin province, China from July 2007 to October 2008. All samples were screened for influenza A viruses. Three H3N2 swine influenza virus isolates were analyzed genetically and phylogenetically.


Results

Influenza surveillance of pigs in Jilin province, China revealed that H3N2 influenza viruses were regularly detected from domestic pigs during 2007 to 2008. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that two distinguishable groups of H3N2 influenza viruses were present in pigs: the wholly contemporary human-like H3N2 viruses (represented by the Moscow/10/99-like sublineage) and double-reassortant viruses containing genes from contemporary human H3N2 viruses and avian H5 viruses, both co-circulating in pig populations.


Conclusions

The present study reports for the first time the coexistence of wholly human-like H3N2 viruses and double-reassortant viruses that have emerged in pigs in Jilin, China. It provides updated information on the role of pigs in interspecies transmission and genetic reassortment of influenza viruses.

VLA: H1N1 Virus Predisposed to Streptococcus Suis

Monday, September 13, 2010
UK - Pandemic H1N1 (2009) influenza virus has been predisposed to porcine Streptococcus suis septicaemia, according to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) in its report for June 2010.

Pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus infection was detected in one of three post weaned pigs submitted to Bury to investigate and outbreak of disease presenting with lameness, recumbency, nervous signs and some deaths. A fibrinopurulent polyarthritis was identified together with meningitis. Streptococcus suis type 2 was isolated from all three pigs. As there was patchy cranioventral consolidation in two of the pigs, testing for swine influenza was undertaken and one pig was found to be infected by PCR. This is similar to several recent outbreaks of swine influenza virus infection where streptococcal infections have been diagnosed concurrent with swine influenza virus infection.

Thirsk also diagnosed swine influenza having carried out an investigation into a transient cough noticed among gilts after their arrival from a breeding company. Gilts were vaccinated for enzootic pneumonia and PRRSv on arrival. Some gilts were also bled for paired serology. On PCR testing of the swabs for swine influenza, three of the six swabs proved positive for influenza A RNA. Virus isolation was attempted on two of the three positive swabs and an H1 influenza virus was isolated which was similar to A/SW/Eng/438207/94 (H1N2).

New drug-resistant superbugs found in 3 states

Sep 13 03:22 PM US/Eastern
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE
AP Medical Writer

BOSTON (AP) - An infectious-disease nightmare is unfolding: A new gene that can turn many types of bacteria into superbugs resistant to nearly all antibiotics has sickened people in three states and is popping up all over the world, health officials reported Monday.

The U.S. cases and two others in Canada all involve people who had recently received medical care in India, where the problem is widespread. A British medical journal revealed the risk last month in an article describing dozens of cases in Britain in people who had gone to India for medical procedures.
-snip-

Thailand: WHO warns dengue fever is on the rise

Published: 13/09/2010 at 12:00 AM

Thailand needs to strengthen its measures to limit the outbreak of dengue fever, the World Health Organisation says.

The disease is continuing to spread across the country.

"High-end treatment can save patients' lives from dengue but cannot tackle the outbreak itself as long as the public health intervention essential for controlling the vector is still weak," WHO Southeast Asia regional director Samlee Pianbangchang said.

Epidemiologists are on high alert for a dengue outbreak this year as there have been 70,902 cases nationwide with 87 reported deaths, a 117.23% increase over the same period last year.

Dengue cases have been reported across the country. The hardest-hit provinces include Pattani, Songkhla, Krabi, Narathiwat, Phatthalung, Satun, Chanthaburi, Phitsanulok and Tak.

-snip-

27 provinces have died of rabid dog bite

Saturday, September 11, 2010

HANOI (TH) - While the outbreak of blue ear pig in the market for more than 30 provinces across the country, according to a report of Bee.net Saturday, 27 provinces had a dog who died of rabies.

"September 11, Rabies office, said recently the number of people infected with rabies virus by being bitten by dogs and died on the increase, complicated and tends to spread to the provinces without rabies. "


The source said that rabies continues to be the top leader has the highest mortality rates of infectious disease outbreaks in Vietnam, with 27/63 provinces and cities have had patients die from this disease.

Bee.net given the statistics show that the province has the highest number of deaths due to rabies in recent times include: Phu Tho (92 cases), Tuyen Quang (78 cases), Yen Bai (44 cases) , Hanoi, Vietnam (33 cases), Gia Lai (36 cases).

Philippines - Cholera in pigs

13 Sep 2010

Authorities confirmed this week that cholera and Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) caused infection among the pigs.

Lab tests carried out at the Philippine Animal Health Centre in Manila, revealed that cholera and PRRS was indeed present among the hogs.Godofredo Laed from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) has said that there were reports from hog raisers of widespread cases of severe diarrhoea and still births among hogs since July this year.

To prevent an even further spread of viruses, the PVO sprayed disinfectants among infected pig pens and asked swine owners to increase body resistance of their pigs through vitamins and proper feedings.

No outbreak
Laed further added that the PVO cannot yet declare the situation an outbreak, “since we lack further ualifying requirements for such a declaration,” despite the pig deaths considered to be a high number, said a report by Manila Bulletin.

It is possible that the virus could have come from infected pig meats and live hogs brought into the town, Laed said.
Hog cholera causes excessive diarrhea, while PRRS leads to abortion, still births, mummified fetus and very weak piglets.

Dozens Dead Chicken, Bird Flu worries residents

12/09/2010 - 15:45


(Inilah.com) INILAH.COM, Pacitan - Suspected bird flu, dozens of chickens owned by residents Pacitan sudden death. Residents were alarmed.

"In five days the hens out of cages," said Mistam, one of the village residents Sukoharjo, Sunday (09/12/2010).

According Mistam, signs of the attack was in fact already seen before Lebaran yesterday. But it was not so careful. Consequently then, in a short time peliharaanya dead chickens.

"At first one. But in a row and then followed the others," he said.

The same is also expressed other residents, Sulastri. He said the attack was sudden and the disease is difficult to predict. Usually, during the afternoon and evening chicken still look healthy. But the next morning was found dead.

"As the night can be 3 to 5 birds that died," he said.

In the dead chickens were found similar signs of bird flu attack. Among wattles which change color to black. Similar signs are also found in the chest and the anus.

Actually, in addition to pets, especially big cock, already prepared for Lebaran. Because, according to tradition, when the great day of celebration, the citizens held a friendship that accompanied the culinary activity. Serves dishes like chicken soup or curry.

"Yes, how else. In fact it (chicken, red) for the preparation of Eid," said Sulastri.

Science Researchers For First Time Able To Design & Produce Cells That Don't Exist in Pre-Existing Biological matter

Synthetic Pathogens Might Pose Bioterror Threat, Scientists Warn
Friday, Sept. 10, 2010
By Rachel Oswald
Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON --The newfound ability of scientists to produce disease materials from scratch has led to concerns that extremists might seek the same capabilities to carry out acts of bioterrorism (see GSN, Aug. 11).

Synthetic pathogens are man-made infectious agents that are produced either from the manufacture or adaptation of DNA, cells and other biological structures.

While scientists have been engineering genetic sequences for decades and commercial gene sequencing has been around for years, the field continues to move into uncharted territory. This year, researchers for the first time were able to design and produce cells that do not exist in nature without using pre-existing biological matter -- marking the latest evolution in the rapidly advancing field of synthetic biology.

-snip-