Study flags emergence of drug-resistant typhoid strains

Study flags emergence of drug-resistant typhoid strains

Subject: Science and Technology

Section: Biotechnology

Context: The effectiveness of antibiotics for typhoid fever is threatened by the emergence of resistant strains, according to a large genome sequencing study of the bacteria Salmonella Typhi published in The Lancet Microbe

Concept:

Typhoid fever

It is a bacterial infection that can spread throughout the body, affecting many organs.

It’s caused by a bacterium called Salmonella typhi, which is related to the bacteria that cause salmonella food poisoning

It spreads through contaminated food and water.

Multi-drug-resistant (MDR) S Typhi:

When a single bacterium is resistant to more than one antibiotic it is said to be multidrug-resistant

Strains were classified as MDR if they had genes giving resistance to antibiotics ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole.

India is considering introducing new typhoid conjugate vaccines into the national immunisation program.

Background:

Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) / Mission Indradhanush:

• It is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions and largely responsible for reduction of vaccine preventable under-5 mortality rate.
• Under UIP, immunization is providing free of cost against 12 vaccine preventable diseases
• Diseases covered are: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and Meningitis & Pneumonia caused by Hemophilus Influenza type B, Rotavirus diarrhoea, Pneumococcal Pneumonia and Japanese Encephalitis