Bacteria after antibiotic addictive

Bizarre the further development of a pathogen could hardly be more researchers have discovered tuberculosis bacteria, for which an antibiotic is not harmful, but a drug.
The excitation flourished really when they have administered the drug rifampicin, Chinese and U.S. researchers report in the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease ". What cellular mechanism underlying the dependence is still unclear. Rifampicin is a standard drug against tuberculosis.

The team led by Ying Zhang of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore had discovered the "selfish" bacteria in the body of tuberculosis patients in China. The 35-year-old man was better after treatment with rifampicin, but went from bad to worse. Only the use of an agent without the drug brought relief. cultured in the laboratory, the bacteria grew hardly at all - was added to the nutrient solution rifampicin. Such a case had been previously described before, according to a communication from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School. GP it would in future have in mind when treating patients who are concerned by a treatment with rifampicin worse and worse.


The World Health Organisation (WHO) that every year more than a half million people with tuberculosis. Pathogens that are resistant to multiple antibiotics, prepare the treatment for some time and increasing problems. Currently, the bacteria in the case of five percent of patients resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin, two of the most important agents for the treatment of the disease. Especially the cause of several months duration of therapy: Many patients, especially in poorer countries are using the medication too soon because they are not aware of the consequences or they can not pay the funds.