Like their name implies, bacterial infections are caused by different strains of bacteria. They are tiny microorganisms which, despite being invisible to the naked eye, can cause a potentially deadly infection. After the discovery of antibiotics, deaths due to bacterial infections became exceptionally rare but the forecasts for the future are not so bright anymore. Many pathogenic or disease-causing bacteria have become resistant to the effects of antibiotics, while many more are expected to become antibiotic-resistant in the near future. In addition, every now and then scientists discover new bacteria, some of which can cause potentially life-threatening illness. And one such bacterium was discovered just a few days ago. Its discoverers called it andefabribiles. According to the team of scientists who discovered the mentioned bacterial species, it can cause symptoms ranging from mild diarrhoea and stomach cramps to very serious complications including kidney failure. The scientists have detected the presence of the bacterium at a large number of hospitalised patients, especially those who have been confined to bed for a longer period of time. The team of scientists also think that the risk of infection with this potentially very dangerous bacterium is higher in people with some chronic medical conditions, compromised immune system and going through some medical procedures. But they also expressed concern over high incidence of andefabribiles infection in otherwise healthy young adults. The good news is that most of them experienced only mild symptoms, while some didn't develop symptoms of infection at all. One of the main reasons why this bacterium remained undetected so long is according to its discoverers probably because it most often occurs in individuals on antibiotic treatment, both preventive and curative. As a result, the infection is usually cleared while being treated for other bacterial infections. But like many other bacterial species, it eventually got more and more resistant to the effects of antibiotics. It currently still responds to some classes of antibiotics but the scientists are concerned that the bacterium will gradually become resistant to stronger antibiotics as well. It is not fully clear how andefabribiles is transmitted but it seems that it isn't airborne which means that it can be contracted if an infected person sneezes or coughs, for example. The scientists believe that it spreads from one person to another through contaminated surfaces. To minimise the risk of infection, they recommend frequent hand washing and thorough cleaning, especially in hospital settings.
