International travelers are more vulnerable to drug-resistant bacteria they contract during their travels, a new study finds.
International travelers, resistant to antibiotics?
In a study published in the journal The Lancet Microbe, researchers analyzed information and stool samples from European travelers who visited Laos for three weeks.
During the stay, bacterial strains colonized several travelers who stayed at the same hotel and spent time with other people. This is the first time that researchers have looked at travelers’ samples during their trip and not just before and after.
Among the 20 travelers followed, the researchers found that 70% had been colonized by the end of the study and all of the participants had acquired extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) during their stay. ESBL enzymes create resistance to most beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins, and aztreonam.
A majority of travelers colonized by resistant bacteria
International travel is linked to the spread of a multi-resistant intestinal bacteria, MDR-GN, ” with the highest transmission in India and Southeast Asia, Africa and South America. Travelers who visit these high-risk areas are at considerable risk of contracting the bacteria ”comments Alan McNally, professor of evolutionary microbial genomics at the University of Birmingham and lead author of the study.
“Travelers can catch the bacteria even on short visits and spread the strains further after getting home.”, adds Professor McNally. Travelers who visit the regions run a significant risk of being colonized by the bacteria: up to 80% of them are colonized by MDR-GN bacteria and can keep it for a year in their body.