[ti:Travelers May Spread Drug-Resistance Gene From South Asia] [ar:Steve Ember] [al:Health Report] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]This is the VOA Special English [00:03.19]Health Report. [00:04.78]Scientists say they have found [00:07.38]dangerous forms of bacteria [00:09.97]in the drinking water [00:11.71]of New Delhi, India. [00:13.57]The bacteria has a gene scientists [00:17.21]call New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase, [00:21.44]or NDM-1. [00:23.95]The gene is dangerous [00:25.50]because it can make bacteria [00:27.76]resistant to antibiotic drugs. [00:31.35]Researchers from the University [00:33.29]of Cardiff in Britain led the study. [00:36.28]They found the NDM-1 bacteria [00:39.91]present in two of fifty [00:42.55]drinking water samples. [00:44.79]They also found it in seepage water [00:48.43]¨C the water that children [00:49.87]might play in on streets. [00:52.37]The gene was found [00:54.41]in eleven bacterial species, [00:56.95]including those that cause cholera [01:00.14]and dysentery, a diarrheal disease. [01:03.08]The researchers also reported [01:06.22]finding NDM-1 in bacteria [01:09.68]from medical patients. [01:11.92]The patients were from India [01:14.21]and other South Asian countries, [01:16.84]Europe and North America. [01:19.50]The scientists now estimate [01:21.79]that about one hundred million [01:23.68]Indians with the bacteria [01:25.87]are traveling around the world. [01:28.36]Timothy Walsh [01:30.05]leads the NDM-1 research [01:32.97]at University of Cardiff. [01:34.96]He says he is concerned [01:37.55]about the gene spreading. [01:39.49]TIMOTHY WALSH: "The gene pool [01:41.57]in India, probably Pakistan, [01:43.00]probably Bangladesh, [01:43.45]probably in Sri Lanka, [01:47.01]is absolutely huge. [01:48.20]And where these people travel, [01:50.24]they will take that normal flora [01:51.94]with them in 100 trillion bacteria [01:53.58]and therefore out of consequence [01:56.62]of that this is it spread a worldwide." [01:58.86]The United States government [02:00.60]reported the presence of NDM-1 [02:04.03]in three people last year. [02:06.44]All had been to India [02:08.73]earlier for medical treatment. [02:11.24]Experts say people [02:13.58]with the NDM-1 form of bacteria [02:17.07]in their body can remain healthy. [02:19.66]The danger is created [02:22.26]if you get bacteria [02:23.81]that cause disease. [02:26.10]The gene can produce [02:28.14]the disease bacteria [02:29.73]and make enzymes to fight [02:32.57]even the most powerful antibiotics. [02:35.84]Antibiotics are the main treatment [02:38.75]for bacterial infections. [02:40.70]Officials in India say [02:43.19]its water supply is safe. [02:45.95]Vishwa Mohan Katoch [02:48.35]is the Director General [02:49.69]of Health Services. [02:50.79]He says the bacteria do not [02:53.80]usually cause a problem. [02:55.65]However, officials in New Delhi [02:58.38]are investigating. [02:59.83]Timothy Walsh says he offered [03:02.92]his team to help [03:04.66]in the investigation, [03:06.31]but Indian officials [03:07.90]rejected the invitation. [03:09.91]He worries about [03:11.85]the science of the study. [03:13.69]TIMOTHY WALSH: "My fear is that [03:15.68]this investigation that [03:17.44]they are going to undertake [03:18.84]will almost certainly not employ [03:24.01]the right methods [03:24.87]and the study designed [03:26.97]will be quite poor and therefore [03:29.51]I'm not convinced [03:30.70]that the outcome [03:32.24]will be scientifically credible." [03:35.36]Professor Walsh also says [03:37.60]its time for the international community [03:40.65]to force countries to follow [03:43.30]World Health Organization [03:45.29]guidelines for antibiotic use. [03:48.38]And that's the VOA Special English [03:51.99]Health Report. [03:53.38]written by Caty Weaver [03:54.63]and Vidushi Sinha. [03:57.71]I'm Steve Ember.