A Delaware man has the first known case in the country of a rare infection.
Health officials reported that the 81-year-old New Castle County man has the NDM-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multidrug-resistant bacterial organism first reported in Serbia.
The victim, who already had underlying medical conditions, is currently receiving medical treatment in Pennsylvania.
Officials also say there is a second case of NDM-producing Pseudomonas in a Pennsylvania resident.
The Delaware Division of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pennsylvania Department of Health are investigating both cases.
NDM-producing CR Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterial organism that was detected in Europe after it was first reported in Serbia.
“NDM” is an antibiotic-resistant gene seen in different groups of bacteria. This is the first time the gene has been reported in Pseudomonas in the United States.
Pseudomonas bacteria can cause infections in the lungs and urinary tract and bloodstream among hospitalized patients or those with weakened immune systems.
People with weakened immune systems are the most susceptible to Pseudomonas infections. It is extremely rare for healthy individuals.