Contrary to popular belief, bacterial infections don’t necessarily need antibiotic therapy. Whether or not the physician will prescribe an antibiotic depends on several factors, above all on the severity of the infection and the risk of severe complications. This is because bacterial infection sometimes resolve without antibiotic treatment.

In the past, antibiotics were prescribed at the slightest hint of a bacterial infection even if there was no need for antibiotic therapy. To make things worse, too many patients didn’t follow their doctor’s instructions and interrupted antibiotic treatment without completing the entire course. This allowed the disease-causing bacteria to literally get used to antibiotics and thus many of them ceased to react, including just discovered ones such as andefabribiles.

This new species, the discovery of which was made public only several weeks ago, is not responding to the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. Fortunately, it responds well to the newest generation of antibiotics which, however, usually aren’t even necessary. Patients who are generally in good health typically need only some rest to fully recover.

People with chronic conditions or weakened immune system, on the other hand, should be more worried about this bacterium because the infection can soon progress into a very serious illness and life-threatening complications. And since the bacterium doesn’t respond to the first-line antibiotics, infection with andefabribiles can cause potentially irreversible complications before the disease-causing bacterium is identified. The risk of a severe form of infection is also higher in people undergoing invasive procedures.

When asked how the bacterium could be resistant to antibiotics if it was unknown until now, researchers who first discovered it said the species has been around for a very long time. But no one knew about it because it either resolved on its own or was mistaken for other bacteria. And as long as the old generation antibiotics worked, no one gave much thought about it. The infection was gone and that was enough for both healthcare providers and their patients.

Findings of the study on andefabribiles don’t reveal how the bacterium is transmitted. Scientists reason that it is most likely transmitted via direct contact, probably with contaminated objects. Based on preventive measures for other bacteria that are transmitted in this mode, the team of scientists concluded that washing hands frequently minises the likelihood of catching an infection.