A strain of cholera resistant to multiple antibiotics has spread from Yemen and has reached Mayotte. This development may render current treatments obsolete.
Since 2018, a particularly resistant strain of the bacterium *Vibrio cholerae*, responsible for cholera, has been worrying researchers. Detected in Yemen, it subsequently caused a series of outbreaks in several countries. The island of Mayotte, in the Indian Ocean, was recently affected by this strain, with 221 cases and five deaths reported.
Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, in collaboration with the Mayotte Central Hospital, identified this strain as being resistant to ten antibiotics. This resistance notably includes two of the three most commonly used drugs against cholera: azithromycin and ciprofloxacin.
Cholera is a severe infection that, if untreated, can lead to death within hours. The traditional treatment relies on rehydration to compensate for fluid and electrolyte losses, while antibiotics are administered to shorten the disease duration and limit transmission.
However, the resistant strain identified in Mayotte is a cause for concern. Researchers have warned about the risk that it may now develop resistance to tetracycline, the last effective antibiotic against cholera. If this occurs, it would deprive medicine of the last available option to treat this disease.
Professor François-Xavier Weill, director of the National Reference Center for Vibrios at the Institut Pasteur, emphasizes that this development requires an immediate strengthening of global surveillance. The objective is to monitor the strain's spread and assess its mutations in real time.
Since its appearance in Yemen in 2018-2019, this strain has gradually moved to other regions, including Lebanon in 2022, Kenya in 2023, and more recently Mayotte. This phenomenon highlights the importance of extensive health monitoring to prevent future epidemic crises.
Experts are also calling for strict control measures on hygiene conditions and access to safe drinking water in areas affected by the bacterium. Cholera is primarily transmitted through contaminated water or food.
While awaiting solutions, scientists stress the importance of strengthening international cooperation to track the spread of this strain and protect vulnerable populations, especially in the most exposed regions.
Article author: Cédric DEPOND