A gene that causes bacteria to become antimicrobial-resistant has been discovered in water by researchers at the University of Georgia.
According to WSB-TV, UGA's Centers for Food Safety found the MCR-9 gene in a bacteria called Morganella morganii after testing water in an urban area in Georgia.
The gene is dangerous because it can make bacteria resistant to an antibiotic called colistin. Colistin is considered a "last resort" antibiotic that can kill certain bacteria other antibiotics can't, making this a threat to global humanity.
Colistin is currently banned in the U.S. because of the bacteria possibly gaining resistance to it, WSB-TV reported.
UGA Assistant Professor Issmat Kassem says if the bacteria does become resistant to colistin, it could be deadly.
"This means that if people or animals contract a strain of colistin-resistant bacteria, there are potentially no medications that can treat their infection," Kassem stated. "They face extreme, invasive health measures and possible death."
Kassem noted that the MCR-9 gene in the bacteria could spread to illnesses, such as E-coli or Salmonella. If the gene changes those illnesses, they could become untreatable.
UGA's findings show that the gene could already be "more widespread than initially thought," which poses a global threat.
"If we don't tackle it right now, we are jeopardizing human and animal medicine as we know it and that can have huge repercussions on health and the economy," Kassem said. "It's a dangerous problem that requires attention from multiple sectors for us to be able to tackle it properly."
Antimicrobial resistance has been declared a top 10 threat to global humanity by the World Health Organization.