Dubai study reveals worrying rise in drug-resistant germs

Vital drugs used to fight off deadly infections are potentially losing their potency, a study carried out in four Dubai hospitals has found.

Researchers warned the high volume of travellers visiting the UAE may make the country particularly susceptible to the growing global problem of drug resistance. This is often driven by overuse of antibiotics due to which bacteria adapt and survive making medical treatment ineffective.

They looked at a group of antibiotics known as carbapenems often used in patients who are seriously ill or have infections already resistant to other drugs.