‘Superbugs’ study reveals complex picture of E. coli bloodstream infections

The first large-scale genetic study of Escherichia coli (E. coli) cultured from patients with bloodstream infections in England showed that drug resistant ‘superbugs’ don’t always out-compete other strains. Research has shown that new types of E. coli occur frequently, but unlike in some other infections, drug-resistant strains do not become a dominant cause of infection.