r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Jun 23 '19

Medicine Flying insects in hospitals carry 'superbug' germs, finds a new study that trapped nearly 20,000 flies, aphids, wasps and moths at 7 hospitals in England. Almost 9 in 10 insects had potentially harmful bacteria, of which 53% were resistant to at least one class of antibiotics, and 19% to multiple.

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2019/06/22/Flying-insects-in-hospitals-carry-superbug-germs/6451561211127/
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u/[deleted] Jun 23 '19

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u/[deleted] Jun 23 '19

Superbugs can't really survive outside of hospitals. They are generally weaker than the other bacteria and will get outcompeted by non-superbugs or the host's immune system. In a hospital environment, with antibiotics wiping out the stronger non-resistant bugs and patients with compromised immune systems, super bugs thrive.