It was known on Monday that for the first time in Japan the NDM-1 superbug, which is resistant to almost all antibiotics, has been confirmed.

NDM-1 is an enzyme that turns bacteria into superbugs making them antibiotic resistant and its full name is New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 as it was discovered in New Delhi.

The hospital sources stated that the infected man was in his 50s and was a patient at Dokkyo Medical University Hospital in Mibumachi, Tochigi Prefecture.

In May last year he was hospitalized after he returned from a trip to India. He was diagnosed with E. coli that had a NDM-1 gene.

The man was treated at the hospital fully before he was discharged. The hospital sources added that in-hospital infections were not observed.

Apart form Japan, India, the United States and the Europe have reported cases of NDM-1 superbug. Not only in the medical institutions, but the NDM-1 superbug can be spread among otherwise healthy individuals.

Different kinds of bacteria can be invaded by the enzyme. As they can affect the public health to a great extent, bacteria carrying the NDM-1 gene are called superbugs.