SUPERBUG? A giant animal that crawls around on the earth? No. What is a superbug? According to an article written by MayoClinic written by James M. Steckelberg, M.D., the term “superbug” is used to describe strains of bacteria that have developed resistance to a majority of the antibiotics used today. Antibiotic resistance is a natural occurring process; it can only be slowed, not stopped. The bacteria adapt to the drugs created to kill them as they mutate in order to survive. Due to this bacterial ability, many drugs become less effective and sometimes completely ineffective. There are many ways that can accelerate the speed at which antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread including:
- Using antibiotics incorrectly
- Having poor infection prevention and control practices
- Living or working in unsanitary conditions
- Mishandling food
It is crucial to slow this process down so antibiotics are able to treat bacterial infections effectively. In order to do this, there are a few practical steps to which people can help tackle antibiotic resistance:
- Using antibiotics as directed and only when needed
- Completing the full treatment course, even if you feel better
- Never sharing antibiotics with others
- Never using leftover prescriptions
“The situation is dire indeed: According to the newest data, more than 2.8 million people in the United States experience an infection from antibiotic resistant bacteria each year. Moreover, these “superbugs” cause 35,000 deaths per year in the country.“
-Maria Cohut Ph.D. on MedicalNewsToday
According to this quote, antibiotic resistance is a growing problem in our country. If we are unable to use antibiotics, bacterial infections will not be able to be treated and will end up killing more and more people. According to the 2019 report from the CDC in 2019, many bacteria are becoming antibitoic resistant. The 4 urgent-threats to healthcare are:
- Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter
- Candida auris
- Clostridioides difficile
- Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae
- Drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Each of these bacteria have already killed people and are on their way to killing more. Intervention is needed. However, it is not only humans who use antibiotics, animals are administered these drugs just as often within their food. Farmers use antibiotics to boost growth rates and prevent infection among livestock meant for sources of human meat. There is a rise in the antibiotic resistance in farm animals too, which is also having an effect on human health and resistance to specific antibiotics.
Shigella sonnei and Salmonella enterica are on the list of the CDC’s serious threats for 2019. Although they are not as urgent as C. diff, they still are killing people due to the development of resistance to antibiotics. It is important to be aware of this issue so that we do not take antibiotics lightly or just when we think we need them. Doctor’s also need money in order to provide research for new antibiotics and methods of killing bacteria in order to prevent the death’s of many more people.
Lexie's MCRO blog 