More Than 2.8 Million People Infected, the Rise of Super Bacteria: The Human Antibiotic Crisis

More Than 2.8 Million People Infected, the Rise of Super Bacteria: The Human Antibiotic Crisis

Although bio-medical research has helped us overcome many health threats, we are now facing a new type of crisis – many dangerous bacteria are developing a resistance to drugs designed to fight them. Medical staff often use antibiotics to treat many forms of bacterial infections, from mild infections to potentially life-threatening infections. These antibacterial drugs were widely used in the early 20th century, although some medical historians believe that natural antibiotics appeared in traditional therapies as early as 350-550 AD.

To a large extent, antibiotics have proved to be important allies for health, but in the past few years, these drugs have started to have problems in the fight against bacteria. This is because more and more strains have developed antibiotic resistance, and they are no longer affected by drugs that once inhibited their growth and activity.

This means that many bacteria have become more threatening because we do not have many ways to counteract them.

When doctors find that bacterial infections do not respond to traditional antibiotic treatment, they are forced to use stronger, more aggressive antibiotics or antibiotic combinations. Unfortunately, this increasingly restrictive approach may also have adverse health effects. So, how did we get here today? Are things as bad as they seem? More importantly, what can doctors, researchers, and the public do to solve the growing problem of antibiotic resistance?

A Growing Health Crisis

Recently, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report reviewing the latest data on antibiotic resistance. From the first page of this report, they made it clear that we are facing an important threat. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dedicates this report to “48,700 families who lose loved ones every year due to antibiotic resistance, and countless healthcare providers, public health experts, innovators and others who are fighting back for everything they have. "

The situation is indeed grim: according to the latest data, more than 2.8 million people in the United States are infected by drug-resistant bacteria every year. In addition, these "super bacteria" cause 35,000 deaths each year.

This threat is not new. This has been the case for many years. Dr. Jesse Jacob, an expert on bacterial resistance at Emory University in Atlanta, told us: "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the first report of the threat of antibiotic resistance in 2013.” Although he added: "Since the initial report, the number of deaths from these infections has declined, and the CDC has increased the estimated number of people infected with antibiotic resistance from 2 million to nearly 3 million each year."

Many bacteria are not responding to first-line or even second-line treatment, which means that people with these infections face higher risks and worse health outcomes. Dr. Jesse Jacobs states, "For a long time, antibiotic resistance has been a problem, but the threats we face are real, immediate and require immediate action. Antibiotic resistance threatens modern medicine. The ability to safely perform routine surgery, complex organ transplantation, and chemotherapy depend on the ability to prevent and treat infections. "

Consistent Antibiotic Abuse

A recent report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, "Antibiotic resistance is not only a problem in the United States but also a global crisis." This information begs the question, what caused this problem to reach a crisis point? According to a review in the Journal of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, the answer to this question is complex. The first and most obvious cause of antibiotic resistance is the abuse and overuse of these drugs.

According to a review in the Journal of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, the answer to this question is complex. The first and most obvious cause of antibiotic resistance is the abuse and overuse of these drugs. Some people mistakenly think that taking any antibiotic can be a cure-all. They use these drugs to treat diseases such as flu. However, antibiotics can only target and kill bacteria, so they can only treat bacterial infections.

Antibiotics are powerless against the flu and other diseases caused by viruses. Therefore, when someone takes antibiotics or uses too many antibiotics because of the wrong disease, this will kill the body's source of sterilization, threatening the delicate balance on which health depends. In addition, bacteria are naturally prone to evolution and mutation. Over time, some bacterial strains have found ways to adapt so that certain antibiotics will not affect them. As such, when we take antibiotics at the wrong time or overuse antibiotics, this makes it easier for drug-resistant bacteria to take over- spread and multiply, and sometimes more drug-resistant bacteria strains are produced.

In the United States and other countries around the world, pharmacies are not allowed to sell antibiotics to people who cannot prescribe. However, trusted sources indicate that many people can still buy these drugs without a doctor's prescription. In addition, some studies have shown that doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics or the wrong type of antibiotics, which may be the cause of the current health crisis. According

to a recent research paper, 30-60% of antibiotics prescribed by doctors to people in the intensive care unit are unnecessary.

Animals are also Affected

It's not just humans who use antibiotics. Although in some cases, it is perfectly reasonable to give these drugs to animals, recent studies have pointed out that the increasing use of antibiotics on farms is a problem. According to a recent study, about 80% of all antibiotics sold in the United States originate from animal farming. Farmers use antibiotics on animals at such a high rate to increase growth rates and prevent infections, which is more common in livestock because producers handle these animals in order to reproduce or serve as a source of meat. New research found that antibiotic resistance in farm animals is now increasing-and the incidence is increasing rapidly. Dr. Jacobs said, "We need to better understand the relationship between the use of antibiotics in humans and animals and the growing antibiotic resistance-this concept is a health, the health of people, animals and plants Are all interconnected and interdependent. "

What is the way forward?

Faced with increasing threats, policymakers have been pushing for the more careful use of antibiotics overall, and researchers have been looking for treatments that can effectively resist antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Dr. Jacobs said, "More and more studies have shown that in terms of treating common infections, the shorter the better, but we need more evidence to prove many more complex infections. We need research to discover new drugs, but we can't just rely on the new drug pipeline to solve this problem, because drug resistance will eventually happen to all drugs."

Dr. Jacobs also pointed out that better methods are needed to determine which infections require antibiotics, and when it is safe to start and stop this treatment. He added, "We also need to better understand the non-antibiotic methods used to treat infections, including phages, vaccines, and antibodies." The Emory University team has been working hard to find a way to use existing antibiotics more effectively against super bacteria. The research that Dr. Jacob participated in showed that the use of specific antibiotic combinations can combat certain resistant bacteria. Another recent study from the University of California, Los Angeles shows that, unlike the combination of one or two antibiotics commonly used by doctors, healthcare professionals may want to use a combination of four or even five of these drugs. Dr. Pamela Yeh, a co-author of the study, believes that the combination of multiple antibiotics is “better” than current strategies in fighting super bacteria.

New medicines and more natural methods

After a 2017 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that "a serious lack of new antibiotics", other researchers are also looking for new drugs. For example, a team of researchers from the University of Sheffield and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Decourt, UK, began developing a new compound earlier this

year. They hope to effectively target bacteria, especially for Multi-drug resistant E. coli strains. Other researchers are thinking further, trying to harness the potential of bacteriophage or bacteriophage viruses. This is the case with a team from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Many scientists are looking for natural ways to fight super bacteria. They suspect that compounds from plant sources may be as effective as antibiotics, or even more effective. So far, researchers have identified green tea, cranberry, Persian onion, and turmeric as potential sources of effective alternative antibiotics.

What can we do now?

However, for now, many experts recommend focusing on preventing infections. However, it is easier said than done. According to recent data, this new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists drug-resistant Acinetobacter, Candida, C. difficile, and Enterobacteriaceae as the most pressing threats to health. All these bacteria can infect those who have recently received medical care and are usually still in the hospital. Dr. Jacob explained: "Some bacteria were brought into the hospital by patients, while others were obtained by other means, partly to save lives, including antibiotic treatment and (other involvement) medical equipment interventions such as veins Catheters and mechanical ventilators. "

What should a doctor do? Dr. Jacobs said, "Medical staff can prevent infections by washing hands and following infection prevention measures, using antibiotics appropriately, vaccinating patients, and disinfecting equipment in a timely manner." He added, "The key to educating patients and their families about these methods." However, no matter how much care the doctors take, dangerous bacteria may still prevail. A 2018 study showed that many bacteria developed resistance to alcohol disinfectants used in medical facilities. Worryingly, the latest research has found that C. difficile seems resilient to all hospital disinfectants. Dr. Jacobs emphasized, "Use antibiotics only when needed, especially in case of" just in case. "