Anti-biotic Resistant Superbugs

[GT Pro]

Superbug: An Epidemic Begins

Science


Less than a century ago, the age-old evolutionary relationship between humans and microbes was transformed not by a gene, but by an idea. The antibiotic revolution inaugurated the era of modern medicine, trivializing once-deadly infections and paving the way for medical breakthroughs: organ transplants and chemotherapy would be impossible without the ability to eliminate harmful bacteria seemingly at will.

But perhaps every revolution contains the seeds for its own undoing, and antibiotics are no exception: antibiotic resistance—the rise of bacteria impervious to the new “cure”—has followed hard on the heels of each miracle drug. Recently, signs have arisen that the ancient relationship between humans and bacteria is ripe for another change. New drugs are scarce, but resistant bacteria are plentiful. Every year, in the United States alone, they cause two million serious illnesses and 23,000 deaths, reflected in an estimated $20 billion in additional medical costs. “For a long time, there have been newspaper stories and covers of magazines that talked about ‘The end of antibiotics, question mark,’” said one official from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on PBS’s Frontline last year. “Well, now I would say you can change the title to ‘The end of antibiotics, period.’”

If the end is here, it has been a relatively long time coming. Its complex roots are evident in the lengthy relationship between humans and Staphylococcus aureus, a resilient species that has met each antibiotic challenge with new, more resistant incarnations. If the gains of the antibiotic revolution are to be preserved, the lessons to be learned lie in this relationship as well. S. aureus, after all, was present at the antibiotic era’s very beginnings.

...

Nearly 80 years after the antibiotic revolution, the human relationship with S. aureus is again on the verge of change. Genes for vancomycin resistance are increasingly prevalent, and on at least 12 separate occasions, they have entered MRSA to create new, vancomycin-resistant strains. Resistance to last-line drugs is brewing in many other bacterial species as well. Chance will determine when resistance finally catches on, and resistant strains spread through the bacterial population—taking the place of what has come before, once again transforming the game of survival that humans and microbes play.

I'm not so sure there is any way of stopping this.

 

[Imari]

I'm not so sure there is any way of stopping this.

It's called evolution. No, there's not really any way of stopping it, unless you can exterminate every last member of a disease. Fat chance, they're slippery little buggers.

On the plus side, humans also evolve. Even without drugs. It's how we're not extinct yet, the people with immune systems that don't roll over and die at the first sneeze tend to multiply quite well.

 

[niky]

Nice for the survivors a few generations down the line. Not nice for those of us present during the pandemic.

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At this point, tailoring bacteria-specific viruses seems like the only way to go.

 

[Grayfox]

One issue is people get drugs for the smallest illness.

They get a throat infection, they get drugs for it meaning your immune system never really fights off the infection.

 

[Famine]

Antibiotics are but one way of killing bacteria. Bacteriocins - proteins made by bacteria themselves to kill competing bacterial colonies - are another...

 

[CinnamonOD]

The problem is that bacteria and other microorganisms are evolving faster because of antibiotics and medicines, from generation to another one, things are changing, they get more resistant, and we'll need more powerful antibiotics, or higher amounts of them, and that can cause us a problem on the long way, apart that some people buy medicines for absolutely everything, that makes people less resistant to more severe diseases

 

[DQuaN]

It's a government conspiracy!

 

[Barra333]

The problem is that bacteria and other microorganisms are evolving faster because of antibiotics and medicines, from generation to another one, things are changing, they get more resistant, and we'll need more powerful antibiotics, or higher amounts of them, and that can cause us a problem on the long way, apart that some people buy medicines for absolutely everything, that makes people less resistant to more severe diseases

Bacteria evolve faster because they reproduce faster - a generation time of minutes (varies greatly by species - Staph aureus is pretty quick though), rather than ~20years for us.

 

[Carbonox]

I guess it's a good thing I don't recall having used antibiotics, possibly in my whole life?

 

[KSaiyu]

It has to be seen to be believed the extent antibiotics are prescribed. In my ward currently over 90% of patients are on something - and as soon as the infection is over give them another week and they'll have a whole new one. It's frightening how reliant we are on them.

 

[CodeRedR51]

It has to be seen to be believed the extent antibiotics are prescribed. In my ward currently over 90% of patients are on something - and as soon as the infection is over give them another week and they'll have a whole new one. It's frightening how reliant we are on them.

The last antibiotic I recall taking was for a very short head cold I had last year. I only really had one day of it being pretty bad, then it went away as fast as it came. I very rarely get sick, so I don't keep any antibiotics in the house for anything more than allergies or colds. (not sure if allergies count, mine get bad in the spring) It's been so long since I had the flu, I can't recall the last time I had it.

 

[Barra333]

I think (hope) you have your terminology mixed up there @R1600Turbo.
Antibiotics are specific drugs that target and kill specific bacteria. They generally have a reasonably short shelf life, and since they are prescription only and should always be finished, no one should have antobiotics lying around the house.
The stuff that is sitting in the bathroom cupboard are, for the most part, symptom relievers against viruses (colds) or pollen (hayfever)

For bonus information, antibiotics are so hard to develop because the researchers have to find a specific protein or aspect of the cell which is unique to that species, and can be targeted by a known compound. You can't go all genocidal on all bacteria in the body, because at any given time, there are probably as many bacterial cells in your body than there are body cells. Most of them doing good things.

 

[KSaiyu]

The last antibiotic I recall taking was for a very short head cold I had last year. I only really had one day of it being pretty bad, then it went away as fast as it came. I very rarely get sick, so I don't keep any antibiotics in the house for anything more than allergies or colds. (not sure if allergies count, mine get bad in the spring) It's been so long since I had the flu, I can't recall the last time I had it.

Was talking about inpatients, and while there has been a clamp down on prescribing in the community there's a significant discrepancy (in the UK at least) between areas.

 

[CodeRedR51]

I think (hope) you have your terminology mixed up there @R1600Turbo.

I probably do, nobody ever said I knew about anything other than cars.

 

[Omnis]

Most antibiotic resistance is thanks to bacteria actively pumping out antibiotics through various/unknown mechanisms. My professor studies this in her lab. Very interesting stuff for sure.

 

[daan]

Antibiotics are but one way of killing bacteria. Bacteriocins - proteins made by bacteria themselves to kill competing bacterial colonies - are another...

Is that the "good" bacteria?