One of the greatest threats facing humanity Related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), This could end centuries of medical progress and make it difficult to treat illnesses caused by bacteria such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, urinary tract infections, and pharyngeal tonsillitis.
Dr. Martha Ospina, director of the National Institutes of Health (INS), mentioned “superbugs” at a 2021 Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) event.
“Resistance mechanisms are getting newer and newer; Microorganisms develop new ways of resisting when attacked, This is closely related to the fact that there are no new molecules (such as antibiotics) to combat them,” he explained, according to a report from the Pan American Health Organization.
Continue reading: (Superbugs: 10 million expected to die by 2050)
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This is shocking because for nearly a century, Medicines that fight bacteria, called antibiotics, They help control and eliminate many of the harmful bacteria that make us sick.
However, these drugs have lost their effectiveness against certain types of bacteria.In fact, due to the misuse of these drugs, certain bacteria are now insurmountable by existing drugs, leading to Drug-resistant “superbugs.”
Each year, these drug-resistant bacteria infect more than 2 million people and kill at least 23,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Resistance in tuberculosis, gonorrhea and staphylococcal infections are just some of the dangers we face,” they warned.
Also read: (Communication between bacteria? Key to fighting antibiotic resistance)
Abuse of antibiotics
Antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed medications for people and animals and are effective against bacterial infections such as strep throat and certain types of pneumonia, diarrheal diseases and ear infections.
However, these drugs don’t work at all against viruses (such as those that cause colds or flu), but many people use them in these situations.
The overuse and misuse of antibiotics has led to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria.
“If used correctly, antibiotics can help destroy the bacteria that cause disease. However, if you take antibiotics when you have a viral infection like the flu, the medicine will not affect the virus. Instead, it will destroy many types of bacteria in the body. Bacteria, including some “good” bacteria that help you digest food, fight infections, and stay healthy. Bacteria that are strong enough to survive medications will have a chance to grow and multiply quickly. These drug-resistant strains can even be transmitted to others,” the CDC explains.
Therefore, health agencies urge to avoid self-medication and strictly follow doctor’s instructions when prescribing antibiotics. If your medical provider doesn’t prescribe these types of medications, don’t insist.
The consequences of superbugs
Because of this mutation in bacteria, Infection control is becoming increasingly difficult, making The patient does not respond to the treatment regimen or requires more dosage.
“Sometimes, they must be hospitalized and may die because there is no other way to treat the infections caused by drug-resistant organisms, which increases costs for care and the overall health system,” PAHO said.
Also: (Superbugs: Scientists’ race against time for solutions)
To this end, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) issued an alert stating: By 2050, up to 10 million people will die each year due to drug resistance Some bacteria and other microorganisms have developed, especially after the unreasonable intake of antibiotics and their exponential growth during the pandemic.
Antimicrobial drugs and superbugs are also affecting economies, expected to reduce gross domestic product (GDP) by at least $3.4 trillion annually by the end of this decade, pushing some 24 million people into extreme poverty, according to the United Nations.
The risk is potential because some of the most dangerous superbugs used to be found only in medical centers, but now they are out there, in the community, and anyone can be infected.
For example, an increasingly common superbug found outside hospitals is Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Resistance to methicillin, which can cause skin infections and, in more severe cases, Pneumonia or blood infection.
There are also sexually transmitted infections, which involve Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Foodborne illness (ETA), involving four microorganisms: Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Campylobacter spp., and Listeria monocytogenes, Mention a few
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