Overprescribing of Antibiotics Chief Cause of Resistance - at least 2 million people in the US develop serious bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotics each yearWritten by Dr Thomas Frieden, Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this message was clearly stated in the headings of this article which I read. The CDC was extremely concerned over the alarming increase in pathogenic resistance against existing antibiotics and urgent public health threats were recently issued. According to them, at least 23,000 people died from the infections annually and yet new drugs are not being produced as fast as the development of antibiotic resistance.
The prevalent over-prescription of antibiotics in health care is accountable for the increase in antibiotic resistance by allowing these superbugs the chance to develop immunity against the drugs used to treat them. Antibiotic resistant Gonorrhoea, a diarrhoea causing bacteria and another killer bacteria are just some of the pathogens developing resistance.
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), a family of germs that are difficult to treat, was called a nightmare bacteria because none of the strongest antibiotics are effective in controlling it. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and a resistant tuberculosis are apparently of immediate concern too.
The question now is how such infectious diseases can be effectively kept under control before it becomes a public health crisis that affects a world wide population? In the local medical arena, is anyone spearheading any control measures, I wonder?
Meanwhile, I will be going to watch the Korean movie "The Flu" on the outbreak of a fatal disease sometime soon to get some insights on what and how one can do to save oneself, their love ones or should one just throw themselves over the building when all is lost.
