This week, Infection Control Today reported about researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden who are trying to find “evolution-slowing” substances that could help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics.
Superbug blogger Maryn McKenna brought attention to a significant agreement made on Nov. 3 between the U.S. government and the European Union to form a joint task force on antibiotic resistance, an event mainly overlooked by U.S. media.
In Controversies in Hospital Infection, Mike Edmond describes two new studies about the role of clothing in infection control and how clothing affects patients' perceptions of doctors.
1 Comment
Struggle Against Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
"A War We May Never Win"
A new report from the American Academy of Microbiology begins: The struggle against antibiotic resistance is "A War We Will Never Win". My prayer "Oh Lord, give me the strength to fight a battle that I may never win" published at Medica 2006, was not answered because medical device and drug manufacturers never understood the gravity of this threat. I warned them that all invasive practical procedures, operations, plastic surgery, transplant surgery, hip or knee replacement, open heart surgery, bypass and minor surgical procedures will soon come to a grinding halt. The very technology we’ve created to help us live more comfortable and, yes, often healthier lives will turn around and bite us-hard. This proves just how vulnerable we are despite all our scientific know-how and advances in medicine.
This does not sounds like a B-movie on the Sci-Fi Channel anymore because President Barack Obama and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the European Union (EU) Presidency, have now establishing a transatlantic task force to address antibiotic resistance, an urgent and growing problem that threatens patient safety and public health worldwide. They joined forces to address the urgency of the problem and the need for solutions by signing an international agreement that seeks cooperative ways in which to help combat the global health crisis.
Assistant Secretary for Health and Surgeon General David Satcher, of U.S. Public Health Service U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Antimicrobial Resistance: Solutions to a Growing Public Health Threat. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antimicrobial resistance as one of the three greatest threats to human health.
I am probably been one of the first few to warn about this threat that will bring an end to our medical profession. My colleagues and friends told me that I am paranoid, pessimistic and negative. I feel sad and cry in pain because my worry was true. We are now forced to watch this drama unfold and will see our children suffer. There is no place to hide and we pay for the atrocities and arrogance for playing God.
In 1989, we were talking about Staphylococcus but now we have a huge army of microbes to deal with. These bacteria, viruses and fungus will bring medical profession down on our knees and threaten our existence on this planet.
Its not only antibiotics these bacteria are capable of resisting but they are swimming around in our sea, thrive in alcohol, spread via water and established them self in the soil, where can we hide?
Post new comment