The so-called “superbugs” are microbial organisms which have, through genetic mutation, become resistant to common antibiotics and other drugs. Superbugs emerge due to the widespread use of these medicines.
It is important to use antibiotics and drugs cautiously. As their use becomes more widespread, the selective pressure on microorganism populations increases. This allows the resistant bacteria or viruses to thrive and eliminates weaker organisms thus resulting in more resistant populations. Often, medicines are prescribed to people who do not actually need them either because they are being overly worried or because their doctor is being cautious. When antibiotics, for example, are used for things other than bacterial infections they will become less effective for future bacterial infections, and bacteria could possibly acquire resistance genes.
As superbugs become more common, our drugs become less efficient. Although this may not be important to the average healthy person, this can be a disaster for people with immuno deficiencies who do not have the proper antibodies. Less common medicines which may be more expensive, cause side effects, or be less efficient, may also have to be prescribed. On a larger scale, if a bacteria or virus develops a resistance to common treatments, it may cause widespread epidemics such as the SARS outbreak in 2003, which caused over 800 deaths, and the H1N1 influenza virus. If we lose the ability to effectively treat people with similar diseases, new outbreaks could wipe out much of the population just like the Spanish Influenza did a hundred years ago.
So next time your doctor prescribes you an antibiotic as a preventive measure for your cold, think twice before actually taking a useless prescription. On the other hand, if you do need antibiotics, make sure you consume them in their full dose to wipe out the bacteria completely instead of letting the toughest survive and pass on their nastiness to someone else.
Leave a Reply