The disorder is characterized by visual and auditory hallucinations
When bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites evolve to withstand the drugs that are designed to kill them, this is known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Essentially, treatments like antibiotics are ineffective, which makes infections harder to treat.
Studies have shown that by the year 2050 antimicrobial-resistant infections could claim the lives of nearly 10 million people every year. This is a jump of nearly 70% from the current value.
One of the causes of AMR is the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial medications in humans, animals, and plants. Some people tend to consume medication at the slightest sign of illness, which causes microbes to quickly develop a resistance to them.
While AMR-related deaths among children under five have decreased due to vaccinations and better hygiene, deaths among older adults (70+) have surged by 80% since 1990. This figure may rise even further as aging populations are more vulnerable to severe infections.
While researchers estimate that AMR deaths will rise by 2050, they also predict that 11 to 92 million lives could be saved by then if potent antibiotics and better healthcare systems are implemented globally.
South Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa are the hardest-hit regions by AMR-related deaths. Many of these areas lack proper healthcare access, which makes it difficult to treat infections effectively.
In low-resource settings, basic healthcare essentials like antibiotics, oxygen, and intensive care are often unavailable. These shortages significantly exacerbate AMR's impact and prevent effective treatments for those battling infections.
Recently, the United Nations issued a report which indicates that climate change is a significant contributor of AMR. Rising temperatures, flooding, and pollution add to the conditions that allow antimicrobial-resistant pathogens to thrive.
Overcrowding also has a major effect on antimicrobial resistance, as it allows bacteria to spread more easily and create unsanitary conditions in densely populated urban areas.
As global temperatures rise, bacteria grow faster, and antibiotic-resistant genes spread more rapidly. This acceleration increases the likelihood of new resistant strains developing.
Severe flooding caused by climate change leads to poor sanitation and water pollution, which creates favorable conditions for infections to spread. Human waste in water environments contribute to the rise of bacteria that could develop resistance to adverse conditions.
The human body’s temperature sits at a comfortable 98.6°F (37°C), which fungi are not able to withstand (and is why they can’t grow inside people). However, as the world grows warmer, fungi and microbes are adapting to higher temperatures, which increases the odds of being able to infect humans.
Advanced medical procedures like organ transplants and chemotherapy are jeopardized because of superbugs. Drug-resistant infections make these procedures increasingly dangerous, putting patients at higher risk of infection-related complications that cannot be treated effectively.
Scientists have been considering phage therapy as a potential solution to fighting superbugs. This approach uses bacteriophages (which are viruses that selectively kill bacteria, pictured) to treat infections that are resistant to antibiotics.
Phage therapy has already seen moderate success in several clinical trials, which means that it may become crucial in treating antibiotic-resistant infections, with the potential to save millions of lives.
In one particular success story, a university professor in California fell into a coma due to an infection that he picked up in Iraq. After taking a few phage cocktails, the professor was able to recover quickly.
In May 2022, a rare antibiotic-resistant eye infection found in a specific brand of eye drops spread across 18 US states and led to multiple deaths and vision loss. Researchers discovered a bacteria that was capable of killing this pathogen.
Scientists continue to discover new bacteriophages in various environments, including sewers, bogs, and even the underside of boats. These phages are added to libraries in the hopes that they can be used in treating drug-resistant bacteria in the future.
By combining different bacteriophages into cocktails, scientists are able to offer a robust strategy for treating resistant infections. These cocktails can overwhelm bacteria’s defense mechanisms, making it harder for them to survive.
Scientists are still conducting further research to optimize the method of delivery for phage cocktails. Ultimately, the question remains as to whether it is best to deliver them via injection, topical application, or simply inhalation.
Countries like Georgia and Russia have been using off-the-shelf phage products for decades. Western countries are exploring similar options, aiming to develop commercially available cocktails that can treat a range of infections without needing customized, patient-specific solutions.
While it is promising, phage therapy faces many challenges, including the fact that scientists need to customize treatments for each individual patient’s bacterial infection, which takes a significant amount of time.
Phage therapy research centers (such as the one found at the University of California San Diego) are pushing boundaries with clinical trials targeting chronic infections, including diabetic foot ulcers and urinary tract infections.
Phage research is also advancing through genetic engineering, allowing scientists to modify phages to better target specific bacterial strains. This technique could overcome the challenge of finding the perfect phage in nature and pave the way for mass-produced, tailored treatments.
Antibiotics are also used in livestock and food production, which means that antimicrobial resistant infections could develop even through plant life and cattle. The spread of superbugs in agriculture and farming can be reduced only if the use of antibiotics is minimized.
Reducing pollution (especially in water sources) is key to combating AMR. Pollutants like human waste create ideal conditions for resistant bacteria to thrive. Addressing these environmental issues will reduce the spread of resistant pathogens and limit superbug outbreaks.
Promoting vaccination can help prevent infections in the first place, which would reduce the need for antibiotic use. Vaccines can lower the incidence of bacterial infections, decreasing the reliance on antibiotics and slowing the development of resistance.
While the AMR crisis is significant, advances in medicine and public health interventions offer hope. If collaborative global efforts increase with the aim of improving healthcare, reducing pollution, and responsibly managing antibiotic use, then superbugs might just become eradicated.
Sources: (CNN) (The Guardian) (WSVN) (National Institutes of Health) (World Health Organization) (United Nations)
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The looming superbug crisis: could it kill millions?
The desperate fight against the unseen to secure our world's future
HEALTH World health
The human body is a remarkable collection of biological processes that have evolved over thousands of years, but it now stands on the brink of a silent catastrophe. While our bodies have evolved to withstand infections and diseases, superbugs once defeated by modern medicine are evolving as well and outsmarting the antibiotics we rely on. Millions of people could die from these invisible enemies every year, turning routine infections into untreatable killers. But there may be a glimmer of hope amidst this looming catastrophe, and scientists are now throwing their efforts into outwitting antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
What, exactly, is this crisis that humans are facing? And what is being done to stop it? Click through this gallery to find out.