Superbugs. It sounds like the name of a new comic book movie - but in fact, it refers to a group of infections resistant to traditional treatment methods - and is a significant challenge for health authorities worldwide.
How do you get a superbug, though? As we’ll soon discover, Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin in the 1920s has helped to fuel an anti-microbial arms race - where medical professionals such as those who complete NP programs online are on the frontline, up against an enemy that is constantly looking for ways to resist treatment and change.
Let’s explore the world of tiny microorganisms that can cause massive problems for our bodies. What can we do to protect ourselves?
What does ‘antimicrobial resistance’ mean?
Microorganisms can be problematic for our bodies. They’re microscopic particles like fungi, bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which can live on the planet around us. While there are plenty of microorganisms that humanity peacefully coexists with, there are all sorts of viruses and bacteria that can be dangerous to humans.
Historically, when people have infections or other illnesses caused by microorganisms, treatment has usually been a course of antimicrobials. However, repeated exposure to the same antimicrobial agents has allowed some organisms to become resistant to them, and as a result, those antimicrobials are no longer effective on them.
One of the most well-known examples of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). This type of bacterial infection is highly resistant to many of the antibiotics traditionally used to treat staph infections.
What are antimicrobials?
Antimicrobials are products that kill microorganisms. You’ve probably used antimicrobials at least once in your life - perhaps when you were sick, a doctor prescribed you an antibiotic to help fight illness.
One of the most well-known antimicrobials is penicillin. Discovered by Scottish physician Alexander Fleming in 1928, penicillin is one of a group of antimicrobials known as antibiotics. For the better part of a century, it has been a vital tool in medicine’s fight against microorganisms that cause illness.
It’s essential to recognize that while antimicrobials are effective at killing off microorganisms, they may not always kill every single one of them. This can be because an organism may have become resistant to treatment. Over time, more and more of these antimicrobial-resistant organisms may develop, leading to an increased risk of infections resistant to antimicrobial medicines.
Why is antimicrobial resistance such a threat?
Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to public health. Why?
Simply put, a lot of innovation and advancement in healthcare in the last hundred years have resulted from antimicrobials. We use antimicrobials in a number of different ways - and they can help our bodies fight back when we are ill.
The rise of superbugs, or antimicrobial resistance, threatens humanity's gains in fighting infections and illnesses. For example, some of the more serious variants of MRSA have a mortality rate of between 20-50% - and there are very few ways to treat it.
There are also additional challenges. If antimicrobial-resistant infections become widespread, it can also increase the likelihood of them taking hold in medical facilities such as surgeries, clinics, and hospitals. This can make it much more challenging for healthcare professionals to treat those with little or no immune system.
Preventing antimicrobial resistance
Fortunately, the fight against microorganisms isn’t over yet—this isn’t The Last of Us. We can use several strategies to reduce the likelihood of antimicrobial resistance, and many of us do these things regularly.
The first is relatively simple - and is something that many physicians and medical staff can do. Simply put, it’s not to prescribe antimicrobials when they are unlikely or unable to treat an illness.
Another way to fight antimicrobial resistance is to adopt good hygiene, such as regularly washing hands. It may seem simple, but washing one’s hands is a great way to help get rid of germs and reduce the risk of getting sick.
Unfortunately, tackling antimicrobial resistance is not as simple as inventing new antibiotics to tackle infection. Developing and introducing new medicines broadly can take decades - which is a major challenge when creating effective treatments.
How do healthcare providers treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria?
When someone contracts an infection that is resistant to antibiotics, there are limited tools that doctors can deploy to fight antibiotic resistance. In some instances, doctors may explore using carbapenems - an antibiotic that is effective against severe infections.
In some areas, carbapenems are known as an antibiotic of last resort - typically, doctors will only explore treatment with them if all other options have failed. The use of carbapenems in care also raises a tricky question for doctors - if, one day, there are superbugs that are resistant to even the most potent antibiotics around, how will we tackle infection and illness?
So, now you know a little more about superbugs. While they are not a comic book movie, antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance play a vital role in the conflict between illness and treatment.
Reviewed by
