Antibiotic resistance a "catastrophic threat" - UK medical chief

[Gert van der Hoek]

Antibiotic resistance a "catastrophic threat" - UK medical chief

Mon, 11 Mar 2013

Source: Reuters // Reuters

* Drug-resistant superbugs evolve to evade antibiotics

* Strains of almost untreatable TB, gonorrhoea, are emerging

* Chief medical officer says future of medicine at threat

* Calls for healthcare and pharma industry to act urgently

By Kate Kelland

LONDON, March 11 (Reuters) - Antibiotic resistance poses a catastrophic threat to medicine and could mean patients having minor surgery risk dying from infections that can no longer be treated, Britain's top health official said on Monday.

Read more: Alert Net

[Giuseppe]

Re: Antibiotic resistance a "catastrophic threat" - UK medical chief

Taken into account the inherit properties of bacteria to grow resistant to inhibitory compounds, the calling for better pharmaceutical industry research and development may be unsuccesful since they are driven only by profits.

Public health is a global issue and needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner.

Waiting for corporate firms commitment is a bit dangerous.

An example is the overuse of antimicrobials in veterinary and farming industry and in cleansing products, as well as in daily home goods such as preservatives in soap, detergents.

The use of bacteriophages, vaccines and other immunomodulators for preventing and treating bacterial infections was naerly abandoned since the introduction of first oral antibiotics in clinical practice.

Hygiene in hospital and health care facilities is lacking even in wealthy countries because of recent economic depression and wrong policies.

GM

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Antibiotic resistance a "catastrophic threat" - UK medical chief

Guiseppe, I agree with your analysis: there is a world to win in prevention. Davis mentioned it, but this did not get as much attention as the call for more research.

Quote from Sally Davis:

Increasing surveillance to keep track of drug-resistant superbugs, prescribing fewer antibiotics and making sure they are only prescribed when needed, and ensuring better hygiene to keep infections to a minimum were equally important, she said.

A recent example from the Netherlands: a survey concluded 70 % of the administered antibiotics in hospitals is to "broad". (May be GP's tend to do the same thing, "just to be sure", GvdH)

In the Netherlands a new guideline has been developed recently: all hospitals have to install an "A-team": an antibiotic team. The " A-teams" will monitor all use of antibiotics and they may prescribe other, more specific antibiotics. Also they wil monitor preventive measures etc..