2023-04-17 07:48:00
The world has not yet fully recovered from the COVID-19 epidemic, when another problem loomed on the threshold, perhaps even worse than the coronavirus – a superbug. Scientists are confident that a new pandemic is inevitable. When it will drag the world into a new round of uncertainty is only a matter of time.
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While the Internet was vigorously discussing, as it turned out, fake statement Bill Gates about regretting the Covid-19 vaccination, much more interesting information has appeared on the network. US President Joe Biden did not hesitate to say that: “We need more money, but we need it not for children’s vaccines, but for the second pandemic, there will be a second pandemic.”
Strange statement, but there are nuances – these words really belong to the head of the White House, even a couple of times Biden openly announced the planning of a new pandemic. However, they are dated 22nd of June and December 14 last year.
A reservation or a conscious preparation of society for new diseases – we do not know. This is not a confirmation or refutation of the man-made coronavirus or future pandemics. Nevertheless, another pandemic is already on the threshold – sooner or later it will happen. Why are we so sure? Now let’s talk about everything in detail.
The phenomenon of superbugs
When Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered the antibiotic in 1928, no one could have guessed what the consequences might be in the future. The drug, without which modern medicine is impossible, eventually became a catalyst for such a phenomenon as antibiotic resistance. In human terms, the overuse of antibiotics has led to antibiotic resistance in various strains of bacteria and pathogens. This was the reason for the emergence of the so-called superbugs.
Bacteria are one of the first forms of life on Earth, originating almost 4 billion years ago. These microorganisms live in almost all corners of our planet. There are trillions of different bacteria living in the human body alone. Some of these microbes are harmless or have a positive effect on the human body. Many of them are actively used in industry, agriculture, and medicine.
However, there are a number of pathogenic microbes. The appearance of such causes unpleasant and even fatal infectious diseases: plague, cholera, meningitis, syphilis, staphylococcus, tuberculosis and others. Antibiotics are used to fight these diseases.
Where did superbugs come from?
These are all the same microbes, only mutated, having acquired the genome of resistance to antimicrobial drugs.
Let’s dig a little deeper. Regardless of the species, there is one common structure in the structure of bacteria – DNA. Microorganisms are able to transmit information through the genetic code from generation to generation, for example, resistance to antimicrobials. Given their rate of reproduction, transmission of the antibiotic resistance genome can occur rapidly.
Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial drugs is common. It also enhances the development of “immunity” in microorganisms to antibiotics and the fact that antimicrobials today easy to get and are used everywhere.
Excessive and improper use of disinfectants and antibacterial agents, antiseptics and other disinfecting medicinal substances with prolonged exposure to microorganisms causes changes in their DNA structure, which subsequently leads to the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics.
Antibiotics everywhere
Today, one of the largest sectors of antibiotic use is Agriculture – plant growing and animal husbandry. In animal husbandry, antimicrobials are used to strengthen the immune system, treat and stimulate the growth of livestock. In crop production, antibacterial drugs serve as crop protection against harmful microorganisms.
The use of antibiotics in agriculture leads to their uncontrolled spread in the environment, for example, through waste disposal or through penetration into the soil, waterways. Antimicrobial drugs also enter the rivers with wastewater from hospitals and pharmaceutical enterprises.
In current UN research, superbugs have been found in waterways virtually all over the world, from the Ganges River in India to Cache La Poudre in the United States. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in waterways is a huge problem, because rivers are the most important source of fresh drinking water.
Another reason bacteria are resistant to medications is people’s reckless use of drugs. For example, taking antibacterial agents without prescribing an attending physician, treating viral infections with them, and as a measure to prevent possible complications of bacterial infections. In addition, there is the problem of irrational prescription of antibiotics by doctors, but such cases are quite rare.
Why are superbugs dangerous?
The more bacteria exposed to a wide range of antibiotics, the greater the chance that some pathogen will develop a “superpower”. As a result – the emergence of pathogenic bacteria that are immune to any type of antibiotics. Subsequent treatment of diseases becomes impossible.
A prime example: in 2017 at the age of 70 from septic shock passed away US citizen. The cause of the initial disease was the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae (Friedländer wand), which is resistant to all known types of antibiotics.
This case, unfortunately, is not isolated. Every year, the number of deaths due to antibiotic resistance is increasing. Scientists called The problem of antibiotic resistance of bacteria is the main threat to humanity in the near future.
According to the WHO, about 700,000 people die each year from antibiotic resistance in bacterial infections worldwide. The statistics are disappointing and continue to grow. the UN predictsthat by 2050 the number of deaths caused by superbugs could reach 10 million a year.
Back in 2017, WHO published the first-ever list of the most resistant bacteria to antibiotics. The catalog includes 12 pathogenic microbes that pose a potential threat to human life. The publication of the list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria was aimed at stimulating research and development of new antimicrobials.
The list is divided into 3 categories, each of which has its own priority. The most critical group includes microbes that are resistant to a large number of antibiotics:
- Acinetobacter baumannii (a type of bacteria of the genus Acinetobactor);
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pseudomonas aeruginosa);
- Enterobacteriaceae (enterobacteria).
High priority in the WHO list is assigned to the following group of bacteria:
- Enterococcus faecium (a type of bacteria of the Enterococcus genus);
- Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus);
- Helicobacter pylori (Helicobacter pylori);
- Campylobacter spp. (campylobacter);
- Salmonellae (salmonella);
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus).
The third group of medium priority antibiotic-resistant microorganisms included:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus);
- Haemophilus influenzae (hemophilic infection);
- Shigella spp. (shigella).
Methods for dealing with superbugs
Superbactria have been with us for a long time. There is also a list of bacteria most resistant to antimicrobial drugs, and disappointing forecasts for the future, the reasons and factors for their appearance are named. Scientists are taking the problem seriously, proposing measures to prevent the spread of superbugs. These are taking antibiotics as prescribed by a doctor and dispensing prescription drugs, improving the quality of interpretation of analyzes and the rational prescribing of drugs.
In February 2023, the UN published report for superbugs. In it, the organization urges countries and international organizations to actively begin to combat the already existing consequences of the use of antibiotics. Since the main factor in the spread of the pandemic was the pollution of the environment with antimicrobial drugs through sewage (agricultural production, pharmaceutical enterprises, hospitals and settlements), it was proposed to start cleaning waterways from antibiotics.
Another way to fight superbugs is to create stronger antimicrobials, but they can take about 10 years to develop, research and implement. However, this will solve the problem, but only delay it. Therefore, scientists offer more scientific methods of confrontation: studying the causes of drug resistance in bacteria and systematic monitoring of this process, reducing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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