Welcome
to my first blog of Biodefense and infectious diseases! In this blog, I am
going to introduce you to a problem that is slowly plaguing our society. If we
do not acquaint ourselves with the problem or do not take steps to control the
situation, then it may be too late. I am talking about Multidrug-Resistant
Organisms (MDROs), also known as “superbugs”.
What are these superbugs?
What makes these pathogens resistant and how can you acquire them?
 |
| Medical illustration of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
There
are multiple ways in which these pathogens acquire resistance against the
antimicrobial drugs. Bacteria have a very short life cycle and they multiply
rapidly, so if a single bacterium becomes resilient to a drug, it would not
take long for the population of that new bacteria to grow and defeat the
antibiotic. Another factor that contributes to the emergence of MDROs is the
abuse and misapplication of antibiotics. English and Gaur argue that despite a
refined healthcare system in United States, misuse of antibiotics occurs due to
overly prescribed antibiotics, while in some countries it occurs due to the
availability of antibiotics over the counter. In some cases, not adhering to
the antibiotic regimen is also responsible for giving rise to resistant
pathogens. It is especially true for HIV disease, and missing doses of the HIV
medication can cause the virus to mutate and become resistant (“HIV Treatment:
Drug Resistance”).
Why should you be concerned?
There
are multiple reasons why we should be concerned about these bugs. Shall we look
at the casualties? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated 23,000
deaths and 2 million sicknesses annually due to antibiotic resistant bacteria. If
this is not enough, then here are some more reasons:
Dr.
Lance Price, a public health researcher, sheds light on the abuse of
antibiotics in farming and how it is affecting us. TEDx Conference, Manhattan,
NY.
It
is daunting to learn that healthcare facilities are common places to get
infected by MRSA and VRE. The microorganisms are transferred through doctors
and nurses to patients or through indirect contact with contaminated objects
and clothing in the hospital (Bennett). Abrasions or cuts on the skin provide
an easy route for these pathogens to enter the body. In the community, athletes
and children at daycare are at high risk.
Think
about the declining antimicrobial drugs research and how it limits our options
of therapeutics against drug resistant infections. Penicillin derived
antibiotics have been taken for granted for treating common infections and
other diseases, however, due to the evolution of these bugs, there is a dire
need for stronger antibiotics as well as awareness among people.
How
are you going to stop this epidemic? Stay safe and stay tuned for more
information!
References:
- Bennett, G. (2011, August 17). Multi-drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) in Healthcare Facilities. Presented at the Infection Prevention Conference: Strengthening the fight against HAIs, North Dakota. Retrieved from http://www.ndhealth.gov/disease/hai/Presentation/MDRO.pdf
- English, B., & Gaur, A. (2009). The Use and Abuse of Antibiotics and the Development of Antibiotic Resistance. In Hot Topics in Infection And Immunity in Children VI (Vol. 659, pp. 73–82). Springer. Retrieved from http://download.springer.com.mutex.gmu.edu/static/pdf/42/bok%253A978-1-4419-0981-7.pdf?auth66=1411007368_9bedb762ed6caf44893443ffff3fd2a7&ext=.pdf
- HIV Treatment: Drug Resistance. (2014, May 6). Retrieved from http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/education-materials/fact-sheets/21/56/drug-resistance
- CDC - National Strategy - Antimicrobial Resistance. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/national-strategy/index.html
- Newsroom Image Library - Disease Agents | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/subtopic/library/diseases.htm
I will start by saying I will be a frequent on your blog because I am very intrigued by viruses, bacteria, fungi, pretty much any type of bodily infection. There is something crazy about something so tiny being able to wreak havoc in such a massive system (the human body). Of course I have heard of MRSA before and its resistance, but I didn’t know about some others, specifically HBV. I knew about hepatitis-B, but I didn’t know it could be drug resistant. It is interesting because my topic is Pertussis and in some of the current articles I read they are finding new strains of Pertussis that are showing resistant characteristics. It is also especially scary that the places that should be the cleanest, i.e. hospitals and clinics, are common places for disease.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a huge topic that few people take seriously. We live in a society that is obsessed with antibacterials and antibiotics. Kids have antibacterial gels attached to their backpacks so they can be “germ-free”. I don’t think that most people understand how by killing all of the good bacteria along with the bad bacteria on or in their bodies they are creating the perfect place for resistant bacteria to flourish uninhibited by any other competition that may have beat them out of resources. This is a very interesting choice for your blog topic. I look forward to reading more.
ReplyDeleteDr Itua cure my HIV, I have been a ARV Consumption for 10 years. i have been in pains until i came across Dr Itua on blogs site.I emailed him about my details of my HIV and my location i explained every thing to him and he told me that there is nothing to be scared of that he will cured me, he gave me guarantee,He ask me to pay for items fees so when i'm cured I will show gratitude I did and giving testimony of his healing herbs is what I'm going to do for the rest of you out there having HIV and other disease can see the good work of Dr Itua.I received his herbal medicine through EMS Courier service who delivered to my post office within 5 working days.Dr Itua is an honest man and I appreciate him for his good work.My GrandMa called him to appreciate him and rest of my friends did too,Is a joy to me that I'm free of taking Pills and having that fat belle is a nightmare.you will understand what i'm talking about if you have same problem I was having then not now though.I'm free and healthy Big Thanks To Dr Itua Herbal Center.I have his calendar too that he recently sent me,He Cure all kind disease Like,Cancer,Herpes,Fibromyalgia,Hiv,Hepatitis B,Liver/Kidney Inflamatory,Epilepsy,Infertility,Fibroid,Diabetes,Dercum,Copd ,and also Bring back Ex Lover Back..Here his Contact .drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com Or Whats_app Number +2348149277967
ReplyDeleteMy name is hoover, my 18 year old daughter, Tricia was diagnosed with herpes 3 years ago. Since then, we have moved from one hospital to another. We tried all kinds of pills, but every effort to get rid of the virus was futile. The bubbles continued to reappear after a few months. My daughter was using 200mg acyclovir pills. 2 tablets every 6 hours and 15g of fusitin cream. and H5 POT. Permanganate with water to be applied twice a day, but all still do not show results. So, I was on the internet a few months ago, to look for other ways to save my only son. Only then did I come across a comment about the herbal treatment of Dr Imoloa and decided to give it a try. I contacted him and he prepared some herbs and sent them, along with guidance on how to use them via the DHL courier service. my daughter used it as directed by dr imoloa and in less than 14 days, my daughter recovered her health. You should contact dr imoloa today directly at his email address for any type of health problem; lupus disease, mouth ulcer, mouth cancer, body pain, fever, hepatitis ABC, syphilis, diarrhea, HIV / AIDS, Huntington's disease, back acne, chronic kidney failure, addison's disease, chronic pain, Crohn's pain, cystic fibrosis, fibromyalgia, inflammatory Bowel disease, fungal nail disease, Lyme disease, Celia disease, Lymphoma, Major depression, Malignant melanoma, Mania, Melorheostosis, Meniere's disease, Mucopolysaccharidosis, Multiple sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Rheumatoid arthritis Alzheimer's disease, parkinson's disease, vaginal cancer, epilepsy Anxiety Disorders, Autoimmune Disease, Back Pain, Back Sprain, Bipolar Disorder, Brain Tumor, Malignant, Bruxism, Bulimia, Cervical Disc Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, Neoplasms , chronic respiratory disease, mental and behavioral disorder, Cystic Fibrosis, Hypertension, Diabetes, Asthma, Autoimmune inflammatory media arthritis ed. chronic kidney disease, inflammatory joint disease, impotence, alcohol spectrum feta, dysthymic disorder, eczema, tuberculosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, constipation, inflammatory bowel disease. and many more; contact him at drimolaherbalmademedicine@gmail.com./ also with whatssap- + 2347081986098.
ReplyDelete