by Introduction to Antibiotic Resistance Industry
Antibiotics have transformed medicine since their discovery in the early 20th century, but overuse and misuse of these drugs has accelerated the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that do not respond to treatment. Once considered a future problem, antibiotic resistance is now a serious threat requiring immediate global action. This article explores the causes and consequences of rising antibiotic resistance as well as efforts underway to address this growing public health crisis.
Overuse of Antibiotics in Humans and Agriculture
One of the primary drivers of Global Antibiotic Resistance is simply the overuse and misuse of these drugs. When antibiotics are prescribed for viral infections like colds and flu that they cannot actually treat, it increases the selection pressure and speeds up the development of resistance. The estimated global consumption of antibiotics intended for humans increased by 65% between 2000 and 2015 according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, about two-thirds of antibiotic use in the United States is in the agricultural sector, where they are routinely added to animal feed to promote growth and prevent disease in livestock raised in confined, unsanitary conditions. This agricultural overuse has directly contributed to the emergence of resistant infections in humans.
Rise of Antibiotic Resistance Industry
As a result of antibiotic misuse and overprescribing, multidrug-resistant bacteria have become much more common, including so-called “superbugs” that are resistant to several or even all known antibiotics. Some of the most dangerous superbugs include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), multidrug-resistant Salmonella, Shigella, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. If current trends continue, it is estimated that by 2050 antibiotic resistance will cause 10 million deaths annually, surpassing cancer to become the leading cause of death worldwide according to a review published in The Lancet. Some experts warn that medicine is approaching a “post-antibiotic era” in which common infections could once again kill due to lack of effective treatments.
Consequences for Public Health
The rise of antibiotic-resistant infections poses serious risks and costs to individuals and society. Patients who develop such infections may have worse treatment outcomes, higher medical costs, and prolonged hospitalizations compared to those with non-resistant bugs. For example, MRSA alone is associated with over 11,000 deaths in the United States each year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prolonged hospital stays and higher costs have major implications for healthcare systems as well. Of particular concern is the threat of pan-drug resistant pathogens emerging for which there are no treatment options left. This could potentially cause a new pandemic on par with those of the pre-antibiotic era if not addressed urgently.
Policy Responses
In response to the growing threat, the WHO, CDC, and other organizations have declared antibiotic resistance a critical public health priority requiring coordinated global action. Some nations and organizations are implementing national action plans to track resistance, improve prescribing practices, strengthen infection control, and promote new antibiotic development. Examples include the U.S. National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, the German Antibiotic Strategy, and the United Kingdom’s 5-year antimicrobial resistance strategy. On the agriculture front, the FDA banned the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in animals in 2017, although disease prevention uses are still allowed. Additionally, the UN has passed several resolutions focusing on antimicrobial resistance and calling for a One Health approach that recognizes the connections between human, animal, and environmental health.
New Approaches and Future Prospects
While the problem of antibiotic resistance seems daunting, scientists are pursuing new solutions and strategies. Researchers are working to develop rapid diagnostic tests that can identify pathogens and their resistance profiles within hours to optimize prescribing. New antibiotic drug discovery efforts aim to find compounds that work via novel mechanisms bacteria have not yet learned to defeat. Other possibilities include phage therapy using bacteria-killing viruses, vaccine development, antibody therapies, and microbiome-based approaches. Progress is also being made on alternatives to antibiotic use in livestock such as vaccines, probiotics, bacteriophages and selective breeding. While the challenges are immense, a coordinated global response utilizing these new tools offers hope that humanity can once again gain the upper hand in the age-old battle against infectious diseases.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
