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For years, there has been talk of an antibiotic crisis, which scientists predict will take an increasing toll. The world’s pharmaceutical giants are withdrawing from the production of antibiotics, and the number of bacteria resistant to popular drugs is growing. If nothing changes, bacterial diseases will kill 2050 million people a year by 10.
Antibiotics save lives – how do they work?
Antibiotic deficiency is one of the major threats to human health. It means a crisis on a global scale, which is why it is becoming the subject of public debate more and more often. These drugs work by killing or inhibiting the growth and division of pathogenic bacteria, for example by blocking cell wall synthesis and the production of proteins, RNA and DNA.
Antibiotics, which turned out to be one of the greatest discoveries in medicine, have been successfully used in the treatment of bacterial infections since the late 40s. However, the latest report by the World Health Organization leaves no illusions – cease to be an antidote to rapidly spreading infectious diseases. Drugs that were considered reliable a dozen years ago are no longer effective today. Why is this happening?
Antibiotic resistance, or the harvest of modern civilization
He is primarily responsible for the antibiotic crisis the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance related to the natural tendency of bacteria to mutate. The aggravation of the problem results from the misuse of antibiotics and their irrational use. – Microbes can share knowledge and this is the most dangerous right now. The information contained in the resistance genes can be located on the so-called mobile genetic elements – says prof. dr hab. n. med. Waleria Hryniewicz, former national consultant in the field of medical microbiology.
The problem is the difficulty of distinguishing a bacterial from a viral infection. Prescribing antibiotics for viral infections of the upper respiratory tract is still not uncommon. According to statistical data from 2017, consumption of antibacterial drugs in Poland ranks above the European average. It is 20,29–25,6 daily doses (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day (in the Netherlands only 9,62–14,95 DDD).
– Undoubtedly, Polish doctors prescribe antibiotics too often, especially in outpatient practice. This is because there are many diagnostic tools out there that are neither reimbursed nor available. Besides, doctors have little time for one patient. There is also insufficient education, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. We have little imagination because it seems to us that we are given antibiotics once and for all. Meanwhile microbes are easy to change – explains prof. Hryniewicz.
Large-scale antibiotics are used not only in medicine, but also in plant and animal breeding. Contrary to appearances, it is not only about treatment, but also about prevention. Almost 90 percent on farms, antibiotics are given prophylactically. The figures are terrifying – only in Poland, growers use 600 tons of antibiotics per year, which belongs to the main causes of antibiotic resistance. What are the Effects? NIK informs that from 2016 to 2017 by 23,5 percent. the number of patients infected with drug-resistant strains of bacteria has increased. Prof. Hryniewicz admits:
– More and more often we have a problem with choosing the optimal treatment. The best drugs in terms of effectiveness and safety are drugs called first choicebecause we know the most about them and they have proved their effectiveness in well-conducted clinical trials and have the highest safety profile. Unfortunately, there are times when we cannot use first-line drugs due to the antibiotic resistance of the strain that caused the infection.
So we are threatened by the so-called post-antibiotic era. It is already difficult to deal with gonorrhea, sepsis (blood poisoning), pneumonia and urinary tract infections. Soon, due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it may become impossible to carry out transplants and even some dental procedures.
How to overcome the antibiotic crisis?
The financial failure of projects related to the production of antibiotics to fight resistant superbugs has also increased the risk of the crisis. There is a lack of trust among doctors in new medicines, and the giants of the pharmaceutical market are withdrawing from unprofitable investments, which must be preceded by detailed research. As reported by Bloomerg Businessweek, public health experts are trying to save the day. They are demanding rewarding companies for bringing drugs effective against resistant strains to the market.
The antibiotic crisis will not be resolved without key changes in law and education. Raising awareness of the effects and use of antibiotics among both physicians and patients can prevent the misuse of antibacterial drugs. As emphasized by prof. Hryniewicz, must rise national strategy to fight antibiotic resistance, taking into account in particular investments in microbiological diagnostics and hygiene (including hospital hygiene). Such strategies have long existed in other European countries.
After years of efforts by Compassion in World Farming International, there is finally hope to end the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture. The law prohibiting these practices has been approved by the European Parliament and is to apply from 2022.