The proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is feared to be an event that might plague the 21st century if the problem is not addressed now. Desmond Heng Wen Chien of the A-Star Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences forewarns that antimicrobial resistance could be the leading cause of death by 2050 if proliferation cannot be stemmed.
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| Image source: pharmaceutical-tribune.com |
These superbugs have increased the mortality rate of respiratory infections to as high as 80 percent in some clinics. A study of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria that causes lung infection, found that the bacteria has enhanced fitness and can survive in a host even with an onslaught of various antibiotics.
Awareness among the public is key to mitigate the indiscriminate consumption of antibiotics. Physicians should communicate to their patients that for non-fatal respiratory infections such as the common cold and cough, the illness often resolves over time without medication. Doctors recommend taking vaccines for common respiratory illnesses to defend against infections and their subsequent need for treatment.
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| Image source: medicalnewstoday.com |
Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon is an internist based in New Jersey specializing in pulmonology, sleep medicine, and critical care. For more blogs on respiratory health, follow this link.
