How to stop antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’
Since the 1940s, when people started regularly using antibiotics to fight bacterial infections, these miracle drugs have saved innumerable lives. Modern medicine relies on antibiotics to stave off infections during treatments ranging from oral surgeries to chemotherapy. However, as the old saying goes, you can have too much of a good thing. For decades, we have overused antibiotics. As a result, while the drugs kill some bacteria, the ones that survive mutate and develop antibiotic resistance. This misuse of our critical medications must stop.
TL;DR
- Antibiotics have been vital in medicine since the 1940s.
- Overuse of antibiotics leads to the mutation and resistance of bacteria.
- A World Health Organization report states that antibiotic resistance is accelerating.
- Antibiotic-resistant superbugs cause over 35,000 American deaths each year.
- The majority of antibiotics are not given to humans but are fed to livestock, often as a preventative measure.
- Systemic changes in food production methods are needed to address the problem.