The Rise of the Superbug | Al Jazeera English

Summary

This special program investigates the alarming rise of drug-resistant bacteria, or superbugs, which now kill hundreds of thousands annually and could reach 10 million deaths a year by 2050. It explores the causes, from overuse in human medicine and livestock farming to poor sanitation in developing countries, and the urgent need for global action. Innovative solutions like whole genome sequencing and new diagnostic tools are highlighted, alongside the challenges of developing new antibiotics in the face of a broken market.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The rise of superbugs is a global problem, affecting both human and animal health, with untreatable diseases becoming more prevalent.
• 💊 Antibiotic resistance is a significant issue in India, where multidrug-resistant cases are common and sanitation challenges contribute to the spread of diseases.
• 🏥 Inadequate training and qualifications of health providers can exacerbate drug resistance, as incomplete prescriptions can lead to ineffective treatments.
• 🐔 Antibiotics are extensively used in animal farming, particularly in Kenya, where they are part of the daily diet for chickens, leading to increased resistance in animal populations.
• 🔬 The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is leading research in whole genome sequencing to understand how superbugs evolve and spread, which could help in tracking diseases in real-time.
• 🌱 The development of new antibiotics is crucial, but the process is slow and expensive, with the last antibiotic being introduced nearly 30 years ago.
• 🏭 Pharmaceutical companies are hesitant to invest in new antibiotic research due to the high costs and slow returns, necessitating incentives and global cooperation.
• 🏥 Hospitals are implementing measures to identify and isolate drug-resistant bacteria to prevent the spread of infections, but rapid diagnostics are needed to improve treatment.
• 🌳 Researchers are exploring natural environments to discover new microorganisms that could lead to the development of new antibiotics, addressing the limited diversity in lab settings.
• 💰 A proposed fund of up to three billion dollars could incentivize pharmaceutical companies to develop new antibiotics, addressing the lack of new drugs in the market.

Q & A

What is the current global impact of superbugs in terms of mortality?

Superbugs are currently killing more than a hundred thousand, perhaps as many as a quarter of a million people around the world each year.

What could be the potential increase in deaths caused by superbugs by 2050 without action?

The number of deaths could grow to as many as 10 million a year by 2050.

What is the economic impact of superbugs projected to be over the next thirty-five years?

Superbugs are expected to cost the world's economies around a hundred trillion dollars over the next thirty-five years.

What is the situation of drug resistance in India, particularly in New Delhi?

In New Delhi, most cases seen in clinics are drug-resistant, and multidrug-resistant cases are common, posing a significant challenge for adults to get the right medical treatment.

How does the misuse of antibiotics contribute to drug resistance in tuberculosis?

Unqualified health providers often write incomplete prescriptions, which can lead to patients not taking the full course of antibiotics, allowing bacteria to mutate and develop resistance.

What role does sanitation play in the spread of drug-resistant diseases in communities?

Sanitation is a daily challenge in many communities, and poor sanitation can lead to the spread of drug-resistant illnesses through contaminated water and waste.

How are superbugs affecting animal health in the United States?

In the United States, 80% of the antibiotics sold each year are fed to animals, leading to an increase in superbugs in animal populations and a potential risk of spreading to humans.

What is the current state of antibiotic resistance in developing countries according to the International Livestock Research Institute?

Scientists at the International Livestock Research Institute have detected a rapid increase in bacterial resistance in developing countries, which is a significant problem affecting public health and livestock health.

What is the process of whole genome sequencing and why is it important in understanding superbugs?

Whole genome sequencing involves analyzing the entire DNA of a bacterium. It helps researchers understand how closely related different strains are and track how diseases spread, which is crucial in combating the spread of superbugs.

What are some of the challenges in developing new antibiotics?

Developing new antibiotics is challenging due to the high cost and slow process involved. Additionally, major pharmaceutical companies have largely exhausted the easily cultivable microorganisms in lab settings, limiting the diversity of potential new antibiotics.

What is the proposed solution to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to develop new antibiotics?

A fund that could payout up to three billion dollars to large pharmaceutical companies that develop new antibiotics has been suggested. This would help mitigate the downside risks for the pharmaceutical industry.