SUPERBUGS – WHO PAYS THE PRICE GROWING CONCERNS WITH MISUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS Dr.T.V.Rao. MD

SUPERBUGS – WHO PAYS THE PRICE

GROWING CONCERNS WITH MISUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS

Dr.T.V.Rao. MD

India consumes more antibiotics than any other country. Coupled with poor sanitation and

overcrowding, the nation is the perfect breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. bacteria

that produce carbapenemases are popularly referred to as superbugs because they are difficult to

treat and result in the infection spreading easily within the body, especially in people who are ill or

recuperating from an illness or a surgery. In India's neonatal hospital wards intensive care units, and

critically cared patients, they struggle for life - sick infants battling untreatable "superbugs Tens of

thousands of them lose their lives every year. EVERYONE HAS A ROLE This is the frontline in the fight

against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, one of the most serious threats to global health of our time, as

per the World Health Organization. Today we find many messages literature and press reporting on

the matters of increase of SUPERBUGS however many wishes to know are they super in actions or

more harmful the truth is Bugs are designated as Superbugs, on scientific basis then Super at what?

It just means they have deviated from the path from fellow bugs and under pressure of Unnecessary

and irregular use of Antibiotics and increasing to cause more hospital concerns Virulent, drug

resistant, hospital associated infections which makes the public concerned about them when they

get admitted to the hospitals , rich countries too faces the problem with MRSA methicillin resistant

Staphylococcus aureus GRE Glycopeptide resistant Enterococcus (mostly vancomycin, More Virulent

bacteria entering the hospitals Clostridium difficile cases rising, Virulent, drug resistant, community

associated infections as in poor countries with Resistant Streptococcus pneumonia MDR tuberculosis

rising? Isoniazid resistance TOO in London

WHO COMES TO RESCUE -The WHO list of drug-resistant bacteria is divided into three categories.

The most critical group includes multidrug-resistant bacteria that pose a threat in hospitals, nursing

homes and among patients whose care requires devices such as ventilators and blood catheters.

These include Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas and various Enterobacteriaceae (including Klebsiella, E

coli, Serratia and Proteus). They can cause severe and often deadly infections such as bloodstream

infections and pneumonia. These bacteria have become resistant to many antibiotics, including

carbapenems and third-generation cephalosporins - the best available antibiotics for treating

multidrug-resistant bacteria.

ARE OUR HOSPITALS SOURCE OF NDM-1 NDM-1 (New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase-1) is an enzyme

that makes bacteria resistant to a wide range of powerful antibiotics, including the carbapenem class

of antibiotics that are used to treat multidrug-resistant infections. The gene for NDM-1 encodes

beta-lactamase enzymes called carbapenemase, which makes bacteria resistant to antibiotics,

including carbapenems LIFE AND DEATH ARE EXPENSIVE, as Per a global review on antimicrobial

resistance (AMR), drug-resistant infections are "one of the biggest health threats that mankind

currently faces" and there are fears of pandemics becoming more of a norm as antibiotics lose their

efficacy. Even today, 700,000 people die of resistant infections every year, Drug-resistant infections -

or "superbugs" – could claim 10 million lives a year and could cost a cumulative $100 trillion of

economic output by 2050 if the world does not act to slow down the rise of drug resistance,

IF YOU WEREN’T taking antibiotic resistance seriously before, now would be a good time to start. A

country like India many are below the poverty line and pay for their life and many die spending their

wealth on using the Antibiotics which however fail to work in spite of best efforts,

However, it is time our Microbiology departments to gear up to the WHO described SUPERBUGS and

should have a audit what really happening in our own hospitals, I wish NABL and NABH should give

weightage to the Hospitals in minting updated methods in reporting, caring, preventing the spread

SUPERBUGS

WE ARE ALREADY PAYING THE PRICE FOR MISSUE OF ANTIBIOITCS

TIME TO CONTROL WITH BETTER UNDERSTANDING

STILL THE HAND WASHING IS THE BEST VACCINE TO PREVETN THE SPREAD THE SUPERBUGS

Ref WHO concerns on Antibiotic resistance

Dr.T.V.Rao MD Freelance Clinical Microbiologist, Reporter on As Infection matters to developing

countries