Potential End of The Antibiotic Era

As most of us probably know bacteria are becoming resistant to our common antibiotics. This is in large part due to the overprescription of antibiotics and patients not completing the dosage. The bacteria that survive then become resistant to that given antibiotic and a stronger one is then required. This vicious cycle continues until antibiotics are no longer effective against the strain of bacteria. Carbapenem, which is one of the strongest antibiotics available today, is even becoming ineffective against bacteria. This strain of  carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae is extremely dangerous and 50% of patients die from it. Two genes are primarily responsible for this, KPC, and NDM-1. Researchers of this article suggest that it is going to get easier and easier for these bacteria to pick up a gene that is carbapenem resistant. As time goes there is more and more of a chance for one of these superbugs to be passed on to a human.

I believe that this article is of great importance for everyone in the scientific community. It would be a very scary world if all of our antibiotics stopped working. I think it would be very interesting if geneticists could find a way to prevent the spread of the KPC and NDM-1 mutations from being passed into bacteria. Maybe as technology increases we can find more measures to prevent antibiotic resistance form spreading.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150325210513.htm

Bacteria Resistant of the Strongest Drugs

Recent New York Timesand CBS News articles are discussing a rise in a strain of bacteria that is resistant to even the strongest antibiotics.The spread is seen primarily- and mostly limited to- United States hospitals. There is a "limited window of opportunity" to control the spread. This bacteria is most often located in the gut of humans. The bacteria has acquired a lethal trait for the immunity to last resort antibiotics, including carbapenems. These antibiotics are responsible for inhibiting the cell wall synthesis and are a mainstay of therapy in patients with serious hospital acquired infections.

Director of the Centers for Disease Control, Thomas R. Frieden, nicknamed these organisms "nightmare bacteria." This name stems from their ability to pass on the traits that leave them resistant to drugs. This case has been found in 42 of the 50 United States, and most commonly in the Northeast, specifically New York.

In order to reduce the spread of these infections, hospitals are urged to to ruthlessly scrub all work stations and have all employees and guests constantly wash their hands. They are also encouraged to identify infected people, isolate them, and assign dedicated care teams and equipment to only those infected. Any intravenous line or catheter should be removed as quickly as possible, because they are "avenues of infection."