Medicine Essay Sample: Superbugs Are They Really a Problem?

Superbugs are bacteria that prove difficult to treat through the use of usual antibiotics, and they result from Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bacteria (CDC, 2017). There is the challenge of treating the MRSA bacteria proving the difficulty of treating common infections that are caused by the same bacteria, and which attack humankind. However, such antibiotics are more expensive because they are to be used to treat the more severe cases of bacterial infections and lead to more detrimental side effects. In this regard, despite the fact that superbugs are a major threat to the mankind, there is the possibility of identifying new ways of treating such forms of bacteria calling the need to carry out research that would help in tackling the situation and reduce its detrimental effects. In my opinion, the medical profession should look at reducing antibiotic medication given to patients. We should also be educating the community and medical profession with alternative options for better hygiene and better ways of preventing infection. We should also be implementing procedures within our education system on teaching kids to minimize the risk in their lives from infection.

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There are six antibiotic resistant bacteria that the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, United States of America have listed, and they are: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE); Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (Extended-spectrum b-lactamases). Others include Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE); Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter (Nizet, 2015). Such proves that there are very high threats that can result from the superbugs and there is the need to carry out research activities to help in tackling such challenges. With the increase in the use of antibiotics in the society, it is prudent that the numbers of bacteria resistant drugs are bound to increase.

As there is a misconception about the formation of the superbugs which has resulted in the population thinking that they are not a problem for humans which has to lead them to not being as concerned about them as much as they should. Researchers and medical personnel have carried some research works to help in examining the impact of superbugs. The reality is that superbugs are a threat to the population and there is need to raise the alarm on how the population can avoid the threat and improve the quality of life of the society (ABC News, 2017).

One of the effects of superbugs is that they make antibiotics to be less effective in the treatment of diseases thereby increasing threats of superbugs in the modern society. It is factual that with the high number so bacterial infections in the society people take higher amounts of antibiotics and are therefore exposed to a higher probability of superbug attack. Also, those that have higher contact with hospitals are at a higher risk of coming in to contact with a superbug. However, this type of superbug rarely attacks healthy people as it is mostly found in the health facilities and is most probable in areas such as breathing tubes, catheters and viewing scopes (Muscarella, 2014). An example is where in California doctors spread the bacteria unknowingly after using contaminated endoscopes on patients (Massey & Roberts, 2015).

Bacteria that is part of superbugs is Clostridium difficile (c. diff) which is a type of bacteria that lives in the intestines of human beings. The type of bacteria is mostly produced by intake of antibiotics making this type of superbug to be having a minor negative effect. However, in special cases where the bacterial attack can cause detrimental effects and this is because it can cause intense diarrhea which can be life threatening. Statistics also, prove that about 12,000 people die every year from such forms of diarrhea where most of those affected are adults. In more serious case it necessitates a surgical operation to remove the infected parts of the intestine. Initially, this form of bacteria could be treated using fluoroquinolones. However, they have become resistant to such drugs, and the cases became more serious between the years 2000 and 2007 when a new drug-resistant form of the disease appeared making deaths to increase by 400 percent within the same period (Velkov et al., 2014).

An example of a superbug that is of great effect to the humanity is that of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter which is a type of bacteria that live in soil and water but can live in the skin of human beings for several days. The most harmful type of this bacteria is Acinetobacter baumannii and is mostly acquired in the hospitals. Such is where a patient can be in hospital but acquires another disease while in the hospital. Additionally, using breathing tubes increases the risk of the same. Doctors name this form of bacteria as a significant hospital germ because it can develop resistance against drugs much faster than any other bacteria (Grummet et al., 2014). Researcher, Brian Coombes, also posted that it can lead to serious illnesses where it infects even the sickest patients in hospitals. It mostly causes infections of the brain, lungs, and urinary tracts. Statistics prove that this bacterial infection attacks 12,000 people annually where most become resistant to several antibiotics.

References

CDC.gov. 2017. Superbugs threaten hospital patients | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC . [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0303-superbugs.html. [Accessed 03 February 2017].

ABC News. 2017. Is Australia doing enough to stop superbugs? - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-05/cooper-is-australia-doing-enough-to-stop-superbugs/4353816?pfmredir=sm. [Accessed 03 February 2017].

ABC News. 2017. Melbourne scientists make breakthrough in fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-13/new-findings-may-see-end-to-antibiotic-resistant-superbugs/7837352. [Accessed 04 February 2017].

Grummet, J. P., Weerakoon, M., Huang, S., Lawrentschuk, N., Frydenberg, M., Moon, D. A., ... & Murphy, D. (2014). Sepsis and superbugs: should we favour the transperineal over the transrectal approach for prostate biopsy?. BJU international, 114(3), 384-388.

Velkov, T., Roberts, K. D., Nation, R. L., Wang, J., Thompson, P. E., & Li, J. (2014). Teaching oldpolymyxins new tricks: new-generation lipopeptides targeting gram-negative superbugs. ACS chemical biology, 9(5), 1172-1177.

Massey, R., & Roberts, A. (2015). The answer to tackling superbugs could be more superbugs. The Conversation.

Nizet, V. (2015). Stopping superbugs, maintaining the microbiota. Sci Transl Med, 7, 295ed298.

Muscarella, L. F. (2014). Risk of transmission of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and related superbugs during gastrointestinal endoscopy. World J Gastrointest Endosc, 6(10), 457-474.