Bacteria Are Winning the Battle

2918675702_c916409195.jpg

As bacteria--including a new super bug--become resistant to antibiotics, doctors worldwide are beginning to worry that the age of antibiotics is coming to an end. Little more than a half-century ago it was not uncommon to die from infections related to tuberculosis, pneumonia or minor surgeries like appendix removal.  With the advancements of modern medicine and the creation of antibiotics infectious diseases became treatable and our lifespans have extended.  When common antibiotics can no longer fight off bacteria, and transplant surgeries become a thing of the past, modern medicine may need more than a face-lift to stay on top.

Yet pharmaceutical companies have little motivation to put the effort required into new pills and research when there is less profit to be made from a drug taken for a week to fight an infection versus a pill taken everyday for the rest of someone's life.

Although the medical establishment has warned against the over-use of antibiotics for viral infections, and encouraged a renaissance in hand washing and clean hygiene to slow the spread of bacteria, it still seems that, "In the battle for survival of the fittest between human beings and bacteria, just now it looks as though the best we are going to get is a draw - if we are lucky."

 

Image: "Diet Pills" by Tacit Requiem on Flickr, courtesy of Creative Commons.

Comments

Fixers, ain't we?

Some's makin' a mess 'n' some's a cleanin'. It seems intelligence follows hungry fools, thriving on the fix. Paul Stamets might have a clue for this biof#k.

Freetards have more hope than feartards-postbio loco

Ounce of Prevention

Maybe, just maybe, this is a wake up call ... {we just keep hitting the snooze button unable to gain the motivation to "wake up"} ... to live a more toxic free life.

Bacteria does not come from nowhere.

For every high-tech machination, there is a cesspool left behind somewhere.

The more natural one lives ... {inner and outer environments} ... the less pathogens, and the stronger the immune system

Norway is solving the MRSA problem

The over-use of antibiotics is the main problem. Norway adopted a strict policy about the use of antibiotics. Here's an excerpt from an article and a link to the full article: " Twenty-five years ago, Norwegians were also losing their lives to this bacteria. But Norway’s public health system fought back with an aggressive program that made it the most infection-free country in the world. A key part of that program was cutting back severely on the use of antibiotics. Now a spate of new studies from around the world proves that Norway’s model can be replicated with extraordinary success, and public health experts are saying these deaths – 19,000 in the U.S. each year alone, more than from AIDS – are unnecessary." http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jan/03/norways-mrsa-solution/ But in the U.S. it's not just the over-administration of antibiotics to people, the food animal industry pumps them into animal feed.

Your point is well taken...

but I hope you realize that bacteria have existed on this earth for billions of years, and there's a good chance they will still be here long after we are gone. Exclusively living a "clean" life will not stop bacteria. In fact, prior to the widespread use of antibiotics, infectious disease is what kept world population in check. And if the trends that this article predicts continue...bacteria might once again put human populations in check, radically reducing our numbers. I'm not saying it's a good thing...but this trend, along with "peak oil", might put an end to industrial civilization as we know it.

Field of Friendlies

Yes, bacteria has always been around, but not in the quantities and aggressive qualities / versions of today. Like everything else bacteria has purpose. It helps clean up mess, actually purifying the environment. The less mess we are making, the less bacteria proliferates. If we act outside of universal context, then bacteria will take us out of the picture .. as we have now, ourselves, become the mess that needs to be cleaned up. This is not an existential problem .. but a self-created one. The more secular humanism separates it's self from the rest of our indigenous sensibilities the more we become subject to the compromise of our own harmonic defense immunities. Insect infestation on small organic farms, integrated with natural wooded settings never becomes excessive. In large commercial farming ventures insects become almost plague like ... as there is no integral land mass to share with them .. just mega clear cut fields of "single" crops {no varigated mixtures} This same principle applies to bacteria, and pathogens.

Close to home

A friend of mine from high school days died recently from complications of a MRSA infection.

To be sure, doctors have overprescribed antibiotics but personally I blame the meat industry. Pumping antibiotics into cattle and chickens is asking for trouble. This practice is very common in the U.S.

PEDANTRY ALERT: The title is incorrect. It should read "Bacteria ARE Winning the Battle." Bacteria is plural. The singular of bacteria is bacterium.

Thanks!

Thanks, Lightening, for catching my typo!  For a writer, the proper use of language isn't always my strongest suit...

& I'm sorry to hear about your friend's untimely death.

Data recovery services

Thanks for posting superb article. I got lots of information related to bacteria from this blog. But I don’t satisfied with the title line that bacteria wins the battle because if we use full capacity of human mind then we can wins each and every battle. recover data http://www.datadoctor.biz

cheap supra shoes

Supra footwear is a brand that focuses on the incredible shoes, Higher popularity of justin bieber shoes has been reinforced by some higher shoes. If you plan to buy the supra tk society shoes, Supra sneakers will be accepted for your functions. Most of the types of supra shoes have straps. mens supra shoesprotect retailers or background preferred dealer fragile outside. supra skytop shoes casual, while working with complex garments. Especially supra cuban shoes, you'll enjoy your life.

Coach outlet online store

Coach handbags for women is probably the most popular available handbags. You can choose a particular cheap coach bags with exactly the colorwhich you want on the coach outlet store. Leather coach poppy is your latest creations and make an impression at first eye. coach op art bags in different styles, colors and materials as well. coach sunglasses are always very fashionable yet large and spacious and Grand demand. coach kiristin bags are sustainable from a prestigious behind you. coach wristlets still produces elegant master skills, especially for skin with more than 20 years experience.

Cheap Louis Vuitton Bags

The Louis vuitton outlet bag is one of the products in the Monogram canvas family of Cheap louis vuitton bags products.Other quite similar bags in this family include the likes of the Keepall 55 bag,the Deauville and the Sac Chasse Louis Vuitton Damier among others.While I confess to being an old-time fan of Louis bags,having used so many of the products from this label,it is the lv damier azur which I have only gotten to use quite recently coach outlet that I have been most enchanted with chanel outlet.

Moncler jackets

If the Moncler just appear to us! we are able to provide you one of the finest products in the lowest price. take to defend your Moncler jackets, Moncler Jassen, outfits Moncler,moncler blog, Moncler coats toward the chilly winter days!