Rise of the Superbugs

Superbugs — strains of bacteria that are resistant to several types of antibiotics used commonly as drugs to people in medical treatments — are spreading their 'deadly' tentacles in various regions of world . This has alarming implications on global medical and health concerns and antibiotics resistance spread.

Sounds Alien, but they are not! Superbugs are for real and their global existence is on the rise, thanks to antibiotics. It’s time! Doctors around the global need to do some extra-study (beyond ‘prescribed’ books), learning applied medical practices, individual medicinal research and rethinking of their prescriptions they make for patients.

"What humans have done through excess use of antibiotics on global scales is accelerate the rate of evolution, creating a new world of resistant strains that never existed before".

Superbugs are deadly strains of bacteria that are resistant several types of antibiotics. Globally, especially in a country like India, antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed drugs for people and find a ‘favorite’ place in most of the doctor’s prescriptions. What we failed to realize was its side effects? Yes! As per experts, many antibiotics prescribed to people are unnecessary and their overuse and misuse help to create drug-resistant bacteria. “What humans have done through excess use of antibiotics on global scales is accelerate the rate of evolution, creating a new world of resistant strains that never existed before,” David Graham, a professor at Newcastle University in the UK, explained in a paper published in the academic journal Environmental International.

No matter how alarming it may sound to all, but the fact is that the time has started ticking! Reports, studies, researches have established the fact that superbugs are on the move. Over a decade back, it was reportedly first believed to have been found in New Delhi, a drug resistant bacteria dubbed superbug, with a gene — New Delhi metallo-beta lactamases (NDM-1). Scientists and researchers say these are a category of genes/enzymes which turn bacteria into superbugs and are known to prevent the action of several antibiotics, rendering them ineffective. NDM-1 was first discussed at an international conference on antibiotic agents in Washington in October 2008. Now, through its evolution process, it has spread its tentacles across different countries.

In India, according to reports, more variant of this superbug has been detected. Reportedly, a research team at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has detected a variant, New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-4 (NDM-4) in bacteria generally found in sewage.

Reported recently, a research carried out by an international team of experts from the Universities of Newcastle, York and Kansas and the Chinese Academy of Science in Xiamen, confirmed the spread the superbug into the Arctic region.

Even World Health Organization (WHO) has asked governments to focus on rational use of antibiotics and preventing sale of antibiotics without prescriptions. Moreover, organizations like the United Nations (UN) and International charity WaterAid have linked unhygienic conditions, sanitation and lack water at health facilities, which lead to ‘abuse’ of antibiotics drugs to the global rise of deadly superbugs. "The only way we are going to win this fight is to understand all pathways that lead to antibiotic resistance," said Graham. 

As we say "prevention is better than cure", we need to apply the same to stop the superbug outbreak.