SUPERBUGS – WHO PAYS THE PRICE GROWING CONCERNS WITH MISUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS

1. 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,

2. 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