Resistant strains rarely come from antibiotics use on humans. Antibiotics abuse in agriculture is what brings rise to superbugs. No better way to develop them than billions of Petri dishes born every year and badly administered end of the line antibiotics.
Antibiotics have a side effect of drastically increasing growth in certain livestock. Unless it's heavily regulated, it will continue to be used. When consumers can do is buying the significantly more expensive meat options that are antibiotic free, or simply buy less meat.
I think it's a combination of both. There are a lot of GPs who just over medicate to shut up the patients who pretty much demand them; or worse people self medicating in a lot of places. Some countries are worse at this than others. E.g. the difference between northern and southern europe is pretty big. Patients in some countries expect to be given prescriptions in exchange for the hassle of visiting a doctor and will be angry when they don't get any. So they come in with what is obviously the common cold (i.e. a virus) and leave with some prescription for antibiotics. When I was living in Finland on the other hand, I was issued anti-biotics once but only after a quick (30 minutes) blood test confirmed I needed them and that there was a bonafide bacterial infection that required it.
In the meat industry, the current practicing of just mixing in antibiotics with the animal food by default is not sustainable. Cleaning up that industry is not going to be popular and very disruptive but also very necessary. A lot could be done with clear certifications and subsidies here.
Also, as a bonus, on whether existing resistant strains tend to lose their resistance if they're not kept on their toes with a steady supply of antibiotics.
We badly need an alternative to animal agriculture. It takes up huge swathes of space, contributes more to global warming than anything else, and now superbugs?
This is terrifying and has far far worse implications than climate change. Imagine if we regress back to time where medical science is useless? - Where even having a child becomes a killer because the antibiotics don't work anymore.
I know most people aren't ready to give up meat, but we need to cut production massively and soon. Maybe cloned meat is the answer.
the normal ecology of bacteria is to produce toxins to compete with other bacteria and their gene passing across species is set up so that they gain resistance via exposure to new toxins..guess what the new toxins are?
Yes,, antibiotics..the same bacteria toxins re-repurpose and learn how to make artificially
Well, people shouldn't be buying antibiotics without a doctors note.
Doctors shouldn't be prescribing antibiotics unless there is a big real need.
Problem solved.
In Germany they do this. No doctor ever prescribes antibiotics. I've used to hate this fact, as most of adults "I NEED TO WORK!!!!11". Here in Germany they are a bit more open to people being sick and staying at home, but some companies are pushing the boundaries, such as, Amazon have some bullying system for people who call in sick, etc. But overall, 500% better than the US?
For instance, at the moment now I'm sick and I've been sick for like almost a month and they don't give me Antibiotics. Back in Brazil, where I've lived, they would just give me it and I would be "healthy" again in 2 days or less.
It is a complex problem. To be honest, most of the usage is probably because people don't want to be sick for too many days, as this is terrible in this sick career ladder where if you don't take antibiotics and is sick for a few weeks, and your peers take it and also put some ritalin on top, you have no chance to compete.
Maybe governments & institutions should control MUCH MORE drugs which are clearly being abused just for the sake of making people rat racing. This creates a very unfair field for whoever do the right thing, which is staying at home and letting the body do what it should.
But this can only be changed if people find it important, for politicians that live off your taxes, they would rather help you to work to death.
My relatives would rush to buy the "anti-inflammatory" medicines - Cephalosporins plus some traditional Chinese medicines - whenever they have sign of a cold, which seemed to occur quite often for them. And it's a popular belief.
Would widespread use of synthetic meat solve the antibiotics issue (as well as help with global warming)? I have only researched synthetic meat a little bit and am wondering if anyone has more concrete information and opinions.
Here is another factor to consider that I think many are overlooking: our steadily increasing RF-exposure may be altering the growth rate and antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria and other microorganisms.
I don't think many are considering this possibility, and I don't like what I find. It seems RF-radiation, even at non-thermal exposure levels, is able to both alter the growth rate and antibiotic interaction of microorganisms.
"Extremely High Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation Enforces Bacterial Effects of Inhibitors and Antibiotics":
"Evaluation of the Effect of Radiofrequency Radiation Emitted From Wi-Fi Router and Mobile Phone Simulator on the Antibacterial Susceptibility of Pathogenic Bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli":
That study which mentions routers and wifi seems questionably controlled - increased exposure time decreasing inhibition radius? I would expect that from just time passing would do that - it only mentions the radius shrinking not shrinking at a faster rate.
To be frank that sounds like a high school level procedure error.
Plus even if taken at face value they admit they only notice the effects on certain strains at certain phases.
You're not supposed to mention RF exposure. You're obviously a tin-foil loony, even if you cite legitimate research papers. All the industry-sponsored studies say its totally harmless...
[+] [-] superpermutat0r|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] hvidgaard|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jillesvangurp|6 years ago|reply
In the meat industry, the current practicing of just mixing in antibiotics with the animal food by default is not sustainable. Cleaning up that industry is not going to be popular and very disruptive but also very necessary. A lot could be done with clear certifications and subsidies here.
[+] [-] Arnt|6 years ago|reply
Also, as a bonus, on whether existing resistant strains tend to lose their resistance if they're not kept on their toes with a steady supply of antibiotics.
[+] [-] cameronbrown|6 years ago|reply
This is terrifying and has far far worse implications than climate change. Imagine if we regress back to time where medical science is useless? - Where even having a child becomes a killer because the antibiotics don't work anymore.
I know most people aren't ready to give up meat, but we need to cut production massively and soon. Maybe cloned meat is the answer.
[+] [-] fredgrott|6 years ago|reply
the normal ecology of bacteria is to produce toxins to compete with other bacteria and their gene passing across species is set up so that they gain resistance via exposure to new toxins..guess what the new toxins are?
Yes,, antibiotics..the same bacteria toxins re-repurpose and learn how to make artificially
[+] [-] thiago_fm|6 years ago|reply
Doctors shouldn't be prescribing antibiotics unless there is a big real need.
Problem solved.
In Germany they do this. No doctor ever prescribes antibiotics. I've used to hate this fact, as most of adults "I NEED TO WORK!!!!11". Here in Germany they are a bit more open to people being sick and staying at home, but some companies are pushing the boundaries, such as, Amazon have some bullying system for people who call in sick, etc. But overall, 500% better than the US?
For instance, at the moment now I'm sick and I've been sick for like almost a month and they don't give me Antibiotics. Back in Brazil, where I've lived, they would just give me it and I would be "healthy" again in 2 days or less.
It is a complex problem. To be honest, most of the usage is probably because people don't want to be sick for too many days, as this is terrible in this sick career ladder where if you don't take antibiotics and is sick for a few weeks, and your peers take it and also put some ritalin on top, you have no chance to compete.
Maybe governments & institutions should control MUCH MORE drugs which are clearly being abused just for the sake of making people rat racing. This creates a very unfair field for whoever do the right thing, which is staying at home and letting the body do what it should.
But this can only be changed if people find it important, for politicians that live off your taxes, they would rather help you to work to death.
[+] [-] rcMgD2BwE72F|6 years ago|reply
Absolutely not:
>In Germany, 1,734 tons of antimicrobial agents were used for animals in 2011 compared with 800 tons for humans
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic_use_in_livestock#Eu...
[+] [-] coldtea|6 years ago|reply
Well, companies making you work (or guilting you to work) if while you are sick with a doctors notice, should be fined heavily too. Problem solved.
[+] [-] otabdeveloper1|6 years ago|reply
Why? It's not rocket science, and it's not like this is a complex decision that you couldn't adequately make after 15 of Internet searching.
The fake mystique imparted on general practitioner doctors is a toxic force for bad in the world.
> Doctors shouldn't be prescribing antibiotics unless there is a big real need.
The doctor doesn't know if there is a "big real need", and in fact cannot.
The doctor is just running off a standard checklist for one of among 50 almost exactly alike cases during his workday.
[+] [-] neonate|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] AFascistWorld|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] prittgluestick|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] adsfqwop|6 years ago|reply
I don't think many are considering this possibility, and I don't like what I find. It seems RF-radiation, even at non-thermal exposure levels, is able to both alter the growth rate and antibiotic interaction of microorganisms.
"Extremely High Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation Enforces Bacterial Effects of Inhibitors and Antibiotics":
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51408122_Extremely_...
"Evaluation of the Effect of Radiofrequency Radiation Emitted From Wi-Fi Router and Mobile Phone Simulator on the Antibacterial Susceptibility of Pathogenic Bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli":
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5298474/
"Effect of radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation on physiological features of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain UCM Y-517":
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15456218
"Preliminary results on the non-thermal effects of 200-350 GHz radiation on the growth rate of S. cerevisiae cells in microcolonies":
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12452574
[+] [-] Nasrudith|6 years ago|reply
Plus even if taken at face value they admit they only notice the effects on certain strains at certain phases.
[+] [-] coldtea|6 years ago|reply
/s
[+] [-] gingabriska|6 years ago|reply