The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are concerned about the threat posed by an over-reliance on antibiotics. The worry is that continued exposure to these types of therapies is actually creating the perfect storm for bacteria that are becoming resistant to medication. This can create superbugs that are far more dangerous than the typical strain.
The CDC has come out with a full report on the situation, with the director of the organization noting that we could soon be in a post-antibiotic era if the extensive usage of antibiotics isn’t reined in now. The agency is warning that antibiotics not be provided to patients when not necessary, as doing so can kill the weaker forms of bacteria but allow stronger, more resistant ones to swoop in.
Concerns are the largest in regard to 15 microbes in particular, a dozen of which have been deemed a serious threat with the remaining called an urgent threat. One of the more urgent bacteria in question involves forms of E. coli, while two others include a type of microbe responsible for the onset of gonorrhea and a diarrhea-causing bug that contributes to an estimated 14,000 fatalities on an annual basis.
The CDC is urging the continued administration of immunizations and hand washing for infection prevention, better tracking of dangerous microbes, new therapies, and more tempered usage of antibiotics.