4 ms·

I find it almost impossible to take any article seriously that uses the term "superbug". Journalists, please stop using it. People can understand words like m

I find it almost impossible to take any article seriously that uses the term "superbug". Journalists, please stop using it. People can understand words like multidrug-resistant bacteria. Also shame on the reporter for not even listing the species of the bacteria. I had to click another link to see that it was Klebsiella pneumoniae.

scorpioxy 10y ago
Also the term "American Antibiotics". I didn't realize that antibiotics were citizens of specific countries. More to the point, I wish these scare tactics would stop. Resistant bacteria is nothing new and its true that we need ongoing constant research into antibiotics and antibiotic-like substances but that's about it.
- olliej 10y ago
  You are correct: resistant bacteria is not new. Resistance to /all/ antibiotics is. The problem is that this was resistance can spread to even relatively unrelated bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. This means that it is not unreasonable to expect an increasing number of such fatalities. The reason people are worried is that this literally puts us back to where we were 80 years ago, in which a cut could actually kill you. Obviously we've come a lot further in understand how contamination occurs, and how infections spread so i suspect that it won't be as bad overall (reduced amputation, faster correct response) but it won't be smooth sailing as usual.
- skue 10y ago
  Did you read the article? The only antibiotic that the bacteria showed sensitivity towards is not approved for use in the United States. And how is this article "scare tactics?" Sure, we have known about increasing antibiotic resistance for years. But this is a sentinel event that absolutely deserves attention. Resistance isn't one of those things that simply disappears if everyone stops talking about it.
- Fomite 10y ago
  Drug approval agencies are country specific.
pella 10y ago
>I find it almost impossible to take any article seriously that uses the term "superbug". see: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=superbug https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=superbug
dogma1138 10y ago
Superbugs threaten hospital patients https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0303-superbugs.html https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0303-superbugs.html

scorpioxy 10y ago

Also the term "American Antibiotics". I didn't realize that antibiotics were citizens of specific countries. More to the point, I wish these scare tactics would stop. Resistant bacteria is nothing new and its true that we need ongoing constant research into antibiotics and antibiotic-like substances but that's about it.

olliej 10y ago
You are correct: resistant bacteria is not new. Resistance to /all/ antibiotics is. The problem is that this was resistance can spread to even relatively unrelated bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. This means that it is not unreasonable to expect an increasing number of such fatalities. The reason people are worried is that this literally puts us back to where we were 80 years ago, in which a cut could actually kill you. Obviously we've come a lot further in understand how contamination occurs, and how infections spread so i suspect that it won't be as bad overall (reduced amputation, faster correct response) but it won't be smooth sailing as usual.
skue 10y ago
Did you read the article? The only antibiotic that the bacteria showed sensitivity towards is not approved for use in the United States. And how is this article "scare tactics?" Sure, we have known about increasing antibiotic resistance for years. But this is a sentinel event that absolutely deserves attention. Resistance isn't one of those things that simply disappears if everyone stops talking about it.
Fomite 10y ago
Drug approval agencies are country specific.

pella 10y ago

>I find it almost impossible to take any article seriously that uses the term "superbug". see: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=superbug https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=superbug

dogma1138 10y ago

Superbugs threaten hospital patients https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0303-superbugs.html https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0303-superbugs.html