Each year tens of thousands of individuals around the world die from antibiotic resistant infections. The impending threat of these super bacteria and their resistance to chemicals and antibiotics has recently caused the World Health Organization (WHO) to publish an article about the concern of growing levels of resistance. According to WHO, in order to slow down antibiotic resistance it is not only enough to limit existing antibiotic use but there is also a need to develop new drugs.
Recently it has been discovered that the antibiotic colistin, a last resort drug used in the fight against infection from super bacteria, has become ineffective. Bacteria have become resistant to colistin and this is leading to "troubling implications for patient care". However, not only will patient healthcare be affected but agriculture and the environment will also be disturbed. In another study, E.coli bacteria in food animals have also become antibiotic and colistin resistant, and the specific gene causing this resistance can be spread between bacteria strains.
In an article summarizing both the WHO and E. coli study, Olivia Lawe Davies from WHO states, "this would result in bacteria that are resistant to all antibiotics causing infections that are effectively untreatable". With WHO urging the development of new antibiotics and the advancement of old antibiotics, there are plans to discuss the matter at the UN General Assembly in New York this September.
Although new antibiotics will not be created until a future date and these bacterial mutations have caused resistance against old antibiotics, there are other alternatives to take action now against antibiotic resistance. UVC germicidal irradiation can take action and fight against antibiotic resistant bacteria and also against potential future strains of resistant bacteria. With resistant bacteria affecting different industries, UVC Cleaning Systems can help take action against super bugs not only in healthcare facilities but also in laboratories, food processing facilities, schools, and many more!