Can We Avoid an Antibiotic Apocalypse?

io9.com...

Reacting to this trend, the World Health Organization has warned that “the world is on the brink of losing these miracle cures.” Looking to the near future, the organization worries that many common infections will cease to have a cure and, “once again, kill unabated.” It notes that the rate at which antibiotic drugs are being supplanted by AR bacteria lags behind the development of replacement drugs. And it’s not just about hospital “superbugs” — this is an issue that pertains to even the most common microbes.

There’s also the use of antibiotics in livestock to consider. These drugs are not used to heal animals, but rather to make them grow faster and suppress diseases. In many parts of the world, more than 50% in tonnage of all antimicrobial production is used in food-producing animals. Two years ago, 30 million pounds of antibiotics were used for livestock — that’s 80% of all sales. And it’s a number that’s still growing.

A recent report in the British Medical Journal by Richard Smith and Joanna Coast points out that the existing class of antibiotics may be the best we will ever have. There have been efforts to support interventions that encourage more conservative and appropriate use of antibiotics to halt or slow down the progress of AR bacteria, but the report’s authors say it’s too little, too late.

Two years ago, 25,000 Europeans died of bacterial infections that were resistant to antibiotics.
However not all is lost, "Yet"....according to the Yanks and research going on in labs all over the world...

Now, as a brand new study published in PLOS has shown, a phage-encoded molecule can be used to kill a wide range of bacteria, including MRSA. The new drug, called Epimerox, targets weaknesses in bacteria that have been traditionally exploited by viruses. The drug can protect animals from fatal infection by Bacillus anthracis, the bacteria that causes anthrax.

Here at ATS there is always a thread about mankind's end and speculation how our down fall will be accomplished...Maybe the downfall is so small and so insidious that is does not need some secret government lab working toward our destruction but resides in nature as it always has...

Each year, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) — a particularly nasty and highly-adaptable strain — causes at least seven million primary-care and ER visits, infects hundreds of thousands of people, and kills 19,000. Biologist Maryn McKenna describes it a “wily, infinitely adaptable bacterium” — a bug that, owing to its millennia of evolutionary history with us, “bristles with defenses against our immune systems.”

There are some old bugs which have EVOLVED resistance against most if not all of our antibiotics and have made the news creating warnings and consternation. I do wonder what will happen with the bugs in our very own dirt as GMO crops are more and more planted and the bugs develop resistance; not to mention what these crops are doing to our immune system...Thinking big picture here...and the double whammy....Thoughts?

Resistant pathogens

Staphylococcus aureus

Main article: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus FROM en.wikipedia.org...
QUOTE:
Staphylococcus aureus (colloquially known as "Staph aureus" or a "Staph infection") is one of the major resistant pathogens. Found on the mucous membranes and the human skin of around a third of the population, it is extremely adaptable to antibiotic pressure. It was one of the earlier bacteria in which penicillin resistance was found—in 1947, just four years after the drug started being mass-produced. Methicillin was then the antibiotic of choice, but has since been replaced by oxacillin due to significant kidney toxicity. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was first detected in Britain in 1961, and is now "quite common" in hospitals. MRSA was responsible for 37% of fatal cases of sepsis in the UK in 1999, up from 4% in 1991. Half of all S. aureus infections in the US are resistant to penicillin, methicillin, tetracycline and erythromycin.

This left vancomycin as the only effective agent available at the time. However, strains with intermediate (4-8 μg/ml) levels of resistance, termed glycopeptide-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (GISA) or vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA), began appearing in the late 1990s. The first identified case was in Japan in 1996, and strains have since been found in hospitals in England, France and the US. The first documented strain with complete (>16 μg/ml) resistance to vancomycin, termed vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) appeared in the United States in 2002.[76] However, in 2011 a variant of vancomycin has been tested that binds to the lactate variation and also binds well to the original target, thus reinstates potent antimicrobial activity.

A new class of antibiotics, oxazolidinones, became available in the 1990s, and the first commercially available oxazolidinone, linezolid, is comparable to vancomycin in effectiveness against MRSA. Linezolid-resistance in S. aureus was reported in 2003.

Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) has now emerged as an epidemic that is responsible for rapidly progressive, fatal diseases, including necrotizing pneumonia, severe sepsis and necrotizing fasciitis.[78] MRSA is the most frequently identified antimicrobial drug-resistant pathogen in US hospitals. The epidemiology of infections caused by MRSA is rapidly changing. In the past 10 years[when?], infections caused by this organism have emerged in the community. The two MRSA clones in the United States most closely associated with community outbreaks, USA400 (MW2 strain, ST1 lineage) and USA300, often contain Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes and, more frequently, have been associated with skin and soft tissue infections. Outbreaks of CA-MRSA infections have been reported in correctional facilities, among athletic teams, among military recruits, in newborn nurseries, and among men who have sex with men. CA-MRSA infections now appear endemic in many urban regions and cause most CA-S. aureus infections.

Streptococcus and Enterococcus

Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus: GAS) infections can usually be treated with many different antibiotics. Early treatment may reduce the risk of death from invasive group A streptococcal disease. However, even the best medical care does not prevent death in every case. For those with very severe illness, supportive care in an intensive care unit may be needed. For persons with necrotizing fasciitis, surgery often is needed to remove damaged tissue.[80] Strains of S. pyogenes resistant to macrolide antibiotics have emerged; however, all strains remain uniformly sensitive to penicillin.

Resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin and other beta-lactams is increasing worldwide. The major mechanism of resistance involves the introduction of mutations in genes encoding penicillin-binding proteins. Selective pressure is thought to play an important role, and use of beta-lactam antibiotics has been implicated as a risk factor for infection and colonization. S. pneumoniae is responsible for pneumonia, bacteremia, otitis media, meningitis, sinusitis, peritonitis and arthritis.

Multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are associated with nosocomial infections. Among these strains, penicillin-resistant Enterococcus was seen in 1983, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in 1987, and linezolid-resistant Enterococcus in the late 1990s.[citation needed]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a highly prevalent opportunistic pathogen. One of the most worrisome characteristics of P. aeruginosa is its low antibiotic susceptibility. END QUOTE

Those who say where is the proof of evolution need look no farther than the end of a microscope.

I take real interest in this topic because I feel it is one of the biggest threats to our existence on this planet.

Sooner or later something so small as a bacteria or even virus Will affect our species and I'm aware that our reliance on conventional antibiotics is running out...

I do believe however that the answer lies somewhere in nature and that we have yet to realise this....

I did watch recently a little segment on Crocodiles in Africa which said that they are able to eat and digest dead animals, even if those said animals died due to anthrax or any other assorted bugs etc etc.

A crocodiles immunise system and ability to survive whatever nature throws at it should suggest that maybe we should be researching those bad boys....!

Now where is my chain mail and suit of armour..

Regards

PDUK

www.nytimes.com...
This data was collected in 2011 by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System

More than half of samples of ground turkey, pork chops and ground beef collected from supermarkets for testing by the federal government contained a bacteria resistant to antibiotics, according to a new report highlighting the findings.

Originally posted by PurpleDog UK

I did watch recently a little segment on Crocodiles in Africa which said that they are able to eat and digest dead animals, even if those said animals died due to anthrax or any other assorted bugs etc etc.

A crocodiles immunise system and ability to survive whatever nature throws at it should suggest that maybe we should be researching those bad boys....!

Now where is my chain mail and suit of armour..

Regards

PDUK

True enough. But take it a step further! Why not learn from the bacteria (MRSAs) so we as a species can adapt against anything thrown at us.

Originally posted by omass

Originally posted by PurpleDog UK

I did watch recently a little segment on Crocodiles in Africa which said that they are able to eat and digest dead animals, even if those said animals died due to anthrax or any other assorted bugs etc etc.

A crocodiles immunise system and ability to survive whatever nature throws at it should suggest that maybe we should be researching those bad boys....!

Now where is my chain mail and suit of armour..

Regards

PDUK

True enough. But take it a step further! Why not learn from the bacteria (MRSAs) so we as a species can adapt against anything thrown at us.

But that's my point omass

MRSA evolution is every 20mins as the cells divide, so learning from that means humans have to adapt quicker and quicker......
Crocodiles have been around for a long long time but are still here so their immune system must be 'rock' hard...... Learn from the survivors

Pduk

reply to post by PurpleDog UK


I'm guessing I sounded sarcastic
There are also plants with antibacterial properties. Why don't the doctors try that?

I had really thought this thread would get more discussion; to me, it really is a slow methodical game changer...

Maybe that is why it remains under the radar? For those who posted thanks for the replies.

We'll be discussing this topic on tonights ATS Live! Radio show. Join us!

Details here - www.abovetopsecret.com...

I remember when the medical industry stated that a plague caused by bacteria will never happen again. Their bragging backfired once everyone started using antibiotics for everything. We still have turmeric and some other good plants and roots that can kill almost any bacteria. We never needed those antibiotics, if we would have listened to our parents and our parents would have listened to their parents, most of us would not be sick much at all. Instead of progression in the medical field we regressed.

reply to post by PurpleDog UK


Keeping our cellular energy level high enough will keep bacteria at bay. The chemicals that dope us slightly to control civility lower our energy levels. This is why we get sick nowadays so much. Seems like the FDA always choose to approve the chemistry that dampens our energy for food preservation. I feel that society being civil is good but I don't approve of their methods being employed.

It is a fascinating and disturbing subject that's I've been aware of to a certain degree as our local hospital has had to shutdown whole wards,evacuate patients and cancel operations several times this year and a number last year due to outbreaks of 'superbugs'.

Shouldn't we be looking to ourselves to learn about these threats.I read some time ago about a DNA/genetic study that was done on people in a part of England who were direct descendants of people who lived there in the 1340's during the time of the Black Death.

Apparently there was a significantly higher number of people who either surived the disease or who never caught it.The upshot being they were able to show that a percentage of people at the time who inherited a particular gene from both parents were naturally immune to the Black Death/Bubonic Plague.

This really isn't an area I know a great deal about but isn't it possible there will be people naturally immune to certain superbugs.If they could identify particular genes or combinations then perhaps it can be controlled.At least for a time,till the next killer disease or virus appears

Originally posted by 727Sky
I had really thought this thread would get more discussion; to me, it really is a slow methodical game changer...

Maybe that is why it remains under the radar? For those who posted thanks for the replies.

How ironic that the solution to this problem is also under the radar of the mainstream.

Hopefully the antibiotic apocalypse will wake us up enough to bring the solution above the radar. That way we can finally y'know, evolve beyond the limits of our cultural paradigm.

The Scientific and Spiritual Implications of Psychic Abilities

Since ancient times spiritual teachers have described paths and practices that a person could follow to achieve health, happiness, and peace of mind. Considerable recent research has indicated that any sort of spiritual practice is likely to improve ones prognosis for recovering from a serious illness. Many of these approaches to spirituality involve learning to quiet the mind, rather than adhering to a prescribed religious belief. These meditative paths would include all the mystic branches of Buddhism, Hinduism, mystical Christianity, Kabalistic Judaism, Sufism, and many others.

What is hinted at in the subtext of these teachings is that as one learns to quiet his or her mind, one is likely to encounter psychic-seeming experiences or perceptions. For example, in The Sutras of Patanjali, the Hindu master tells us that on the way to transcendence we may experience all sorts of amazing visions, such as the ability to see into the distance, or into the future, the ability to diagnose illness, and to cure them. But, we are told not to get attached to these abilities they are mere phenomena standing as stumbling blocks on the path to enlightenment. In this paper we describe the laboratory evidence for some of these remarkable phenomena, and their implications for science, mental health, and peace of mind.

[...]

Distant Healing

From the dawn of history certain individuals have been recognized as possessing special healing gifts. The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt viewed healers as revered advisors. And it was healers who actually founded the world's great religions: Gautama Buddha, Jesus of Nazareth, and the prophet Muhammad were all gifted healers. The earliest Christians were primarily a healing community. And centuries before Jesus, the Hebrew prophets Elijah, Elisha, and Isaiah were acknowledged healers; and Moses is said to have healed many Israelites from serpent bites.

Medicine men and healing shamans throughout Africa, Asia, and the Americas held some of most esteemed positions in their tribes. In contrast, the progression of Western thought has largely ignored the broad range of mind-to-mind healing that has worked in other cultures. With our reverence for Humanism and Reason, we have much to relearn about the role of consciousness in healing. Only now are we realizing the power of the mind to heal through the scientific method. In recent years, a number of pioneering experiments have explored the role one persons consciousness may have on another persons health.

In his 1993 book Healing Research, psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Benor examined over 150 controlled studies from around the world. He reviewed psychic, mental, and spiritual healing experiments done on a variety of living organisms -- enzymes, cell cultures, bacteria, yeasts, plants, animals, and humans. More than half of the studies demonstrate significant healing.

Where is the balance in all of this.

Are we to fight every bacteria to the point that we need to become Sterile there is no more balance to the use of Antibiotic's.

When you over use a good thing it often turns around and bites us in the ass. As we have now come to see to all of blinded farmers that use this have no idea of the long term affects this has on the human population.

We are only 8 billion lab rats.

Not sure if this is a problem with antibiotics or the immune system’s ability to fight disease. I think it is a little of both. My story is that I believe I had a strong immune system, my problem is that due to circumstances beyond my control and I had no choice until I had to submit to a blood transfusion when I had my daughter by C-section.

I wonder to this day if this was the root of all problems I face today. 1984 I was forced to undergo the transfusion and my life has been hell ever since. Did I receive blood that has a little bit of this disease a little bit of that.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 37 years old? This does not run in my family.
I have had several bouts with anaphylactic shock, can’t figure out what I am allergic to, been for testing
I had my appendix almost burst at 49 years of age, what the hell!!
Bouts of Chron’s disease I have that too, not pleasant, you don’t want this one
Cataract surgery at 52, lost my ability to read close up with this one
And finally, ulcer on my cornea, don’t wear contacts have no clue how his one happened, oh and to tip that one off it come back so even though I dodged a bullet this time it can still get me, can’t read like I could, both eyes are different and see halos around light.

So I believe that everything I have stemmed from the blood transfusion, I think my body is trying to reject that blood and is now attacking whatever it can that looks like it does not belong.

If others can avoid this at all costs, I think they should how do you know what you are getting with someone else’s blood. Cancer can be detected and treated but how do you know that it hasn’t already spread through the bloodstream and found a home in other organs away from the original infected one that is why they do chemotherapy. But they don’t always know that it hasn’t set up shop to start metastases somewhere else.

The reason for my reply is that the immune system plays a vital role in and works in tandem with antibiotics

If anyone has a clue as to why I am so messed up, I would love to hear your theories.