Bacteria are among the oldest living organisms on the planet in part because of their incredible ability to adapt and survive a wide array of harsh conditions. So, it is no wonder that bacteria have been fighting back ever since humans discovered and been commercially producing antibiotics in 1928. That ability to withstand antibiotics is called antibiotic resistance . . . or bacteria's ability to survive an antibiotic regimen. And when it comes to treating human illnesses, it represents an area of growing concern.
Each year, there are some 2 million Americans who become ill due to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, reported the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even worse, at least 23,000 people die as a result of those infections, the CDC, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reported in a comprehensive investigation on the subject.
While bacteria have an innate ability to adapt, the use of antibiotics is the single most important factor that leads to the expansion of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Many anti-animal agriculture groups are quick to point out that antibiotics are commonly used in food animals to prevent, control, and treat disease, and to promote the growth of food-producing animals. However, they often gloss over another glaring contributor - human antibiotic usage.
In fact, antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed drugs used in human medicine, noted the CDC in its report Antibiotic Resistant Threats in the United States, 2013. The CDC estimated that up to 50 percent of all antibiotics prescribed for people are not needed or are not optimally effective as prescribed.
To stem the antibiotic-resistant bacteria threat, CDC urges the following:
1. Preventing infections and preventing spread of resistance.
2. Tracking resistant bacteria.
3. Improving the use of today's antibiotics.
4. Promoting the development of new antibiotics and developing new diagnostic tests for resistant bacteria.
To read the full 114-page report, go to www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/threat-report-2013.
