Antibiotic Resistance: A Global Health Crisis We Can’t Ignore

This blog post is inspired by my final manuscript speech, addressing the critical issue of antibiotic resistance. I've adapted it into an easy-to-read format to highlight the key points and engage a wider audience in this important conversation. Enjoy!

Imagine 30 years from now you are scheduled to have an appendectomy, a simple surgery to remove your appendix, but a month later you are re-admitted to the hospital and then after a few weeks, you die. Why? The doctors conclude that the cause of your death is antimicrobial resistance in the form of antibiotic resistance.

Shocking, right? Unfortunately, this scenario is becoming more and more likely as bacteria evolve to outsmart the antibiotics meant to kill them. In 2016, the O'Neill Report on Antimicrobial Resistance estimated that about 700,000 people die each year from drug-resistant bacterial infections. Let that sink in.

What Is Antibiotic Resistance?

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the ability to survive exposure to the very drugs designed to kill them.

It's a natural process, accelerated by the misuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals.

In simple terms, antibiotics target bacteria. But just like in nature’s game of “survival of the fittest,” bacteria adapt.

Bacteria employ two major genetic methods to adapt to antibiotics. This is by mutations in genes and/ or by the acquisition of foreign DNA according to the research article Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance by Munita & Arias, 2016. The article also states that the ability of bacteria to produce enzymes that render antibiotics inactive is one of their most effective survival strategies. This is accomplished by introducing certain chemical components or by disturbing the molecule structure, leaving the antibiotic incapable of interacting with its target. Most of the antibiotics impacted by these modifications function as obstructing ribosome-level protein synthesis.

Think of it as a game of musical chairs. The chairs represent vital resources, like food and shelter, while the players (in this case, bacteria) are fighting for survival.

As the music plays, the organisms move around and try to secure a chair. Some are better at navigating the crowd and finding an open spot, while others struggle to keep up. When the music stops, only those organisms that were able to find a chair survive and pass on their genes to the next generation. This process of natural selection leads to the evolution of traits that help organisms survive and reproduce in their environment.

Only the strongest bacteria survive, and over time, they become resistant to antibiotics, making it harder to treat common infections.

What’s Causing This Crisis?

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics, particularly in livestock, are significant drivers of this crisis. In the U.S., an alarming 80% of antibiotics are used on animals, primarily to promote growth and prevent disease, as reported by Ventola in The Antibiotic Resistance Crisis. When humans consume meat from these animals, they unknowingly ingest these antibiotics, contributing to antibiotic resistance.

But it doesn’t stop there. Many doctors overprescribe antibiotics or fail to de-escalate treatments even when patients are improving. This reckless use of antibiotics creates the perfect environment for resistant bacteria to thrive. In Jamaica, for example, research led by Alison Nicholson at the University of the West Indies revealed that doctors often prescribe strong antibiotics unnecessarily, further fueling the problem.

The Deadly Effects of Antibiotic Resistance

The consequences of antibiotic resistance are dire. Drug-resistant infections are becoming increasingly common both regionally and globally. One particularly dangerous strain is Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which is resistant to nearly all available antibiotics.

Once CRE enters the bloodstream, the survival rate plummets to around 50%.

Clostridium difficile, a bacteria affecting the intestines, is another rising threat. Since 2000, its fatality rate has skyrocketed due to resistance to commonly used antibiotics.

But it’s not just about the health risks.

The economic impact is massive, too. Treating resistant infections often requires longer hospital stays, more intensive care, and isolation, driving up healthcare costs. Procedures meant to prevent post-surgery infections are becoming ineffective, creating a healthcare nightmare.

A Growing Global Threat

We’ve discussed how bacteria develop resistance, the causes of this crisis, and its effects. Now, let’s tie it all together. Like the COVID-19 pandemic, which introduced new, resistant variants, antibiotic resistance is a rapidly growing global problem.

So, what can we do about it?

First, we need to change how we use antibiotics in both humans and animals. Reducing over-prescription and promoting responsible use of these life-saving drugs is key. Second, ongoing research, which is critical to understanding and combating resistance.

Let’s not wait for the worst-case scenario to become our reality. It’s time to take action before antibiotic resistance becomes the next global health crisis.