'Miracle' Era of Antibiotics Is Ending

Modern medicine can't fight off superbugs for long
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 12, 2010 1:14 PM CDT
'Miracle' Era of Antibiotics Is Ending
A test kit for MRSA.   (AP)

Good news: The superbug MRSA seems to be under control. Bad news: A new one called NDM-1 is on the loose. Get used to it, warns Sarah Boseley in the Guardian. "The era of antibiotics is coming to a close," she writes. These "miracle medicines" can't fight off ever-evolving bacteria for long—figure another 10 years under a best-case scenario. "The post-antibiotic apocalypse is within sight."

Boseley insists this is not hyperbole, just science. As soon as researchers find a way to stop one multi-drug-resistant strain, another crops up. This poses serious complications for modern medicine on everything from pneumonia, to appendix removal, to organ transplants. Just a few generations ago, patients routinely succumbed to infection after ordinary surgery. "Welcome to the future," writes Boseley.
(Read more antibiotics stories.)

We use cookies. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Read more in our privacy policy.
Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X