Antibiotic Resistance Now a Major Threat to Global Public Health, Warns Nobel Laureate

Alarmed over the increasing use of antibiotics to treat even common diseases, Dr John Robin Warren has warned that resistance to antibiotics poses a ‘major global threat’ to public health.

Alarmed over the increasing use of antibiotics to treat even common diseases, Nobel laureate Dr. John Robin Warren has warned that resistance to antibiotics poses a ‘major global threat’ to public health.

"I think one of the current issues globally is the increasing use of antibiotics and the increasing resistance to antibiotics. If that keeps growing, we are going to be in real trouble," said Warren, who was in Mumbai for the 102nd Indian Science Congress.

Drug Resistance – Antibiotic or Antimicrobial Resistance
Drug resistance is often a problem in malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and hospital acquired diseases. Judicious use of antibiotics can control the problem.

Warren also said, “Doctors should stop prescribing antibiotics when they are not needed."

"A doctor shouldn't prescribe an antibiotic to a patient, if he/she knows that the antibiotics are not going to be of any assistance. However, some doctors tend to prescribe antibiotics because of pressure from their patients," he said.

Asked if he noticed a decline in prescription of antibiotics after a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Australia scientist said, “The situation is not a disaster yet, but could easily become one. I haven't seen things improving after the report."

Predicting Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
Treating bacterial infections with antibiotics is becoming increasingly difficult.

Dr John Robin Warren awarded the Nobel for his work in Physiology in 2005 for his discovery on the 'bacterium Helicobacter pylori' and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer diseases.

"When we began our journey, scientific and technological tools were not advanced. It was believed that bacteria couldn't grow in stomach, good biopsies were rare, and there were no clinical specimens.

Gastritis was not understood well, but we refused to be discouraged, kept experimenting with determination. After years of dedicated hard work, we discovered the bacterial strain," he said.

Effect of Topical Antibiotics on Antibiotic Resistance Explored in Research
A study says that a comparison of prophylactic antibiotic regimens applied to an area in the mouth and throat and digestive tract were associated with low levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

“It was a quite a miracle and opened new vistas in discovering treatments for Gastritis and peptic ulcers for making the life of human beings more productive and healthy," Warren added.

Source-Medindia

Plan Against Antibiotic Resistance 'Upgraded' by US
An executive order to ramp up the national response to the problem of antibiotic resistance and infections that cannot be treated has been issued by US President Barack Obama.