Deadly superbugs pose greater threat than previously estimated

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Washington Post

Drug-resistant germs and related infections sicken about 3 million people and kill about 48,000 every year in the United States, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new estimates show that previous figures missed about half of the illnesses and deaths.

That means on average, someone in the United States gets an antibiotic-resistant infection about every 10 seconds, and about every 11 minutes, someone dies.

The long-awaited report, released Wednesday, establishes a new national baseline of infections and deaths from bacteria and fungi that have developed the ability to defeat drugs designed to kill them. Scientists, doctors and public health officials have increasingly warned that antibiotic resistance is one of the gravest public health threats of our time.

The new numbers, though still conservative, underscore the magnitude of the problem and will help prioritize resources to address the most pressing threats, infectious disease experts said. These germs spread through people, animals and the environment.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/11/13/deadly-superbugs-pose-greater-threat-than-previously-estimated/?arc404=true&wpisrc=al_news__alert-hse--alert-national&wpmk=1

[redstatebluegirl]

1. University researchers are having to beg for money to look into this.

NIH and NSF grants are harder than ever to obtain. Labs are shutting down all over the country, some of them were looking into this but you can't do it without funding. Science is not important to this administration.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. So now they'll restrict medications further

which will lead to more deaths. Plus you have to rely on the expertise of the doctors to diagnose accurately. The guys that can look at you for 10 minutes and tell you what's wrong because the pharma reps told them "what's going around".

I still fight infection with fever and hot baths. Tried and true medicine.

[Delphinus]

3. A few years ago

I came down with a respiratory illness. I let the fever go, sometimes up to 102, for three days. After that, and when I woke up and couldn't speak, I realized I needed to see a doctor. He suggested three days was long enough for a fever that high.

[lonely bird]

4. MRSA is bad enough

There is now VRSA which is resistant to Vancomycin which is the antibiotic of last resort basically. C. Diff is starting to show signs of resistance to Vancomycin.

[roamer65]

5. I know a greater public health threat than this one.

The global climate crisis.

Many may hate this statement, but I frankly don’t care.

A reduction in human longevity will help in the climate crisis fight.