Emergence of highly antibiotic resistant ‘Superbugs’ and the implications of antibiotic resistance
Gurniak Johal
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is the immunity of bacteria to drugs designed to kill them. Bacterial strains known as ‘Superbugs’, such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), have resistance to several different antibiotics, making their infections extremely difficult to treat (NHS, 2020). Procedures such as organ transplants carry high infection risks and therefore rely on the use of effective antibiotics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). The consequences for patients with resistant infections are ‘increased mortality, longer hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs’ (Berger et al., 2011; Davey et al., 2011).
Keywords: Antibiotics, Superbugs, Bacteria, Overuse