And again...
Imagine a time when a paper cut or Strep throat could kill you...
That is me trying to be dramatic. Seriously though, we are getting nearer to the post-antibiotic age as more and more bacteria are becoming resistant to drugs. I can't really convey how serious this problem is without giving you a ton of statistics, but trust me. I -never- preach about things to people, but I feel the need to here. Pharmaceutical companies do not see money in developing new antibiotics as they are used short term and by much fewer people than say, cholesterol-lowering drugs. Research in the United States is being put on "exciting" threats like anthrax and other bioterrorism bugs. Sure, bioterrorism could maybe happen, but 90,000 people still die EVERY YEAR in the US due to naturally occuring infectious diseases like bacterial pneumonia and wound infections. Antibiotics are becoming useless and new ones are not being developed.
I could go on, but you probably get the point. So what can you do? IT'S SO EASY! Wash your hands! Don't take antibiotics for a cold! Colds and the flu are caused by viruses, which antibiotics do not kill. A sore throat is 200 times more likely to be caused by a virus than a bacteria. Please do me and the rest of the world a huge favour and check out this website:
www.dobugsneeddrugs.org
It's made for the general public and is easy to understand, with silly cartoons included. Please.
Spreading information is the best way to attack this growing threat.
If you're interested in more info, let me know. I'd be glad to discuss.
-Chelsea
That is me trying to be dramatic. Seriously though, we are getting nearer to the post-antibiotic age as more and more bacteria are becoming resistant to drugs. I can't really convey how serious this problem is without giving you a ton of statistics, but trust me. I -never- preach about things to people, but I feel the need to here. Pharmaceutical companies do not see money in developing new antibiotics as they are used short term and by much fewer people than say, cholesterol-lowering drugs. Research in the United States is being put on "exciting" threats like anthrax and other bioterrorism bugs. Sure, bioterrorism could maybe happen, but 90,000 people still die EVERY YEAR in the US due to naturally occuring infectious diseases like bacterial pneumonia and wound infections. Antibiotics are becoming useless and new ones are not being developed.
I could go on, but you probably get the point. So what can you do? IT'S SO EASY! Wash your hands! Don't take antibiotics for a cold! Colds and the flu are caused by viruses, which antibiotics do not kill. A sore throat is 200 times more likely to be caused by a virus than a bacteria. Please do me and the rest of the world a huge favour and check out this website:
www.dobugsneeddrugs.org
It's made for the general public and is easy to understand, with silly cartoons included. Please.
Spreading information is the best way to attack this growing threat.
If you're interested in more info, let me know. I'd be glad to discuss.
-Chelsea