Is anyone else worried about resistant bacteria? We have used and abused anti-biotics since we first discovered them. Bacteria can reproduce once
every 20 minutes. They are able to evolve very rapidly and have since become resistant to many of our antibiotics. What else are we going to do? I
have heard about other countries using bacteriophage, a virus that attacks bacteria, but I doubt it will pass FDA regulations because they get it from
dirty water. Also, I hear that scientist are trying to create robots the size of cell to literally fight them off. Any thoughts on what we should
do? Or any other treatments that you have heard of? This is really scary stuff. In 50 years you could die from a sore throat if things are going
the way they are. 
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I'm scared, and so are a lot of doctors and biologists. Many doctors and biologists know quite well how our overuse and abuse of these medicines are
affecting medical care.
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Talking to my wonderful doctor the other day we discussed how vulnerable we are to infection and she brought forth a research done on poultry from
three separate major producers plus poultry from organic farms.
There was no difference between the occurrence of bacteria in any of the fowl. The presence of campylobacter and salmonella was equal, because the
specific strains had become immune to the antibiotics induced.
Now we consume these immune bacteria meaning we will too become immune to the same antibiotics that are supposed to save our lives.
I will find a link as quickly as I can.
WIS
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While resistance in and of itself is an issue... the biggest and perhaps most scary thing is that the most resistant strains of bacteria are also
beginning to pick up genes for virulence also.
In the past the most resistant strains have been largely opportunistic, but virulence and antibiotic resistance are becoming increasingly found
together. It's a problem.
One nice thing is that the same mechanism that brought antibiotic resistance genes to such prevelant state is the same one that can lower the
incidence of antibiotic resistance: natural selection.
Reducing antibiotic usage to only necessary levels would go a long way to reducing the overall incidence of antibiotic resistance genes in the
environment. Of course this won't happen, as it would require people to actually wait for their immune system to deal with minor infections, etc.
Most people desire antibiotics when they aren't necessary. I routinely turn down prophylactic antibiotics when seeing the doctor for a viral disease.
The other thing that has recently been approved and is an entirely viable option is the use of bacteriophages. Phage therapy, is a viable and indeed a
better option for humans than is antibiotic therapy. It's not as general though, and may require some level of sophistication currently beyond the
capabilities of clinical labs before being able to come to fruition.
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