Change Your World Week Fall 2021 (Archived)

Superbugs are strains of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi that are resistant to most of the antibiotics and other medications commonly used to treat the infections they cause. Ultimately, overexposure to human and animal antibiotics leads to the birth of new, resistant strands and less effective treatments. These bugs are already a massive problem in the healthcare field and have recently become a great cause for concern in the agricultural industry. Notably, resistant microbes contribute to around 23,000 annual deaths in the US alone. Unfortunately, as serious as this issue is, it doesn't get the attention it deserves. It seems that the buzz surrounding covid and more contemporary often overshadows this looming threat.

Antibiotic resistance is a significant threat in the world today. The continuous overexposure of antibiotics through human and animal use has led to the creation of many resistant strains and a high global concentration of these drugs. This high density of antibiotics creates the scenario where bacteria are constantly surrounded by drugs that aren't strong enough to eliminate them,  which further increases their resistance (D; 2014). The main issue with resistant bacteria is that we only have so many medicines to treat them with and it takes a lot of effort to develop new drugs that target bacteria. Therefore, our greatest concern is the possibility of resistant microbes over taking the creation of new and effective antibiotics.

The rise of superbugs can be traced back to the usage of antibiotics in food production, mainly in the production of meat. Antibiotics play a heavy role in the meat industry as it is used to protect and promote the animals immune system during farming. But as a familiar concept some of you have heard, survival of the fittest begins to occur here, as the weaker bacteria are taken out giving up area and resources to the stronger more resilient bacteria.

This flow chart helps to visualize how the bacteria can come into contact with humans. 

When people think of alternatives to the meat industry, many may consider free-range farming or more "organic" options. However, There are literal multitudes of antibiotic alternatives in testing. Recently, there have been many studies on different combinations of probiotics, organic acids, enzymes, proteins, antibodies, bacteriophages, clay, and even some metals that can be used in place of antibiotics (Gadde et al., 2017). What's more, there has also been recent testing on phytochemicals and even nanotechnology. Frankly, the possibilities seem endless for the meat industry. In the future, we may be able to increase our meat production if thinking like this continues. However, it's important to remember that research takes time, and with so many options available, it can be challenging for researchers to stay focused in one direction.

Also it is important if you do get prescribed antibiotics take all of them as prescribed! Try to not visit people who are currently sick and above all WASH YOUR HANDS!

Fortunately, there is not much support for continuing antibiotic use in the agriculture industry. It seems most scientists believe that overusing antibiotics has serious health risks. However, veterinarian antibiotics do have their benefits. Antibiotics help animals gain weight quickly, prevent/treat animal diseases, increase livestock lifespan, and extend product shelf life (Jenn Eye et al.). These are all great from a commercial standpoint. Yet, it doesn't touch on the nature of this issue, nor do these benefits outweigh the likely catastrophe. 

In the pursuit of change and maintaining the effectiveness of current antibiotics, people should only take antibiotics as subscribed and avoid contact with others if experiencing cold/flu-like symptoms. Also, health providers should most importantly remember to keep resistant strain bacteria away from one another. As well as wear proper personal protection equipment, and continue to follow handwashing guidelines. Fortunately, laws are restricting the use of veterinarian antibiotics, and there is much research in the works. However again, change and research takes time, especially when it concerns an overtaking like this. Thankfully, we can help by donating to organizations researching the development and implementation of new alternatives like the PEW charitable trusts and other foundations involved in the antimicrobial resistance challenge.

Pew Research Funding

How we can solve antibiotic resistance

click on the link to watch an interesting video on antibiotic resistance. 

1. Gadde, U., Kim, W. H., & Oh, S. T. (2017, May 9). Alternatives+to+antibiotics+in+the+meat+industry - search results - pubmed. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved November 6, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=alternatives%2Bto%2Bantibiotics%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bmeat%2Bindustry. 
2. Jenn Eye, J., Paulson, J., & Rager, J. (n.d.). What are the pros and cons of using antibiotics in animal feed? Pros and cons of antibiotics in livestock feed. Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www1.udel.edu/chem/C465/senior/fall98/AntibiotFood2/pros_cons.html.
3. Ted talk. (2020). How can we solve the antibiotic resistance crisis? - Gerry Wright. Youtube. Retrieved November 6, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvhFeGEDFC8. 
4. Wu, Y., Zhao, J., Xu, C., & Ma, N. (2018, June 9). Progress towards pig nutrition in the last 27 years. Journal of the science of food and agriculture. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29691867/.