WHO warns: antibiotic resistance is now a bigger crisis than the AIDS epidemic

April 2014 – HEALTH – Antibiotic resistance is now a bigger crisis than the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, a landmark report warned today. The spread of deadly superbugs that evade even the most powerful antibiotics is happening across the world, United Nations officials have confirmed. The effects will be devastating – meaning a simple scratch or urinary tract infection could kill. The WHO said in some countries, because of resistance, carbapenems now do not work in more than half of people with common hospital-acquired infections caused by a bacteria called K. pneumoniae, such as pneumonia, blood infections, and infections in newborn babies and intensive-care patients. Resistance to one of the most widely used antibiotics for treating urinary tract infections caused by E. coli -medicines called fluoroquinolones – is also very widespread, it said. In the 1980s, when these drugs were first introduced, resistance was virtually zero, according to the WHO report.

 But now there are countries in many parts of the world where the drugs are ineffective in more than half of patients. The WHO said in some countries, because of resistance, carbapenems now do not work in more than half of people with common hospital-acquired infections caused by a bacteria called K. pneumoniae, such as pneumonia, blood infections, and infections in newborn babies and intensive-care patients. Resistance to one of the most widely used antibiotics for treating urinary tract infections caused by E. coli -medicines called fluoroquinolones – is also very widespread, it said. In the 1980s, when these drugs were first introduced, resistance was virtually zero, according to the WHO report. But now there are countries in many parts of the world where the drugs are ineffective in more than half of patients. –Daily Mail