Superbug Research Paper

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Superbugs are strains of bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotic drugs. In recent years, irresponsible human activity has led to a boom in the number of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. Some of these bacteria are even resistant to the ‘last resort’ antibiotics, carbapenems. The rise in the frequency of superbugs has led to many experts warning of a "post-antibiotic era", in which antibiotics can no longer be relied upon to treat bacterial infections. It is estimated this figure to be 10 million by 2050. This equates to a death every three seconds. Furthermore, the effectiveness of antibiotics is vital in avoiding infection when carrying operations. Evidently, it is imperative that action is taken to diminish the threat …show more content…
They do so for example, by releasing toxins that disrupt important metabolic processes; they also cause the death of cells by lysis (bursting). Once inside the host, the harmful bacteria will rapidly reproduce via binary fission ; genetic material in the cell is replicated and the cell splits into two identical daughter cells (clones). This multiplication spreads the effects over wider areas of the body. This triggers an immune response; two types of leucocytes (white blood cells), granulocytes and lymphocytes work to destroy them. Lymphocytes produce specific antibodies, which bind to the antigens (recognition sites) on the bacterial cell. These antibodies both neutralise the toxins and clump the bacterial cells together, allowing the granulocytes to digest them more easily. If the body cannot fend off the infection, the person will die; this is why antibiotics are so essential. They are used to treat infections that the body cannot overcome by itself. They work by killing bacteria or preventing them from reproducing and spreading. This is important as it keeps people healthy and stops infections from spreading between people. The international review on antimicrobial resistance states 700,000 people die every year from infections caused by antibiotic resistant superbugs. Although this is already a huge number, if we do not act urgently, the projected figures
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