Are you ready for a world without antibiotics?

[Blue_vision]

This is just another example of society's extravagance and luxury being it's downfall. Oh you have a cough? Take some antibiotics so your immune system doesn't have to do anything. Do you not want to get sick? Take a vaccine so you don't have to actually address nature.

I'm proud to say that I've only used antibiotics twice in my life, once when I had appendicitis, and when I had my wisdom teeth out. I always get so angry when I see antibacterial gel dispensers in every single public building. It's just stupid.

It's not that antibiotics won't work, it's that they'll be a lot less effective. If we'd used them in extreme moderation, all these drug resistant bacteria would get drowned out by a constant non-resistant population and evolution would continue relatively normally. But now, we're basically ensuring evolution and in turn making our future much harder. Oh I do hate us so much

 

[Scobie]

DELETED

 

[verindae]

Actually, I think part of the point of the article is that there aren't any new miracle antibiotics in development that are going to extricate us from this mess. Antibiotics research is difficult and unprofitable.

That said, I'm not convinced that the situation is as bleak as it's been made out to be. Apart from the prospect of cures other than antibiotics being developed, isn't there the possibility that bacterial resistance to some drugs will decrease over time? Bacteria evolve resistance in response to our use of antibiotics. A bacterium with an antibiotic-resistance gene is at an advantage if that antibiotic is in use - but when that antibiotic isn't in use, that same bacterium is at a disadvantage. If we stop using a particular antibiotic, then it would make sense for non-resistant bacteria to make a resurgence in the population. It might be that we get into cycle of a few decades in which various antibiotics fluctuate in effectiveness, in the same way that the interaction between a host and its parasite cycles over time. Anyone who is more knowledgeable about the specifics of antibiotic resistance can feel free to correct me, but it makes sense to me.

The idea of a that kind of cycle sounds plausible to me and isn't the first time I've heard of it. The only problem the way I see it is it would require proper control of what kind of antibiotics were issued and when.
The way it's going at the moment they'll be handing them out as prizes in cereal next lol

 

[Brandon237]

This is bad, very bad. /obviousness.

I really hope they make some or other medical breakthrough, why is it that this happens now? I still Have Had my whole life ahead of me! Human life will become frail once more, extinction is now a possibility.

 

[Sonicron]

When exactly did this development start, anyway? I mean, distributing antibiotics like candy? Or has this been going on for decades, and I was just lucky enough to be raised by parents with doctorates in internal medicine and microbiology respectively who knew what kind of heavy-duty stuff antibiotics actually are?

I think a while actually.

I remember being in 1994-1996 one of my science books was telling how anti-biotic drugs were breeding super germs.

As well i know a number of parents then and now that basically make there children wear gloves everywhere they go. Maybe you were lucky like I was, but this "PURGE EVERYTHING" idea has been going on since I was a kid. My dad just thought it was stupid and told me to go play in the mud.

Huh. Guess this has been a long time comin', then.

Your dad had the right idea there, by the way. Kids need to play in the mud; exposing yourself to all that crap builds up your immune system.

 

[tthor]

EDIT: It seems that in a world with limited anitbiotics, where every application of antibiotics could risk a new strain of resistant bacteria popping up, the best bet is for Euthonasia to become legal world wide. If people have a life threatening illness that is easily spread, it could be the safer option to kill them for the greater good.

it sounds good on paper, but when you yourself have an illness, one that you may even be able to fight off, would you Want to die just so that you don't make a bacteria slightly more resistant?

This is the human condition, to fight for survival despite all odds. Seeking to remove this very nature from mankind would remove everything that makes us human, and make us lose any reason to exist.
Mankind's only reason to exist is because we fight to exist, we fight to survive. Our existence is in no way beneficial to anything, except to our fight to survive. If we decide to stop fighting to exist, then all of mankind is better off dead.

 

[-Samurai-]

I don't recall ever taking antibiotics for anything anyway. My immune system is pretty bad ass.

 

[Macheteswordgun]

Well my degree will be useless in a couple years lol

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Thank you. I work in a hospital and I want to fucking strangle all the idiot parents who INSIST the doctor prescribe an antibiotic when the kid clearly has a viral infection. Not to mention the fact that nobody can just DEAL with being sick any more. Got strep throat? RUN TO THE DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY! God forbid you be uncomfortable for a few days and let your immune system work. This is society's own fault, so too damn bad.

I've been lucky in that for most of my life my family GPs have been from the "rub some dirt on it" school of thought. Most of the time when I get sick, I just let my immune system do it's thing... and if I eventually have to go see my GP they've pretty much accepted that on the first visit it will be for some stronger painkillers and maybe something to suppress symptoms.

Of course, my current GP thinks I'm nuts because I'll go to pick up a new script for my diabetes meds and he'll notice a gash on my hand or something and ask about it and just shake his head in disbelief when I tell him I superglued the skin closed or cauterised the wound.

All that carry on is probably what stopped a particularly nasty strain of flu from killing me a few years back... and the lovely case of pneumonia if left me with.

 

[unoleian]

Everyone's too damn reliant on antibiotics and sterilizing agents and the like, anyway.

People NEED to be sick, NEED their bodies to deal with that sickness on its own terms, it's the only way WE resist THEM.

Antibiotics should be the ultimate last resort. Too many pop open a bottle of them at the first sign of anything. People do far more harm to themselves with antibiotics than anything else.

 

[OneOfTheMichael's]

Heres another thing to think about for all of you.
I oil was to run out.
Riots, catastrophes, and a different world as we know it.
No electricity, No cars, More horses probably, factory shut downs all over.
Imagine the possibilities that would happen.

 

[silver wolf009]

This has been forseen for some time. It will be scary to see the the seemingly concrete wall between us and bacteria crumble, but it does not nessecarily fortell certian destruction.

 

[MikailCaboose]

This isn't really suprising. Bacteria can multiply thousands (I believe that's a major understatement) each day. Bacteria will mutate quite quickly, and no matter what medication you use against bacteria, it's continued effectiveness is only a matter time to begin with.

 

[Chal]

Spoiler: You people suggesting self-replicating nanobots as a fix do so in jest, correct?

In the meantime, while I certainly foresee shorter life expectancies, I don't see a reason to panic. Not every strain is some monstrously virulent killer, and antibiotics are a fairly recent development that humanity managed to survive without for a long enough bout.

We're gonna be O-K! /optimist

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Well, you're about my age (35) aren't you? It seems to me like it's my/our generation that's getting so overprotective with the kids. Not themselves, which is interesting to me. Hm, I almost give enough of a shit to think about it...

I'm 37, so yeah.

And yeah, not only are they uselessly overprotective of their crotchspawn, they're FUCKING USELESS at instilling any discipline into the litte shits.

Not that the bastards that make up our parents' generation(s) are any help either. Sure, they'd let us walk around on broken bones, eat lead paint or beat on each other with rusty iron stakes... but one of the precious grandcunts get so much as a sniffle and it's a major health emergency.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

We've known about this for years and years now, and it's still scary to see how much antibiotics are abused.
My doctor is a pretty bad offender.
Got acne? Antibiotics!
Got a cold? Antibiotics!
Got a sore throat/flu? Antibiotics!
Got a migraine? Yeah, you get the picture. He's a terrible doctor.
I have a feeling if he hands out antibiotics like they're candy, he can't be the only doctor doing it, and the short-sightedness of it all really makes me sick.
So sick, I think maybe I should take some antibiotics.

The problem here is that most people go to the doctor and expect to receive some sort of fancy medication for their ailment. It doesn't matter that an antibiotic will be useless in most cases.

 

[PatrickXD]

I'm worried by the number of 'Unleash teh nanites!' responses in this thread. Haven't we seen enouh movies to know that is a very BAD idea? Sure it'll be fine until someone hacks the 'Nanobot super HIVEMIND mainframe' and 'reverses the polarity of the molecular neuron /babble' to make them enslave the entire human race. Isn't it obvious?

 

[BonsaiK]

i found this article today, pretty scary stuff if ya ask me.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/aug/12/the-end-of-antibiotics-health-infections

/erased the wall, eye bleeding is no fun just read the link.

Western medicine is to blame for over-prescribing the things.

It's not the end of the world, yes in worst case scenario we may go back to pre-antibiotic days but with modern hygeine practices. In my opinion this is a good thing. The best defender against infection is sensible hygiene and a healthy immune system. If people let their immune systems do more work instead of propping them up with drugs every chance they got, we wouldn't even be in this boat.