By Michael, on July 6th, 2012 
Students are sent home from class with red, runny noses and even after a week's worth of prescription medicine they still aren't better. You go to the doctor for what you suspect is just a stomach bug, yet after a long period of antibiotics, you're still showing symptoms. It doesn’t take a scientist—or doctor for that matter—to see that something is array here. Our bodies are falling victim to what seems to be common, familiar ailments, but our traditional means of attack aren't working!
These stories are unfortunately becoming all too regular in occurrence. But why, what's changed? One hypothesis that is gaining lots of ground is the theory of the superbug" outbreak. Defined as a strain of bacteria that is resistant to traditional antibiotics, superbugs are becoming more and more common as people continually overmedicate and over vaccinate until the bugs have no choice but to evolve to survive.
So what are some of these "superbugs" and what do they mean for our medical future? Read on to find out….
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Also known as MRSA, this superbug attacks wounds and leads to painful, potentially deadly, infections. Around since the mid-1900s, MRSA has shown resistance to several common antibiotics and can only be combated with newly-developed treatments. Killing thousands of people every year, medical professionals must seek alternatives before it evolves again and becomes even more powerful than it already is.
E-Coli
Or as it's known in the medical field—Escherichia coli—is another superbug to be on the lookout for. Although it is naturally occurring and is a part of our regular makeup, E-coli has been known in recent years to mutate and cause harmful, internal infection throughout the body. From blood poisoning to urinary tract infections, the effects of e-coli are far from pleasant and can be seriously damaging. Presently, there are only one or two antibiotics known to combat this mutant, while others fail at the task.
Salmonella
Showing resistance to the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin, this superbug is a worldwide threat that must be stopped. With over 1 million cases in the U.S. alone, the bug is typically not too harmful if caught right away. But, for those with weaker immune systems, even the slightest interruptions and defects caused by these bacteria can prove harmful, and even deadly. Spread through food and also person to person, strains of the bug are becoming stronger every day and more resistant to treatment.
What Does This Mean for Our Medical Future?
Being so reliant on antibiotics for so many years, the medical field has been caught off guard by these antibiotic-resistant mutants. To defeat them and prevent the creation of more, doctors, pharmacists and med-students alike are having to get more creative and inventive in their approaches to solutions and treatments. Alternative and holistic practices are an option and are even growing in popularity throughout certain med-schools. The future of the human race depends on their willingness to think outside of the box and embrace these new methods.
Barbara Jolie is a full time freelance writer and blogger in the Houston area. She enjoys writing about education and the advantages of online classes for all students. If you have any questions email Barbara at barbara.jolie876 (at) gmail.com.
