Losing the Battle of the Bugs
Common bacteria are now so resistant to antibiotics that they can kill. We have no one to blame but ourselves
New vaccines, however, will not be available for every bacterium, and new drugs will have to be used parsimoniously, the way today's antibiotics have not been. Even with new "wonder" drugs, the solution will be the same: Use fewer antibiotics in smarter ways. "You can't blow this off like in the past," Albanese told the doctors. "How do we fix it? Tighten your belts and if you have to, say to the patient, 'Sorry.'"
On a Sunday in late March, a small miracle took place. Dalton Canterbury stood up and, for the first time since he'd been home, walked right up to Susan Canterbury and looked at her. Soon he was able to run through the house. By mid-April, he had regained a great deal of his eyesight. Dalton may have some vision and learning problems or continuing seizures. But none of that seems important right now, because he is alive.
"You know," says Susan Canterbury, "you hear about people using antibiotics too often, but I don't think I ever realized the seriousness of this until Dalton got sick. I didn't know that we have overmedicated ourselves to the point that we've put ourselves in jeopardy."
Eluding the enemy
Some genes enable bacteria to "learn" new tactics for evading and inhibiting antibiotics. Here are three of the basics.
1 Expelling. Genetically developed pumps catch antibiotics as they enter the cell membrane and expel them from the bacterium.
2 Degrading. Some genes produce enzymes that degrade the antibiotics, rendering them useless against disease.
3 Deactivating. Other genes make enzymes that chemically deactivate the antibiotics.
[Illustration labels]: Cell membrane; Antibiotic-resistant genes; Antibiotic; Pump; Degrading enzyme; Deactivating enzyme
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