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Antibiotics continue to be abused in U.S. hospitals despite worsening superbug threat

• http://www.naturalnews.com

(NaturalNews) The excessive use of antibiotics in humans and farm animals can drive drug-resistant bacteria to thrive. These so-called superbugs are resistant to most traditional last resort antibiotics. Despite this danger, U.S. hospitals continue to over-prescribe these drugs.

In a new report researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed the "worrisome" news that many hospitals across the U.S. are increasingly turning to stronger and broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat their patients.

The growing problem of antibiotic resistance in hospitals is a familiar one, but the biggest challenge is finding a way to address the threat. As reported by the researchers, finding a way to reduce antibiotic use in hospitals seems to be a daunting challenge.

CDC epidemiologist James Baggs and colleagues reported that between the years 2006 and 2012, the use of antibiotics in hospitals has not changed while the prescription of a class of drugs that is commonly associated with antibiotic resistance dramatically increased.

"This trend is worrisome in light of the rising challenge of antibiotic resistance," the study wrote.
 

The war against unstoppable superbugs

According to the CDC, unnecessary exposure to antibiotics places patients at risk for serious adverse effects with no clinical benefit. On average 23,000 people die each year as a result of an unstoppable superbug infection, while an estimated two million individuals are infected each year. In a strategy to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the White House has now called the issue "a serious threat to public health and the economy."

Dr. Stuart Cohen from the University of California Davis Health System called the antibiotic resistance issues "Darwinism at its finest." Overuse of antibiotics forces more bacteria to build up immunity against the drug to survive.

"We can't keep going on like this if we are going to expect people to have the same outcome 20 years from now," Cohen said.

According to Dr. Cohen, who specializes in clinical infectious diseases, there are several ways to tackle the growing antibiotic resistance issues. He stated that physicians should only prescribe antibiotics when absolutely necessary, to begin with. Furthermore, patients should inform themselves about alternatives to antibiotic treatments and boost their immune system naturally. Lastly, he added that everybody should use standard hygiene practices to prevent the spread of illness.


 


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