Superbugs: What Are They and How Can They Be Stopped?
Published: 23 January 2023
Published: 23 January 2023
A superbug is a microorganism that has developed antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to multiple antimicrobials. Superbugs have adapted after being exposed to certain antimicrobials and can no longer be killed by these treatments (ABC News 2017; WHO 2021).
The proper terminology for this is a multi-resistant organism; the term ‘superbug’ has been popularised by the media.
Resistance to an antibiotic occurs when a microorganism grows in the presence of a concentration of antibiotic that would usually be sufficient to inhibit or kill organisms of the same species (Sabtu et al. 2015).
The severity of a superbug depends on the number of different antimicrobials the microorganism is resistant to, with some being resistant to one or two and others being resistant to multiple (IMB 2017).
In 2016, a case of an infection caused by a ‘pan-resistant’ (resistant to all antibiotics) strain of bacteria was detected in the United States for the first time, resulting in the death of a woman in her 70s. According to current research, Australia should anticipate the event of ‘pan-resistant’ bacteria in the near future (Bowden 2017).
It’s estimated that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are responsible for more than 700,000 deaths worldwide, every year. A review by the UK government on antimicrobial resistance foresaw the number rising to 10 million by 2050 (IMB 2017).
A major risk of superbugs is that if they spread, we could reach the point where it becomes too dangerous to perform routine surgeries such as caesarean sections and transplants due to the risks presented by infection (IMB 2017).
The major cause of antimicrobial resistance is the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials (WHO 2021).
Almost all species of bacteria have developed some degree of AMR since the invention of antibiotics in the 1930s, but most are still sensitive to numerous classes of agents (Bowden 2017).
However, a smaller subgroup of bacteria (known as multi-resistant strains) are only susceptible to a very limited range of antibiotics (Bowden 2017).
As antibiotics often cause unwanted side effects, it is not uncommon to be advised to change antibiotics more than once in the treatment of severe infection. If a patient acquires a multi-resistant strain, it is only a matter of time before treatment options become limited (Bowden 2017).
Research has shown that just one course of antibiotics can affect the level of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms in a person’s body. It can also contribute to the wider issue of antimicrobial-resistant disease in the community (ABC News 2017).
Antibiotic-resistant strains are not exclusive to developing countries. Brazil, Greece and South Africa have major problems with superbugs (IMB 2017).
There is a strong correlation between countries with high incidents of antibiotic-resistant strains and countries where antibiotics are available over the counter (IMB 2017).
Traditionally, hospitals have been known to be the breeding site of the most serious infections, however, superbug infections are developing outside of hospital environments at an increasing rate (IMB 2017).
In the relatively recent event of global travel, the spread is only being exacerbated.
Keep in mind that while antibiotic resistance is a catalyst for superbug growth, the impact of a germ is not only dependant on whether there is an effective antibiotic available, but by the virulence of the organism, the volume the person is exposed to and the health of their immune system (Bowden 2017).
Cases in which people die from antibiotic-resistant infections are still relatively rare, particularly in Australia, where antibiotics are not available over the counter (IMB 2017). This aside, it should still be considered a serious threat.
Clinical microbiologist Deborah Williamson argues, along with other infectious disease experts, that there is a current ‘black hole in surveillance’ in antibiotic resistance in Australia (Branley & Lloyd 2019).
Some of the microorganisms that have been identified as being of primary concern in Australia include:
(Branley and Lloyd 2019, Bowden 2017; ACSQHC 2021; SA Health 2022)
The following efforts are being trialled or have been suggested with the intention of stopping superbugs:
(IMB 2017)
A vital way to protect oneself from superbugs is to follow recommended infection control procedures, such as:
(Johnson & Seladi-Schulman 2019)
Question 1 of 3
The number of cases of infections resistant to carbapenems has risen by more than…?