

How do we solve antibiotic resistance?
6 snips Jul 4, 2024
Experts Laura Piddock and Margaret McCartney discuss the ongoing challenges of antibiotic resistance. Marine biologist Helen Scales predicts future ocean changes. Cosmologist Andrew Pontzen talks about black holes. Food scientist Stuart Farrimond explains the EU ban on smoky flavored crisps.
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Rising Antibiotic Resistance Threat
- Antibiotic resistance has grown so many common antibiotics no longer work effectively.
- This threatens routine medical treatments and compromises care for vulnerable patients.
Antibiotic Resistance Drivers
- Overprescription of antibiotics in humans and use in food production drive resistance.
- Resistance risk increases in individuals and communities after antibiotic use, visible in long-term population studies.
How Bacteria Share Resistance
- Bacteria evolve resistance mainly by acquiring and sharing genes through a form of bacterial sex.
- This gene sharing allows rapid spread of multiple drug resistance across bacteria populations.