The Antibiotic Resistance War

Dive into the microscopic battlefield in our latest video. We delve into the critical issue of antibiotic resistance. Witness the historical development of antibiotics, from penicillin's accidental discovery to the ongoing battle against superbugs. Explore the molecular structures of antibiotics and the ingenious strategies bacteria employ to survive. We uncover the urgent quest for new antibiotic solutions, utilizing AI, bacteriophages, and cutting-edge technologies. However, time is ticking— the World Health Organization warns of a potential future claiming 10 million lives annually by 2050 due to antimicrobial resistance. Subscribe now for a riveting exploration of this silent threat. 🦠💊🔬 #AntibioticResistance #Superbugs #ScienceWarfare

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Credits:
Executive Producer:
Matthew Radcliff

Producers:
Elaine Seward
Andrew Sobey
Darren Weaver

Writer:
Alex Danis, Ph.D.

Host:
Alex Danis, Ph.D.

Scientific Consultants:
Ian Seiple, Ph.D.
Michelle Boucher, Ph.D.
Leila Duman, Ph.D.

Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell

Reactions is a production of the American Chemical Society.
© 2023 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Sources:
00:00 Introduction
02:05 Penicillin is Discovered
03:07 How Penicillin Works
03:35 Bacteria Beats Penicillin
05:02 Antibiotic Resistance
05:44 Methicillin
06:13 Horizontal Gene Transfer
07:14 Vancomycin
10:21 What Do We Do Now?

[MSWMW]

I am an ICU doctor. One of the biggest misconceptions is that we have "stronger antibiotics". As this video demonstrates very well, we are more and more limited with the types of antibiotics we have. The newest generations we have of Cephalosporins are now incredibly controlled by our infectious disease colleagues because once you have resistance to that, you are screwed. Stronger doesn't always mean better. FIrst of all, people call Vancomycin 'stronger' but it is less bacteriocidal (i.e. bacteria destructive)than penicillins or cephalosporins. Second, those 'stronger' antibiotics also have WORSE side effects. For example, Vancomycin is more likely to cause renal failure. Third resistance takes TIME to figure out. It can take a few days to grow out bacteria and then find what they are resistant to. Those days can make it too late to help someone if they develop septic shock, abscesses, empyemas etc. These are just SOME of the reasons why good doctors want to limit antibiotics if it isn't necessary. It's not that they are holding out, they are trying to PROTECT you.

[rocketskids]

Alexander Fleming -- the person who discovered penicillin, and won a Nobel prize for it -- warned of antibiotic resistance publicly in 1945. That was nearly 80 years ago for the people bad at math. There is no excuse for anyone to not be aware of the problem.

[BRUXXUS]

Yeah… this whole this is terrifying. Imagine going back to a time where just getting a minor cut could be life threatening. Watch an infection spread with literally no way to treat it…
I wish more people understood just how big of a problem this could be.
Also… those playing cards are awesome!

[sagarnegi]

Having high resilience without any motivation, we humans should learn that from bacterias

[lindawee]

My 8 year old daughter has been in hospital for 7 weeks for a bone infection MSSA most likely, but nothing grows in the cultures, antibiotics are not working, the only thing that works is surgery to clean out abscess, after 5 cleanings in the OR surgeon closed incision, but 2 weeks later MRI shows a small abscess growing back. This is the scariest time of my life 🙏🏼 I don’t know if she’s antibiotics resistant, antibiotics make the infection worse. Drs seemed puzzled too

[Sarappreciates]

Staph infection nearly deleted me this year after breast reduction surgery. That bug resisted like 4 antibiotics (including the one they inject immediately after most surgeries), and it's a very long story, but suffice it to say I just recovered from a second surgery last month because the infection was so stubborn that not even Bactrim made it better; they had to go in and clean it from the inside! After that and another week on antibiotic, I finally felt well enough to return to the targeted therapy drug I take to control stage 4 cancer, and it's been 3 weeks since I started again. My next scan is a little over a month from now, and I'm trying to be as Zen as I can about it. There's no lesson for me in this experience. I don't normally take antibiotics.

TLDR: Staph happens.

[annettiespaghettie]

I contracted MRSA in college while living in a dorm. 6 months later I got MRSA pneumonia w septic shock. 24/7 back to back azithromycin & zithromax infusions saved my life. Well, that and the chest tubes. I’m very lucky. Ask me anything. I’ll type out the story if someone wants to hear it. Cheers.

[reason]

4:48 The overuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture is insanity. Do people really think access to cheap meat everyday is more important than having antibiotics that work? I hope that precision fermentation and cultured meat will take over as soon as possible and put the factory farms out of business. That will be a glorious day.

[JWentu]

Honestly, I loved the direct way you explained this. I like your exposition style and I am going to suggest this video to my kids. Thx.

[PinkWytchBytch]

I suffer from severe reoccurring dental infections that can range from painful to possibly hospitalization. I sometimes have to suffer an infection without meds to AVOID becoming resistant because I need antibiotics so often it’s at least once every couple months sometimes multiple times a month, its a scary thought

[therongjr]

Great video! As an immunologist, I agree that antibiotic resistance is terrifying . . . but you didn't mention the other thing hurting us: capitalism. From the moment a new antibiotic is developed, bacteria begin evolving resistance. Why would any for-profit company invest millions of dollars in difficult research not even guaranteed to develop a new class of antibiotic when it starts down the path to obsolescence (and reduced profits!) as soon as it is put on the market?

[atashgallagher]

I have to wonder how much longer resistance would take to evolve to a synthetic antibiotic not related to an existing natural antibiotic which means there are already resistances to.

[quintessenceSL]

I had read something concerning changes to environs (localized hyperbaric dressings, colonizing wounds with benign bacteria to out-compete pathogens, etc.) as another avenue of research (a lot of it seemed to be referencing Pauling, so...).

Another was whole blood transfusions to get a better immune response.

Putting most of our hopes into newer antibiotics seems (and certainly we'll be more responsible with these) just a treadmill.

[Jay_Kay]

My only facebook ban is from american mushroom growing group where I learned that they buy antibiotics for farm animals (which apparently can be bought by anyone from the shelf) and mix it with mushroom substrate to reduce bacterial growth.

My criticism was too much for them. Now if bacteria respected country borders I wouldn't care.

[LogjammerDbaggagecling-qrds]

From what I understand, the solution they're currently working on is bacteriophage therapy. Hopefully they make it viable before we hit the antibiotic resistance singularity, otherwise we're pretty well boned.

[Silvercrypto-xkzy]

I have chronic uti and kidney infections, and have a history of both vre and Mersa. Listen to her when she says antibiotic resistance is no joke. Stop going to your dr with a sniffle and insisting you need an antibiotic or getting upset when once isn’t prescribed

[FutureAIDev]

(Dr. Glaucomflecken reference) Just... don't overuse meropenem for a generic fever... 😂

[palpytine]

Screw AI... I'm going to complain because you skipped both amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. Instead of bypassing beta-lactamase we just give the enzyme an excess of beta-lactam that consumes it.

[markkaidy]

When it comes to MRSA think PHAGE not Antibiotic.

[connorcriss]

It’s crazy that this is literally evolution happening in real time