What are superbugs and should we be worried about their rise?
The UK is a "long way" from containing and controlling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as superbugs continue to cause serious infections that are harder to treat.
According to a new report by the National Audit Office (NAO), AMR contributes to an estimated 35,200 deaths in the UK each year. Treating AMR infections costs the NHS an estimated £180 million per year.
But the NAO said that while the UK government is taking the problem seriously, it has only made "limited progress" in tackling it. In 2019, the government said it would commit to reduce the burden of infection, optimise antimicrobial use, and invest in innovation and research.
However, just one of its five domestic targets have been met since then, which is to reduce antibiotic use in food-producing animals. The NAO said that drug-resistant infections in humans have increased by 13% since 2018.
What is antimicrobial resistance?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines.
These medicines include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics. They are used to prevent and treat infectious diseases in humans, animals and plants.
AMR is a natural process that is a result of genetic changes in pathogens. The WHO adds: “Its emergence and spread is accelerated by human activity, mainly the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials to treat, prevent or control infections in humans, animals and plants.”
AMR are also known as "superbugs", according to Antibiotic Research UK. The charity adds that some bacteria are resistant to multiple drugs, making it more crucial to find an antibiotic that works.
What are the most common superbugs?
MRSA
MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a type of bacteria that lives on the skin, usually without causing harm. However, if it gets under the skin, it can cause a serious infection that requires immediate treatment.
Skin infections caused by MRSA can lead to symptoms like pain, redness and swelling in the affected area. Deeper infections can cause fever, aches and pains, chills and dizziness or confusion, pus and open sores, and require immediate treatment as they can lead to sepsis.
CRE
CRE (Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae) infections cause a variety of serious illnesses, including pneumonia, dysentery, bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, wound infections, and meningitis.
These infections can spread through person-to-person contact from dirty hands, wounds or faeces, as well as through contaminated medical equipment and devices. This means people with compromised immune systems or who are residing in care facilities are most at risk.
They are difficult to treat as they are resistant to most antibiotics, so healthcare providers have to make treatment decisions on a case-by-case basis.
E. coli
E.coli is a common bacteria that is often responsible for gastrointestinal problems, such as food poisoning or infections. E.coli H30-Rx is a strain that is resistant to fluoroquinolones, a type of antibiotic, and can spread from the urinary tract into the blood - leading to sepsis.
Sexually transmitted infections
Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have become resistant to antibiotics. The most prominent of these is gonorrhea - sometimes known as super gonorrhea, which is a highly drug resistant strain of the gonorrhea bacteria.
The WHO classes super gonorrhea as a “major public health concern” as the options for treatment have reduced.
Without proper treatment, super gonorrhea can lead to serious health implications, including infertility, inflammation, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage and maternal death, and an increase in HIV transmission.
Why are superbugs so dangerous?
The prevalence of superbugs is one of the top global public health and development threats, the WHO has said, as they are responsible for millions of deaths around the world.
"AMR puts many of the gains of modern medicine at risk," the organisation said. "It makes infections harder to treat and makes other medical procedures and treatments - such as surgery, caesarean sections and cancer chemotherapy - much riskier."
The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) said in 2023 that AMR is on the rise, with an estimated 66,730 serious antibiotic-resistant infections recorded in 2023. This figure surpassed pre-pandemic levels, up from 62,314 in 2019.
The majority of antibiotic-resistant bloodstream infections in the five years prior (65%) were caused by E. coli.
The UKHSA said that people who get a bacterial infection that is resistant to one or more antibiotics are more likely to die within 30 days compared to those who have an antibiotic sensitive infection.
Professor Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of UKHSA, said: "Increasingly the first antibiotics that patients receive aren’t effective at tackling their infections. That’s not just an inconvenience – it means they are at greater risk of developing a severe infection and sepsis. Our declining ability to treat and prevent infections is having an increasing impact, particularly on our poorest communities.
"While we work with partners to innovate new approaches and life-saving treatments, there are steps everyone can take. Take up the vaccinations you are eligible for to help stop infections in the first place. Only take antibiotics if you have been told to do so by a healthcare professional. Do not save some for later or share them with friends and family.
"This isn’t just for your own health - it’s about protecting everyone in our communities and future generations."
Read more about health and wellness:
Scientists warn STIs could be deadly by 2040 (Yahoo Life UK, 8-min read)
There are four viruses going around Britain – which one have you got? (The Telegraph, 8-min read)
How to know if you have norovirus, and four myths about the bug debunked (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
