Superbugs could 'cast the world back into the dark ages'

[maureenho]

Superbugs could 'cast the world back into the dark ages', David Cameron says
The Prime Minister calls for united action amid fears manageable illnesses like pneumonia and tuberculosis could kill huge numbers

By Peter Dominiczak, Assistant Political Editor

10:54PM BST 01 Jul 2014

The world could be "cast back into the dark ages of medicine" where people die from treatable infections because deadly bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics, David Cameron has warned.

The Prime Minister has called for governments and drug companies around the world to work together to "accelerate" the discovery of a new generation of antibiotics.

His intervention comes amid fears in the medical profession that manageable illnesses like pneumonia and tuberculosis could kill huge numbers of people like they did early in the twentieth century.

About 25,000 people die annually across Europe because of infections that are resistant to antibiotic drugs, Mr Cameron said.

Mr Cameron is to announce an independent review led by Jim O’Neill, the economist, to identify why the international market has failed to bring forward new drugs

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/10939664/Superbugs-could-cast-the-world-back-into-the-dark-ages-David-Cameron-says.html

[annie]

That's scary.
Fleas etc are also a big problem now, as the major treatment for dogs and cats is Frontline & fleas have mutated and become immune to it

[Rosalind]

That is frightening.