World Health Organization warns of “post-antibiotic” era

CDC

I grew up with a constant reminder of the pre-antibiotic world. In the 1930s, my mother was riding her bicycle in the neighborhood when she was struck by a car. Her leg, badly injured, became infected. With no way of combatting the infection, her family was left with a stark choice: lose her leg or potentially lose her life. For the rest of her life, everything below one of her knees was prosthetic.

With the rise and rapid spread of antibiotic resistance, we run the risk of returning to this era. Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that "the problem is so serious that it threatens the achievements of modern medicine. A post-antibiotic era—in which common infections and minor injuries can kill—is a very real possibility for the 21st century."

In response, the WHO plans on coordinating a global effort to limit the spread of antibiotic resistance. As it notes, though, "Determining the scope of the problem is the first step in formulating an effective response." So the WHO has polled all of its member states to get a sense of what they know about drug-resistant pathogens within their borders. The results were released this week.