We Have Met the Enemy...
Researchers around the globe are scrambling to develop new drugs to combat these increasingly dangerous organisms:
1) STREPTOCOCCI (bacteria)
A leading cause of illness and death among both children and the elderly is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Increasing numbers of cases in the U.S. are resistant to penicillin, and some are resistant to other classes of antibiotics as well.
2) STAPHYLOCOCCI (bacteria)
One kind, Staphylococcus aureus, is commonly acquired in hospitals. A few recent cases of the bug developing resistance to Vancomycin, which is the antibiotic of last resort, set off alarms in the medical community.
3) HEPATITIS B AND C (viruses)
These infect 360 million people worldwide. While a vaccine exists for hepatitis B, resistance to treatment often develops in those already infected. No widely effective antivirals exist for hepatitis C.
4) INFLUENZA (virus)
Vaccines exist for the flu, but many people do not get vaccinated. There are few good treatments available once someone is infected. Identifying the flu virus is also difficult because of the lack of easy-to-use diagnostic tools.
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