Antibiotic Resistance

How it works

Risks & contraindications

Comparisons

Evidence quality

Highlighted claims

• Globally, over 700,000 people die annually from antibiotic-resistant infections. — Antibiotic Resistance and the Superbug Crisis
• Antibiotic use creates an artificial selective pressure that drives the evolution of progressively more resistant bacterial strains. — Antibiotic Resistance and the Superbug Crisis
• Antibiotics kill the susceptible bacterial majority first, leaving resistant variants with unrestricted access to nutrients and tissue — a competitive advantage created by the treatment itself. — Antibiotic Resistance and the Superbug Crisis
• Stopping an antibiotic course partway through leaves partially resistant survivors with a competitive advantage, increasing relapse risk and accelerating superbug development. — Antibiotic Resistance and the Superbug Crisis
• TB treatment requires multiple antibiotics administered over many months, itself a protocol associated with significant side-effect risks. — The Deadliest Bacteria in the World: Tuberculosis
• Without fundamental change in antibiotic use, superbug deaths are projected to reach 10 million per year, surpassing cancer as a leading cause of global mortality. — Antibiotic Resistance and the Superbug Crisis
• Approximately 13% of TB patients develop antibiotic resistance during the course of treatment. — The Deadliest Bacteria in the World: Tuberculosis
• Approximately 6% of the TB-affected population is already resistant to all available TB treatments before therapy begins. — The Deadliest Bacteria in the World: Tuberculosis
• Bacteria can transfer resistance genes to neighboring microbes, spreading immunity to antibiotics across populations. — Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs and Natural Alternatives
• Antibiotic-resistant superbugs cause approximately 25,000 deaths per year in the United States. — Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs and Natural Alternatives