A Boost For Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in the UK

Infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria cannot be treated with the current range of available drugs. These organisms have been inadvertently been selected as byproducts of the overuse of antibiotics (only resistant bacteria survive to replicate). The resistant strains are in danger of returning the world to a pre-antibiotic age, where even minor wounds can result in the loss of limbs and/or death. There are two areas where antibiotics have been much overused. The first is the inappropriate use of antibiotics in attempts to treat viral infections. This is essentially an educational problem, as antibiotics only suppress bacteria. The second is the application of antibiotics to healthy farm animals, where they act as growth enhancers. The EU is bringing in legislation to restrict this use of antibiotics in farm animals. The UK is not (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/28/uk-risks-falling-behind-on-reducing-farm-antibiotics-after-eu-ban). Farm animals can effectively serve as 'culture flasks' for deriving new antiobiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. These new stains might well infect humans (they are in close proximity) as well as farm animals. Some farmers seem addicted to using antibiotics in healthy animals, as this increases profits. The practice is, however, wholly inappropriate under the present circumstances. This is one area where Brexited Britain should certainly not be deviating from the EU.