British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

[webfact]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'
A Government report warns that tens of thousands could die because of new strains of bacteria and viruses resistant to drugs
By Matthew Holehouse, Political Correspondent

LONDON: -- Up to 80,000 people in Britain could die in a single outbreak of an infection due to a new generation of superbugs, according to an official Government forecast.

In total, some 200,000 people could be infected if a strain of disease resistant to antibiotics took hold, according to official forecasts which reveal the potential casualty toll for the first time.

Within 20 years, outbreaks of common flu could become “serious” for patients as drugs become useless and routine surgery could be curtailed due to the risk of infection, it is warned.

Scientists are increasingly concerned about the impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which makes routine antibiotics or antivirals drugs ineffective against diseases that have formerly been brought under control.

It would mean that the huge gains made since the discovery of penicillin in curbing conditions such as pneumonia and tuberculosis and rendering surgery and childbirth safe could be lost.

David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Full story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11517558/British-superbug-outbreak-could-kill-80000.html

-- The Telegraph 2015-04-06

[Suradit69]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the headline is a little misleading ... the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Britain would necessarily be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Of course it was the home of mad cow disease and seems to be a leader in foot and mouth disease, so who knows.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Suradit69

[bkkjames]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Brittain would be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Misuse of antibiotics in the UK is on par with Thailand? Do tell more...

[sandrabbit]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Brittain would be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Misuse of antibiotics in the UK is on par with Thailand? Do tell more...

A prescription is required in the UK to be given antibiotics. My wife went to the pharmacy earlier this year and I'd asked her to get something for flu, the pharmacist gave her antibiotics .........

[JockPieandBeans]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the headline is a little misleading ... the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Britain would necessarily be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Of course it was the home of mad cow disease and seems to be a leader in foot and mouth disease, so who knows.

Something is stirring that will cast the UK back to the dark ages. It will not be anything to do with medicine.

[Benmart]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the headline is a little misleading ... the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Britain would necessarily be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Of course it was the home of mad cow disease and seems to be a leader in foot and mouth disease, so who knows.

Something is stirring that will cast the UK back to the dark ages. It will not be anything to do with medicine.

I can't tell what will happen tomorrow, let alone further out.

[car720]

Man, where is Watergate when you need it?

The major threat to the world in the foreseeable future is overpopulation.

We have seen so many introduced plagues in the last years that it is obvious someone, somewhere, is looking at a fix.

China 1.5 billion

India 1.1 billion

and there are others. At least China has a one child policy. India encourages more births and they will overtake China within a generation.

Wars have been shown not to kill them off fast enough.

Can somebody beam me up, please?

[Suradit69]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

Misuse of antibiotics in the UK is on par with Thailand? Do tell more...

No. Everything is wonderful in Farang Land.

The [british] Government’s announcement of a review of the economics of antimicrobial research is a welcome step in addressing one aspect of antimicrobial resistance. However, current practice across both health and veterinary services is failing to prevent the inappropriate prescription of antibiotics. The Government needs to set clear responsibilities at all levels of the NHS and veterinary medicine to achieve better stewardship of the antimicrobial drugs vital in modern medicine, the Science and Technology Committee has warned.

"Antibiotic resistance cannot be entirely prevented, but it is a problem made worse by inappropriate use and poor stewardship of antibiotics in healthcare and farming. We heard concerns, for instance, that antibiotics are often prescribed by GPs simply to achieve a placebo effect or placate patients with distressing symptoms. In farming meanwhile, we suspect that antibiotics may be routinely used on healthy animals.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/news/report-amr/

Edited April 6, 2015 by Suradit69

[slipperylobster]

A prescription is required in the UK to be given antibiotics. My wife went to the pharmacy earlier this year and I'd asked her to get something for flu, the pharmacist gave her antibiotics .........

Antibiotics are for infections...not viruses..such as the flu. You would need prevention, such as vaccinations.

[JockPieandBeans]

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the headline is a little misleading ... the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Britain would necessarily be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Of course it was the home of mad cow disease and seems to be a leader in foot and mouth disease, so who knows.

Something is stirring that will cast the UK back to the dark ages. It will not be anything to do with medicine.

I can't tell what will happen tomorrow, let alone further out.

Try opening your eyes. It is obvious to a blind man.

[Suffinator]

More scaremongering

[lubbkis]

This is just a ploy for Cameron to scare the British electorate. MRSA is found in hospitals. In the UK most hospitals are run by the NHS. Cameron's party are trying to destroy the NHS. Go figure. April 6th you say?

[Doc46]

Is this site suppose to be an Thai visa forum ,forThai and visa news for expats? OR for some stupid pommy bug scare campaign

[BigBadGeordie]

Is this site suppose to be an Thai visa forum ,forThai and visa news for expats? OR for some stupid pommy bug scare campaign

This is the "World News" section!

[bartender100]

Be mostly old people i would suspect!!

[bkkjames]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

Misuse of antibiotics in the UK is on par with Thailand? Do tell more...

No. Everything is wonderful in Farang Land.

The [british] Government’s announcement of a review of the economics of antimicrobial research is a welcome step in addressing one aspect of antimicrobial resistance. However, current practice across both health and veterinary services is failing to prevent the inappropriate prescription of antibiotics. The Government needs to set clear responsibilities at all levels of the NHS and veterinary medicine to achieve better stewardship of the antimicrobial drugs vital in modern medicine, the Science and Technology Committee has warned.

"Antibiotic resistance cannot be entirely prevented, but it is a problem made worse by inappropriate use and poor stewardship of antibiotics in healthcare and farming. We heard concerns, for instance, that antibiotics are often prescribed by GPs simply to achieve a placebo effect or placate patients with distressing symptoms. In farming meanwhile, we suspect that antibiotics may be routinely used on healthy animals.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/news/report-amr/

All nice. Now answer me this. In the UK can you walk into any pharmacy and ask for an antibiotic without a prescription and get it? Cause here you can...but you already knew that. The first word out of any pharmacists mouth here is antibiotic...is the rest of Asia any different?

[MaeJoMTB]

Be mostly old people i would suspect!!

Strangely enough the biggest 'flu' killer in the history of man, 1918 called Spanish Flu, didn't kill the old, infirm or the young.

Those who died were mainly healthy men and women in their 20s-40s.

Edited April 6, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[Thongkorn]

Be mostly old people i would suspect!!

Strangely enough the biggest 'flu' killer in the history of man, 1918 called Spanish Flu, didn't kill the old, infirm or the young.

Those who died were mainly healthy men and women in their 20s-40s.

There was another super bug in the 70s it was called Mow flue, it killed thousands. its Natures way of controlling pests. us humans,

Edited April 6, 2015 by Thongkorn

[Seastallion]

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the headline is a little misleading ... the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Britain would necessarily be Of course it was the home of mad cow disease and seems to be a leader in foot and mouth disease, so who knows.

Something is stirring that will cast the UK back to the dark ages. It will not be anything to do with medicine.

I can't tell what will happen tomorrow, let alone further out.

Try opening your eyes. It is obvious to a blind man.

I suggest you open your eyes, Jock, and read a bit more. Medicine-resistant bacteria are a far larger threat than your imagined Islamic "epidemic", which everyone know is what you're alluding to.

Try starting off with watching "War of the Worlds", published in 1897 (or reading it). It encapsulates the underlying idea nicely.

[F430murci]

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the headline is a little misleading ... the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Britain would necessarily be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Of course it was the home of mad cow disease and seems to be a leader in foot and mouth disease, so who knows.

Something is stirring that will cast the UK back to the dark ages. It will not be anything to do with medicine.

I can't tell what will happen tomorrow, let alone further out.

One of the most intelligent things said on here in a long time.

[elgordo38]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the headline is a little misleading ... the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Britain would necessarily be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Of course it was the home of mad cow disease and seems to be a leader in foot and mouth disease, so who knows.

If you vote Conservative all this will be averted. Trying my hand at being a spin doctor.

[Prbkk]

Be mostly old people i would suspect!!

Strangely enough the biggest 'flu' killer in the history of man, 1918 called Spanish Flu, didn't kill the old, infirm or the young.

Those who died were mainly healthy men and women in their 20s-40s.

Correct, millions dead in the war itself and the survivors spread the flu around the world killing a few more million.

Over prescription of antibiotics and the lack of new generation antivirals makes this a dangerous time. The current flu strain is nasty and those in high risk categories might consider immunisation .

Thailand's overuse of antibiotics is just crazy. I expect it comes from the expectation that when one feels unwell that pills must be part of the treatment regime. But to be able to walk into Boots or any other pharmacy and buy antibiotics is beyond the pale, IMHO

[Stjohnm]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the headline is a little misleading ... the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Britain would necessarily be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world cast back into the dark ages of medicine.

Of course it was the home of mad cow disease and seems to be a leader in foot and mouth disease, so who knows.

Something is stirring that will cast the UK back to the dark ages. It will not be anything to do with medicine.

No but it might have something to do with UKIP

[oneday]

Nothing new here...I'm just surprised it hasn't happened yet.

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed. This topic is about a potential medical situation. We can dispense with continued discussion of jihad in this thread.

[Credo]

So, this is a thread about a superbug that doesn't exist, but could exist?

If this is meant to scare the crap out of me, it's working. I am one of those people who is more scared of what might happen than what does happen!

[cookee68]

So, this is a thread about a superbug that doesn't exist, but could exist?

If this is meant to scare the crap out of me, it's working. I am one of those people who is more scared of what might happen than what does happen!

It might be ok

[jacko45k]

British superbug outbreak 'could kill 80,000'

So this won't be blamed on Thai street food vendors? I'm sure some of our more creative posters will manage to put the blame on Thailand one way or another, although over-prescription & misuse of unnecessary antibiotics is as much a first world problem as one in the third world.

To be fair, the headline is a little misleading ... the report came out of Britain, I don't think it was meant to imply that Britain would necessarily be ground zero for the next plague ... just the hub of hysterical predicitions:

"David Cameron has warned that such a scenario would see the world “cast back into the dark ages of medicine”.

Of course it was the home of mad cow disease and seems to be a leader in foot and mouth disease, so who knows.

Are you drunk?

It is an article about UK infections and you bring up Thai street food vendors....!

[Johpa]

Antibiotics are for infections...not viruses..such as the flu. You would need prevention, such as vaccinations.

Influenza is indeed a viral disease. Antibiotics can be used to fight many types of afflictions including flu. Infections, swelling and reddening, are usually a symptom of your innate immune system responding to a foreign agent with limited success. Antibiotics are commonly used to either supplement or complement your adaptive immune system (B-cells and T-cells) which normally makes its own antibiotics. Be thankful that you have not had to learn this stuff that I have greatly over simplified.. Edited April 6, 2015 by Johpa

[Seastallion]

Antibiotics are for infections...not viruses..such as the flu. You would need prevention, such as vaccinations.

Influenza is indeed a viral disease. Antibiotics can be used to fight many types of afflictions including flu. Infections, swelling and reddening, are usually a symptom of your innate immune system responding to a foreign agent with limited success. Antibiotics are commonly used to either supplement or complement your adaptive immune system (B-cells and T-cells) which normally makes its own antibiotics. Be thankful that you have not had to learn this stuff that I have greatly over simplified..

And antibiotics are found to be very effective against some cancers.