William Sander, Class of 2022
After watching a TED talk by Maryn McKenna, a Public Health journalist, I was extremely concerned about what seemed to be a looming and catastrophic event which would surely be the end of all human life as we know it. McKenna discusses how we’ve chosen to over-prescribe antibiotics, incorporating them everywhere from the meat industry to the public health sphere (2). During the seventy years after penicillin was developed, we have irresponsibly used what was a revolutionary invention and have nearly turned it, as well as a slew of other antibiotics, obsolete. As we near the end of the antibiotic era, we must consider the next steps to take to ensure proper response to diseases such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). This threat that faces us is not the responsibility of the next generation; it is our duty to learn all that we can about diseases so that we may discover modern solutions to modern problems.
Briefly, the history of MRSA dates back to 1880 where Staphylococcus Aureus was discovered and commonly referred to as staph infection. During the 1940s, penicillin was widely used after surgery to prevent sepsis, and by 1950 Staphylococcus Aureus had already developed a resistance to penicillin. As an alternative, methicillin was used to treat bacterial infection. Again, eleven short years later in 1961, Staphylococcus Aureus become resistant to methicillin and became what is commonly known today as MRSA (1). The most dangerous aspect of this disease is that unlike illnesses like malaria, meningitis, and HIV, MRSA is extremely widespread in more developed countries. MRSA is commonly transferred through contact with open wounds and is extremely contagious in close quarters. Although infection rates for HA-MRSA (Hospital-Acquired) and CA-MRSA (Community-Acquired) have fallen in recent years, new mutations of this bacteria suggest that this success may be short lived. MRSA was discovered to be resistant to one of its last resort antibiotic treatments: Vancomycin (1). Once MRSA becomes widespread there is not much anyone will be able to do to prevent sepsis and this will increase hospital acquired infections and post-surgical infections as a whole. Inevitably, we will be in the same position that we were in during the pre-penicillin era.
However, this ominous future is not imminent. In fact, researchers have been able to produce quite revolutionary potential treatment regimens to these new MRSA bacterium. Chemists at Emory University have been able to use compounds called Synthetic Retinoid Antibiotics, which are substances similar in structure to Vitamin A, to kill MRSA in mice. What is novel about this antibiotic is that it selectively targets MRSA bacteria cells in an organism without harming any other helpful bacteria. Additionally, the two synthetic Retinoids (CD437 and CD1530) were able to kill both growing bacteria cells and persister cells, which cause antibiotic resistance (4). As part of a different research effort, researchers at Columbia University have been able to successfully map MRSA outbreaks with a new software from data used from the UK-EMRSA-15 strain in Sweden. This new technology will greatly help medical professionals map the progression of different strains of MRSA and will aid early treatment, an essential part to controlling an antibiotic resistant disease (4). This recent progress in the fight against antibiotic resistant diseases such as MRSA shows promise for a future where we are able to rely less on antibiotics and more on new treatments. We must continue to fund and show support for research on antibiotic resistant diseases if we are to address this growing concern.
References
1. “History, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Antimicrobial Resistance.” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 3 June 2019, www.niaid.nih.gov/research/mrsa-antimicrobial-resistance-history.
2. McKenna, Maryn. “Maryn McKenna.” TED, 2015, www.ted.com/speakers/maryn_mckenna.
3. McKenna. “Radical Reframe: The Surprising Talks in Session 6 of TED2015.” TED Blog, 11 June 2015, blog.ted.com/radical-reframe-the-surprising-talks-in-session-6-of-ted2015/.
4. Staff, Science X. “Computer Model Shows How to Better Control MRSA Outbreaks.” Medical Xpress - Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 2 Jan. 2019, medicalxpress.com/news/2019-01-mrsa-outbreaks.html.
Briefly, the history of MRSA dates back to 1880 where Staphylococcus Aureus was discovered and commonly referred to as staph infection. During the 1940s, penicillin was widely used after surgery to prevent sepsis, and by 1950 Staphylococcus Aureus had already developed a resistance to penicillin. As an alternative, methicillin was used to treat bacterial infection. Again, eleven short years later in 1961, Staphylococcus Aureus become resistant to methicillin and became what is commonly known today as MRSA (1). The most dangerous aspect of this disease is that unlike illnesses like malaria, meningitis, and HIV, MRSA is extremely widespread in more developed countries. MRSA is commonly transferred through contact with open wounds and is extremely contagious in close quarters. Although infection rates for HA-MRSA (Hospital-Acquired) and CA-MRSA (Community-Acquired) have fallen in recent years, new mutations of this bacteria suggest that this success may be short lived. MRSA was discovered to be resistant to one of its last resort antibiotic treatments: Vancomycin (1). Once MRSA becomes widespread there is not much anyone will be able to do to prevent sepsis and this will increase hospital acquired infections and post-surgical infections as a whole. Inevitably, we will be in the same position that we were in during the pre-penicillin era.
However, this ominous future is not imminent. In fact, researchers have been able to produce quite revolutionary potential treatment regimens to these new MRSA bacterium. Chemists at Emory University have been able to use compounds called Synthetic Retinoid Antibiotics, which are substances similar in structure to Vitamin A, to kill MRSA in mice. What is novel about this antibiotic is that it selectively targets MRSA bacteria cells in an organism without harming any other helpful bacteria. Additionally, the two synthetic Retinoids (CD437 and CD1530) were able to kill both growing bacteria cells and persister cells, which cause antibiotic resistance (4). As part of a different research effort, researchers at Columbia University have been able to successfully map MRSA outbreaks with a new software from data used from the UK-EMRSA-15 strain in Sweden. This new technology will greatly help medical professionals map the progression of different strains of MRSA and will aid early treatment, an essential part to controlling an antibiotic resistant disease (4). This recent progress in the fight against antibiotic resistant diseases such as MRSA shows promise for a future where we are able to rely less on antibiotics and more on new treatments. We must continue to fund and show support for research on antibiotic resistant diseases if we are to address this growing concern.
References
1. “History, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Antimicrobial Resistance.” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 3 June 2019, www.niaid.nih.gov/research/mrsa-antimicrobial-resistance-history.
2. McKenna, Maryn. “Maryn McKenna.” TED, 2015, www.ted.com/speakers/maryn_mckenna.
3. McKenna. “Radical Reframe: The Surprising Talks in Session 6 of TED2015.” TED Blog, 11 June 2015, blog.ted.com/radical-reframe-the-surprising-talks-in-session-6-of-ted2015/.
4. Staff, Science X. “Computer Model Shows How to Better Control MRSA Outbreaks.” Medical Xpress - Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 2 Jan. 2019, medicalxpress.com/news/2019-01-mrsa-outbreaks.html.
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