Yorkshire Philosophical Society

Event Information

“What is a superbug? The global threat of Antibiotic Resistance”

Jessica Blair PhD FRSB, Professor of Antimicrobial Resistance.  Director of University of Birmingham Doctoral School.

Antimicrobial resistance is a global health emergency because infections are becoming much more difficult, or in some cases impossible, to treat. This talk will explain what antimicrobial resistance is, what causes it and why this issue will impact us all.

This the first in a series of three lectures on the theme of “Antimicrobial Resistance”; the second lecture by Professor Martha Clokie, University of Leicester, is on June 3rd and the third lecture by Dr Kate Duncan, University of Newcastle, is on 14th October.

7pm in the Tempest Anderson Lecture Theatre in the Yorkshire Museum.

Member’s report

Professor Blair’s lecture gave an overview of the mechanisms leading to antibiotic resistance and she described the apocalyptic scenario for health care if uncontrolled antibiotic resistance is allowed to happen. Treatment of cancer and diabetes would be impacted, and surgery would once again become dangerous due to wound infection.

Bacterial infections arise because bacteria can multiply rapidly, and bacterial cell division leads to an exponential rise in the number of harmful bacteria present in the infection site. Antibiotics fight bacteria. Since 1900, of the rise in human life expectancy of around thirty years, it is estimated that twenty-three of these years can be attributed to antibiotics.

The golden age of antibiotic discovery was from the 1930s to the 1960s. In fact, a Nobel Laureate postulated that the “infection free” world had arrived. However, every single new antibiotic has resulted in evolved bacteria with resistance to the antibiotic. Rapid discovery of antibiotics in the decades of the golden age has been followed by a “discovery void” in recent decades. This is a severe problem as resistance to existing antibiotics increases and new antibiotics are becoming increasingly rare.

What can we do to avoid the worst-case scenario? We can limit the use of antibiotics. We can avoid infections spreading by staying at home if infected. Hand hygiene as highlighted in the recent pandemic is important. The future of health care as we know it is in our hands.

Andy Marvin