China threatens world health by unleashing waves of superbugs

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[bonz]

Much the same in Russia. They give out antibiotics for a hang nail.

China's reckless use of antibiotics in the health system and agricultural production is unleashing an explosion of drug resistant superbugs that endanger global health, according to leading scientists.

Chinese doctors routinely hand out multiple doses of antibiotics for simple maladies like the sore throats and the country's farmers excessive dependence on the drugs has tainted the food chain.

Studies in China show a "frightening" increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus bacteria, also know as MRSA . There are warnings that new strains of antibiotic-resistant bugs will spread quickly through international air travel and internation food sourcing.

 "We have a lot of data from Chinese hospitals and it shows a very frightening picture of high-level antibiotic resistance," said Dr Andreas Heddini of the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control.

"Doctors are daily finding there is nothing they can do, even third and fourth-line antibiotics are not working.

"There is a real risk that globally we will return to a pre-antibiotic era of medicine, where we face a situation where a number of medical treatment options would no longer be there. What happens in China matters for the rest of the world."

Particular alarm has been raised by resistance rates of MRSA in Chinese hospitals, which has more than doubled from 30 per cent to 70 per cent, according to Professor Xiao Yonghong of the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology at Beijing University.

Last year researchers found a new strain of MRSA in Chinese pigs imported into Hong Kong and called for urgent new studies into its potential to infect humans after an infection of the new strain was confirmed in Guangzhou, where many of the pigs were farmed.

A Beijing-based health expert with access to unpublished surveys showed that the situation in China was actually worse earlier studies had indicated.

"The Chinese Ministry of Health has all the data," the expert warned, "but they seem unable or unwilling to believe it. The situation has global implications and is highly disturbing."

The Chinese Ministry of Health failed to respond to requests for an interview or information by phone, email and fax over a three-day period.

New prescription guidelines to restrict antibiotic use being issued by the Chinese Ministry of Health in 2004.

"The guidelines are not being followed effectively," added Professor Xiao, "over just the last five years, for example, our studies show the rate antibiotic-resistant E.coli has quadrupled from 10 per cent to 40 per cent."

Public health experts say the rampant over-use of antibiotics in China is primarily caused by China's under-funded healthcare system where hospitals derive up to half of their operating income from selling drugs. In some cities, such as Chongqing, almost half of all drugs sold are antibiotics.

"In Chinese hospitals our data shows that 60 per cent of in-patients are being prescribed antibiotics compared with the WHO guideline of 30 per cent," added Professor Xiao who also heads China's National Antibiotic Resistance Investigation Network.

China's State Food and Drug Administration bans the sale of antibiotics without prescription but a survey by the The Daily Telegraph found the drugs were still easily obtainable over-the-counter.

Three out of five chemists agreed to sell antibiotics after a cursory consultation with the 'patient' who complained of a sore throat.

At one outlet a pharmacist handed over a course of the second-generation antibiotic, Cefuroxime Axetil, with minimal hesitation.

Asked if the sale could "get her into trouble" she said that the pharmacy would get a doctor to write the prescription later to cover their sales records. She added that even doctors from the nearby Capital Institute of Pediatrics came to buy antibiotics without prescription.

"When the surveillance is strict, we won't risk selling antibiotics," Ms Zhang added. Asked to elaborate, she explained, "For example during the 2008 Olympic Games period, we didn't sell them".   

China threatens world health by unleashing waves of superbugs

[FASTAC 6]

Golly. What could possibly go wrong?

[TattooedIntellectual]

Hey Fastac, what level does levofloxacin sit at?

[FASTAC 6]

Hey Fastac, what level does levofloxacin sit at?

Do you mean "generation", or efficacy?
It is definitely a Big Gun drug; like azithro., much overused.

[TattooedIntellectual]

Hey Fastac, what level does levofloxacin sit at?

Do you mean "generation", or efficacy?
It is definitely a Big Gun drug; like azithro., much overused.

Whatever you wanna label it ;)

It's about the only thing that touches mom's bronchitis.

[FASTAC 6]

Hey Fastac, what level does levofloxacin sit at?

Do you mean "generation", or efficacy?
It is definitely a Big Gun drug; like azithro., much overused.

Whatever you wanna label it ;)

It's about the only thing that touches mom's bronchitis.

Yep. Goes back to that whole thing about breeding ever-more-resistant bugs.

/ I have often said that we could make the Eco/tree-hugger/population-alarmist crowd cream their jeans with one simple idea:
Ruthlessly suppress all medical technology for one generation. The world would become a very different place.

[orthoi]

Slightly Used Little Brother, who spent 3+ years institutionalized in China, is very antibiotic resistant. When he had his kidney infection post surgery, Bactrin, Suprax, and one other (can't remember) had no impact. We ended up with Cipro, and that seemed to work, though the turn around was in about 6-8 hours after first dose. Don't know if that was too soon for the Cipro to start working.

Now, when he gets one his tube-induced ear infections, nothing works, so we just treat the swelling with steroidal drops. But the normal antibios for kids: Amoxicillian, augmentin, don't do anything for him.

[Pandora]

Maybe we should demand some restitution from China for unleashing drug-resistant bugs on the world the next time some 3rd world shitthole starts screaming about the probable glowball warmink devastation brought upon them by the West's CO2.

[TattooedIntellectual]

Slightly Used Little Brother, who spent 3+ years institutionalized in China, is very antibiotic resistant. When he had his kidney infection post surgery, Bactrin, Suprax, and one other (can't remember) had no impact. We ended up with Cipro, and that seemed to work, though the turn around was in about 6-8 hours after first dose. Don't know if that was too soon for the Cipro to start working.

Now, when he gets one his tube-induced ear infections, nothing works, so we just treat the swelling with steroidal drops. But the normal antibios for kids: Amoxicillian, augmentin, don't do anything for him.

Orthoi, I catch/treat most of my outer ear infections w/ a 1:1 H2O2 and rubbing alcohol.  Anymore, it's just a 2-3x a week habit to drip some in the ears and let it foam.  Makes me dance like a chicken.  Dunno if it'd work w/ the tubes or if it might cause problems.

I didn't get ear infections until I turned 24, then I was averaging 4-6 outer ear infections w/ 1 inner ear infection a year.  The last ear infection I didn't quite catch blew up into inner and outer ear infections in both ears.  Which also meant my jaw swelled on one side and any ability to chew flew out the window.  I'd rather have monster cramps than do that again.

[Noodle]

Makes me dance like a chicken

Why? Does it hurt or burn or tickle weirdly?

[TattooedIntellectual]

Makes me dance like a chicken

Why? Does it hurt or burn or tickle weirdly?

What is H202?

Yes to both, it fizzes, and burns, and tickles.

Hydrogen Peroxide.

[Noodle]

Makes me dance like a chicken

Why? Does it hurt or burn or tickle weirdly?

What is H202?

Yes to both, it fizzes, and burns, and tickles.

Hydrogen Peroxide.

Lots of cures/maintenance are right in front of us and we don't even know it...anymore. Just like the whole putting sugar on wounds thing. Never heard of that before and people swear by it.

[TattooedIntellectual]

Thyme's an antiseptic.  Thyme tea (helps if it's fresh) w/ some lemon and some honey will do wonders for your throat.  And, just thyme tea will help treat eye styes.

[Horti]

Thyme's an antiseptic.  Thyme tea (helps if it's fresh) w/ some lemon and some honey will do wonders for your throat.  And, just thyme tea will help treat eye styes.

Hey now, leave the Herbalism to the experts!

 

Thyme contains thymol, which is a great antiseptic. The Honey coats the throat and reduces irritation. So it makes you feel better, and just might cure what ails you.

Add a little rosemary and sage and you have a basic herbal doctors bag at your fingertips.

/Not that I would ever recommend you use herbal medicines over conventional medicines, but sometimes they do work.

[TattooedIntellectual]

Hey!  I'm dangerous w/ my little bits of information.

[orthoi]

TI:
No, because of the tubes, we can't use anything like that. They don't bother him until they get really out of control, so hopefully this will be something that goes away eventually.