Used to be that the most dangerous trouble-makers in the country could be found on the wall of the post office. The list of the FBI ‘Ten most wanted’ was always fascinating to me. A chance to see a picture of the most heinous criminals still on the loose.
Today’s ‘Top Ten’ is actually a Top Twelve, listed by the World Health Organization(WHO) as the Superbugs that are on the highest priority hit list for focus by medical science.
What is a superbug? It is a bacteria that has become strongly resistant to our common antibiotics and which can only be defeated by multiple non-traditional antibiotics in a combination that can be toxic. These combinations are capable of beating the superbugs in most cases….but not always. Although rare, they are becoming increasingly noticeable across the US and the world and will become an increasing problem over the coming years. A future in which bacterial germs are untreatable is unlikely, but a focus on developing new treatments now is essential for a future that does not become a bacterial dystopia.