The 'Antibiotic Apocalypse' - Scaremongering or Scientific Reporting?

Jonathan A G Cox; Tony Worthington

doi:10.1016/j.tim.2016.11.016

The 'Antibiotic Apocalypse' - Scaremongering or Scientific Reporting?

Trends Microbiol. 2017 Mar;25(3):167-169. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2016.11.016. Epub 2016 Dec 23.

Authors

Jonathan A G Cox¹, Tony Worthington²

Affiliations

¹ School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK. Electronic address: j.a.g.cox@aston.ac.uk.
² School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK.

PMID: 28024669
DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2016.11.016

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is dominating scientific media. We are warned of an impending 'antibiotic apocalypse', where mankind faces its biggest threat, untreatable microbes. However, the world is not ending. Scientists are responding to the threat; new knowledge and chemotherapeutics are being created to safeguard our future. The future is bright, not gloomy.

Keywords: antibiotic; antimicrobial resistance; apocalypse.

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
Drug Discovery
Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial*
Humans

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents