What's a 'Superbug'? Drug-resistant cases on the rise
EDWARDS MILL ROAD AS WELL AS
I-40 EASTBOUND TURNING RIGHT
ON TEMPERANCE. NO ROAD, OK?
THANK YOU, CARLY. THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS WARNING
SUPERBUGS ARE ON THE RISE
THERE. BACTERIA THAT DON'T
RESPOND TO STANDARD ANTIBIOTICS
AND
>> MAKE SIMPLE INFECTIONS
HARDER TO TREAT WRAL, HELP
REPORTER GRACE TABLE JOINS US
NOW. GRACE, THIS IS IMPACTING
PATIENTS RIGHT HERE IN OUR
STATE.
>> WE SEE ABOUT 2.8 MILLION
PATIENTS INFECTED WITH THESE
DRUG RESISTANT BACTERIA ALL
ACROSS THE U.S.. AND THEY'RE
ESTIMATED TO CAUSE ABOUT 35,000
DEATHS EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
AND AS YOU SAID, NORTH CAROLINA
IS YOU. THERE ARE MANY
DIFFERENT KINDS OF THIS
DRUG-RESISTANT BACTERIA AND
SOME SPREAD FASTER THAN OTHERS.
THIS ONE YOU SEE HERE IS CALLED
NDM CRE AND THE CDC SAYS IT
ROSE 460% BETWEEN 2019 2023.
YOU MIGHT HAVE ALSO HEARD OF
THIS ONE. IT'S OR SIR, THIS HAS
BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES AND
A DOCTOR WITH DUKE HEALTH SAYS
IT STILL REMAINS A PROBLEM HERE
IN NORTH CAROLINA. IT'S
BELIEVED THE RISE IS PARTIALLY
CAUSED BY OVERUSE OF
ANTIBIOTICS IN SITUATIONS WHERE
THEY'RE NOT NEEDED. SO, FOR
EXAMPLE, GIVING ANTIBIOTICS
WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS THE FLU,
WHICH IS A VIRAL INFECTION.
WHEN ANTIBIOTICS DO NOT WORK A
ROUTINE INFECTION. CAN TURN
DEADLY.
>> AS THE BACTERIA AND FUNGI
AND DIFFERENT GERMS ARE
EVOLVING. THEY'RE ALWAYS
EVOLVING. THIS IS HOW THE WORLD
IS. AND WE NEED TO HAVE A
PIPELINE OF OF TREATMENTS TO
THEM. YOU KNOW, TO TO HANDLE
THOSE THAT HASN'T KEPT UP.
THAT'S ONE ISSUE. ANOTHER ISSUE
IS SURVEILLANCE. WE NEED TO BE
ABLE TO JUST KNOW WHAT'S OUT
THERE.
>> NOW, DR HOLLAND SAYS WARMING
CLIMATE IS ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO
THESE RISES IN INFECTIONS,
MAKING NORTH CAROLINA A MORE
FAVORABLE HOME TO THESE
BACTERIA. NOW, DESPITE A SCARY
NAME, A SUPERBUG, DR, HOLLAND
SAYS DO NOT PANIC. HIS ADVICE
TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF GETTING
SICK IS JUST TO GO BACK TO THE
BASIC WASHING YOUR HANDS, GUYS
AND SAYING A WAYS FROM OTHERS