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| Superbug study to invite 2,000 stool samples | Superbug study to invite 2,000 stool samples |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| MRSA is one superbug the study will track in healthy people | MRSA is one superbug the study will track in healthy people |
| Up to 2,000 people in England will be asked to submit samples of their poo so scientists can find out more about levels of superbugs in the population. | Up to 2,000 people in England will be asked to submit samples of their poo so scientists can find out more about levels of superbugs in the population. |
| Health officials want to design better ways of tackling bacteria that no longer respond to medicines - known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). | Health officials want to design better ways of tackling bacteria that no longer respond to medicines - known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). |
| It kills thousands of people every year in the UK and over a million globally. | It kills thousands of people every year in the UK and over a million globally. |
| Using antibiotics for the wrong reasons has made the problem worse, experts say. | Using antibiotics for the wrong reasons has made the problem worse, experts say. |
| Bacteria are not all bad - the gut contains loads, they are often there for good reason and cause no harm. | |
| But when dangerous bacteria reach parts of the body such as the urinary tract or lungs, or spread to others, they can cause major problems. | |
| Overuse of antibiotics means bacteria can survive the treatment designed to eliminate them, making serious complications, such as bloodstream infections, sepsis and prolonged hospital stays, more likely. | |
| Drug-resistant infections killing millions - study | Drug-resistant infections killing millions - study |
| 'Viral cocktail saved my daughter's life' | 'Viral cocktail saved my daughter's life' |
| "By understanding more about the burden of antimicrobial resistance in healthy people in the general population and the factors that mean someone is more likely to be carrying a resistant organism, we will be able to design better ways to tackle AMR in different populations," UK Health Security Agency AMR division deputy director Dr Russell Hope said. | "By understanding more about the burden of antimicrobial resistance in healthy people in the general population and the factors that mean someone is more likely to be carrying a resistant organism, we will be able to design better ways to tackle AMR in different populations," UK Health Security Agency AMR division deputy director Dr Russell Hope said. |
| A random selection of people from different parts of the country will be invited by post to send in stool samples, as well as nose or throat swab tests. | A random selection of people from different parts of the country will be invited by post to send in stool samples, as well as nose or throat swab tests. |
| The bacteria being tracked include: | The bacteria being tracked include: |
| carbapenem-producing enterobacteriaceae (CPE) | carbapenem-producing enterobacteriaceae (CPE) |
| extended-spectrum beta lactamase (ESBLs) | extended-spectrum beta lactamase (ESBLs) |
| methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) | methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) |
| And researchers will study the impact of factors such as age, sex, ethnicity and location. | And researchers will study the impact of factors such as age, sex, ethnicity and location. |
| Dr Hope said everyone could help cut antibiotic resistance by taking the medicines only as prescribed and never sharing them. | Dr Hope said everyone could help cut antibiotic resistance by taking the medicines only as prescribed and never sharing them. |
| "Taking antibiotics when you don't need them puts you and your loved ones at risk of having an untreatable infection in future," he said. | "Taking antibiotics when you don't need them puts you and your loved ones at risk of having an untreatable infection in future," he said. |
| They should only be used to treat bacterial infections such as sepsis, meningitis or pneumonia, although they can also help prevent infection during chemotherapy, Caesarean sections and other common surgeries. | They should only be used to treat bacterial infections such as sepsis, meningitis or pneumonia, although they can also help prevent infection during chemotherapy, Caesarean sections and other common surgeries. |
| But they are sometimes prescribed to treat coughs, earache and sore throats, on which they have little or no effect. | But they are sometimes prescribed to treat coughs, earache and sore throats, on which they have little or no effect. |
| As part of the government's strategy to reduce antimicrobial resistance, it wants to cut: | As part of the government's strategy to reduce antimicrobial resistance, it wants to cut: |
| the number of specific drug-resistant infections in people by 10% by 2025 | the number of specific drug-resistant infections in people by 10% by 2025 |
| the use of antibiotics in humans by 15% by 2024 - and also in food-producing animals | |
| And on Friday, MPs will question leading medical and health bodies about phages - "good" viruses that can target and kill harmful bacteria. | And on Friday, MPs will question leading medical and health bodies about phages - "good" viruses that can target and kill harmful bacteria. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Antibiotics | Antibiotics |
| Bacteria | Bacteria |