Scientists call for end to overuse of antibiotics

The two new superbugs revealed by scientists yesterday - strains of MRSA and E. coli that are resistant to antibiotics - highlight humanity's ongoing battle against infection-causing microbes.

Bacteria, like all organisms, are programmed to survive. They are continually mutating, evolving and swapping genes. Mutations that confer an advantage, such as resistance to antibiotics, are naturally selected and the mutant strains then multiply, posing new threats to human health.

When bacteria find a way around our defences by evolving protection against the antibiotics used to destroy them, we should start to worry.

Although deaths have declined, thanks to better hygiene in hospitals, the global overuse of antibiotics continues so indiscriminately that the planet is now bathed in a dilute solution of them, endangering millions of lives.

The antibiotic era began with the discovery of penicillin and almost conquered infectious disease. Almost - but not quite.

The emergence of multi-drug resistance has demonstrated that no antibiotic can work for long. The bugs will always find a mechanism to resist them.

The simultaneous identification of two new superbugs should serve as an alarm call. Unless we find a way to curb overuse of antibiotics, the microbes will win.

- Independent