WHO warns "post-antibiotic era" soon

[Stoffwechsel]

Any idea what mortality levels will be from the new super-pathogens that are about to break? I mean, I understand that these things will rise and recede and rise again in waves; I'm wondering what % of people they could carry off with each wave, and also total mortality. Will it be @4%, as with the 1918 pandemic? Or will it reach 33%, as with bubonic plague, or north of 80%, as with the diseases that wiped out the Amerindians? Will our medical science be able to come up with any effective (timely) response? I guess my final question would be, would there by any place on the six continents that would be relatively safer than others, from the Scourge that is coming - ?

 

[Asguard]

Any idea what mortality levels will be from the new super-pathogens that are about to break? I mean, I understand that these things will rise and recede and rise again in waves; I'm wondering what % of people they could carry off with each wave, and also total mortality. Will it be @4%, as with the 1918 pandemic? Or will it reach 33%, as with bubonic plague, or north of 80%, as with the diseases that wiped out the Amerindians? Will our medical science be able to come up with any effective (timely) response? I guess my final question would be, would there by any place on the six continents that would be relatively safer than others, from the Scourge that is coming - ?

its hard to judge because we have some advantages and some disadvantages. We are in general (currently) healthier than we were in the middle ages when the plague wiped out huge numbers and probably healthier than at the end of the war. Medical practices have improved too so supportive care (assuming its not overwhelmed) will be better than in the past.

On the disadvantage side international travel, we would be hard pressed to stop any person to person pathogen, SARS went around the world in a few days before it was even recognized as an issue so the chances of quarantining are fairly low.

 

[wellwisher]

These super bacteria are primarily in hospitals where competing bacteria are routinely eliminated to obtain sterile environments. These superbugs can survive under this barren conditions. This suggests that introducing competing bacteria, which are neutral, can be used help to crowd them out. Picture if we had a fast growing bacteria that is harmless. The designer super bacteria will be over run by bacteria weeds.

A good analogy is starting with a meadow. We use both organic herbicides to kill off the plants. What remains under those harsh conditions are some straggler weeds. To get rid of these weeds, we clean the soil and reseed. In farming they have smother crops which can grow faster then weeds and will overcrowd the weeds, while providing useful organic material when plowed in.