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Superbugs

Superbugs are on the rise. Since the discovery of penicillin in the early twentieth century, antibiotics have fought infections and diseases that were once life threatening. But over time, many bacteria have become resistant to these drugs and patients are increasingly at risk. There are an estimated 440,000 new cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis worldwide every year. And there are fears that the problem could be inching closer to Australia's doorstep, with growing rates of the disease in Papua New Guinea. And it's not just TB. Microbiologists have discovered a brand new superbug – a bacteria containing the so-called NDM-1 gene. The bacteria with this gene are resistant to virtually all antibiotics, and researchers say there are no new drugs on the horizon to tackle it. Cases of the bug have been found in Australia. Insight will explore which superbugs are of most concern, and whether over-use of antibiotics and clinician hygiene is behind the problem.

English
  • Originally Aired May 10, 2011
  • Runtime 60 minutes
  • Content Rating United States of America TV-G
  • Network SBS
  • Created September 20, 2015 by
    Administrator admin
  • Modified September 20, 2015 by
    Administrator admin