What Are "Superbugs"? A Guide for Parents

As a parent, the safety and well being of your child or children is one of the most important aspects of your life. It is a parent's worst nightmare to hear of germs and diseases that are resistant to regular antibiotics. Those germs and diseases are what we now know as "superbugs." The term of "superbugs" is what we know as viruses and bacteria.

Antibiotics are given to patients to treat the "germs." If those germs are resistant to the drugs, it becomes much harder to treat the patient. Without the drug working properly to kill the germs than the patient becomes much more ill and the germs continue to live on. Germs are also known as pathogens.
As a parent we become more aware of the germs and illnesses out there. How does a child or adult receive these pathogens? Pathogens are available anywhere. Door knobs, public restrooms and various other places have germs seeking a place to survive.

The context of this article will help parents to understand what superbugs are and how to protect yourself and your family from these "bugs." The prevention of germs is to wash your hands after the use of the restroom, and anything involving dirt. But washing your hands isn't always an option. Products have been produced to help prevent capturing germs. Those products are hand sanitizers. These are perfect for the ones who are always on the go.

What germs are exactly considered to be "superbugs?" Hepatitis B, West Nile, Flu, Cancer, Malaria, Aids, and MRSA are just some of the germs or diseases known as the "superbugs." As of now there are no known cures for any of these diseases. They are much stronger than we first realized. Regular antibiotics are simply not working to "cure" these "superbugs."

"Superbugs" have become a wide known problem among the medical world. It has been reported that even the drug penicillin does not even work against these "bugs." Doctors are being to worry about the treatment options for these pathogens. These pathogens lead up to illnesses that may never be curable. But doctors are working around the clock to find drugs that work to treat these "superbugs."

The diseases mentioned in this context do not have cures as of yet. They do however have some drugs that help the pathogens linked to the actual disease, but are not treatable. The pathogens lead to the cause of those untreatable viruses and bacteria.

How do they become "superbugs?" It is a mutation within pathogen genes. The bacteria somehow within the growth process mutate. It is a lengthy process to figure out exactly how and why they mutate. They are called "superbugs" because of the mutation that occurs in the growth process. "Superbugs" are like a colony of mutated genes which are resistant to antibiotics.

Are there any other pathogens or diseases that are resistant to antibiotic drugs? Enterococcus is a bacterial infection. This bacterial infection usually affects Post Op patients. This infection occurs in either the gastrointestinal or genital tract. Why is this infection resistant to antibiotics? As of now this infection can only be treated with two classes of antibiotics. How does this make it a "superbug," quite simple? In the beginning of treatment of this infection, it resists to most or all drugs.

"Superbugs" are becoming a real concern for doctors and patients. With these mutated pathogens, they are becoming stronger and the antibiotics helping to fight them are not working. It is in my best interest to inform other parents of these "superbugs." Parents this article is a must read. It is in your best interest to know of "superbugs." As a parent it is your duty to learn everything you can on these pathogens that are resistant to antibiotics.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic_resistance

http://www.topix.com/forum/health/mrsa/TI6VC9SDHOV08FS3F

http://www.patientpak.com/whataresuperbugs.asp