Our Reality: Antibiotic Resistance

What do you know about antibiotic resistance?

Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, antibiotics have revolutionised the way diseases are treated. Antibiotic medications are estimated to have added 20 years to global lifespans. They have minimal side effects and can be taken alongside other medications--but irresponsible use can have dangerous effects.

Normally, when faced with a bacterial infection such as pneumonia or an ear infection, doctors will prescribe a patient a course of antibiotics, often in pill form.

Bacteria constantly mutate and develop, and as antibiotics are overprescribed, antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria can develop. This makes treating all types of infections more difficult. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria will continue to multiply, making you sicker - with potentially deadly consequences. Meningitis can be devastating in antibiotic-resistant strains, and dangerous bacterial infections such as typhoid fever and tuberculosis can spread rapidly in areas without access to clean water.

Antibiotic resistance can occur when the medications are overprescribed or when a patient does not take an entire course of antibiotics, skipping doses or throwing out leftover medication once they start feeling better. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria can spread around the world, and as we have seen with the impact of COVID-19, containing the disease is often easier said than done.

The Longitude Prize is looking for new ways to cut down on antibiotic use--fighting disease and developing new methods to fight bacterial infections such as vaccines. You can be part of the solution! Enter today as part of Longitude's rolling applications which will be reviewed throughout 2021.