Vaccsbook

"Super Bugs" are portrayed on TV as highly deadly "germs"; in reality, they're just not that deadly to the average healthy person.

Super Bugs are commonly occurring bacteria which have undergone slight transformation to a strain that is resistant to those antibiotics usually effective.
The immune system of healthy patients can sometimes even overcome these bacteria without antibiotics. (It is the bacteria which are antibiotic-resistant, not the patient).

Super Bugs develop due to a mutation, and then become more prevalent due to antibiotic overuse which causes a reduction in antibiotic-sensitive strains.
In some countries where non-physicians are allowed to prescribe antibiotics - nurses, pharmacists etc. - the problem of antibiotic overuse and superbug proliferation steadily worsens.
Viruses and fungi/yeasts can also become resistant to antivirals and antifungals, but this is currently not as serious a problem.

Super Bugs are a concern to those who are already sick, have lowered immunity status and/or significantly malnourished; e.g. the frail elderly, patients with prolonged hospitalization, patients in the ICU or just after surgery, or cancer patients on chemotherapy.
Super Bugs tend to be found in hospitals and long term care facilities . . . because that's where the patients just described tend to be.
Community transmission from one healthy person to another is rare.


Any bacteria can become a superbug, but those most commonly found in hospitals are as follows.

MRSA - Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

This bacteria is a common cause of skin infections, but if it gets into the blood stream, e.g. by creeping along the outside of an IV needle, it can cause sepsis (blood poisoning).
Some strains of Staph Aureus can still be treated with common antibiotics. But Methicillin is one of the most powerful penicillin-class antibiotics, so MRSA is resistant to all penicillins.
MRSA can usually be treated with Vancomycin (but Vancomycin has less than desirable side effects. and can itself be a target of antibiotic resistance).

C.Diff - Clostridium Difficile

This bacteria is found in the environment, and is also a usual inhabitant of the human colon.
When other colon bacteria are suppressed it can cause diarrhea which may progress to life-threatening sepsis and dehydration. Such disease is mostly found in elderly patients who have received antibiotics.
It is passed in the diarrhea of symptomatic patients and can be acquired by others through contact with that fluid. Consequently, it can be the cause of outbreaks in health care facilities.
Mild cases can be treated with an oral antibiotic, Metronidazole (although this can occasionally be the cause). More severe cases need to be treated with Vancomycin

VRE - Vancomycin Resistant Enteroccus

This bacteria (previously called Strep Faecalis) is found in the colon of healthy humans. However, it can cause serious illness and be fatal if it spreads to other organs.
It is resistant to many classes of antibiotics, and increasingly to Vancomycin, often used to overcome antibiotic resistance of other bacteria. A few antibiotics are effective, but each must first be tested in the laboratory to ensure effectiveness and prevent resistance developing.

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

This bacteria is a common cause of hospital acquired infections. Its structure makes it naturally resistant to many antibiotics.
The introduction of the Quinolone class of antibiotics (e.g. Cipro) were initially effective, but their indiscriminate overuse has led to resistance.

CRE - Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae

Enterobacteriaceae are a family of bacteria most commonly found in the intestines where, in otherwise good health, they only occasionally cause disease.
This family includes such well known bacteria as E. Coli and Salmonella.
While some infections are easily treated with commonly used antbiotics, some strains are showing significant antibiotic resistance including to Carbapenem, and antibiotic used when all others are ineffective.