BBC FOUR: Michael Mosley vs The Superbugs

Press/Media: Expert comment

Description

For 70 years we've waged war against harmful bacteria using antibiotics. But bacteria are fighting back and today more and more bacterial infections are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Drug-resistant superbugs are spreading; not just MRSA - also TB, pneumonia, e-coli. In Britain, hundreds are already dying of these infections - mainly the very young or the frail and elderly. But experts warn that unless we crack the problem, by 2050 we'll be facing a massive health crisis with over 10 million people dying of resistant bacterial infection worldwide every year.

Michael Mosley goes in search of the causes of this crisis and new solutions to overcome it. Have we caused the resistant superbug crisis by overusing antibiotics?

Period17 May 2017

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleMichael Mosley vs The Superbugs
    Media name/outletBBC Four
    Media typeTelevision
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date17/05/17
    DescriptionFor 70 years we've waged war against harmful bacteria using antibiotics. But bacteria are fighting back and today more and more bacterial infections are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Drug-resistant superbugs are spreading; not just MRSA - also TB, pneumonia, e-coli. In Britain, hundreds are already dying of these infections - mainly the very young or the frail and elderly. But experts warn that unless we crack the problem, by 2050 we'll be facing a massive health crisis with over 10 million people dying of resistant bacterial infection worldwide every year.

    Michael Mosley goes in search of the causes of this crisis and new solutions to overcome it. Have we caused the resistant superbug crisis by overusing antibiotics?
    URLwww.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08qkz77
    PersonsSheena Cruickshank

Keywords

  • superbugs
  • antibiotic resistance