In Search of Bacterial Vaccines to Combat Antibiotic Resistance
Welcome to a new WiRe Science Communication Video, made by WiRe Fellow Dr. Emma Campbell.
Imagine waking up in a hospital bed after a routine surgery, only to discover you’ve contracted an infection that doesn’t respond to antibiotics. You’re not alone. Every year, over 700,000 people worldwide die from infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It’s a crisis that’s pushing our healthcare systems to the brink. WiRe Fellow Dr. Emma Campbell explains: Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to global health. Overusing antibiotics has created’superbugs’ like MRSA, C. diff, and MDR-TB, making infections harder to treat. To combat this, we need to change how we approach infection treatment. Developing new antibiotics is one solution, but it’s not enough. A more promising approach is to prevent infections with vaccines. By targeting the sugar coating on bacteria, we can train our bodies to recognize and fight off infections before they start. This approach has already shown success and could help reduce our reliance on antibiotics, slowing down resistance. Let’s explore this innovative solution and find a way to keep antibiotics effective for generations to come.
Do you want to learn more? Emma gives more details and exciting insights into her life as a reseacher here.