Researchers found a superbug in the arctic that is resistant to the most powerful antibiotic
we currently possess.
Some are saying that this supervirus could wipe out humanity.
So yeah, you guys hear of any good news today cuz I definitely need some right now.
Welcome back to inform overload, the channel that simultaneously gives you anxiety and
keeps you informed.
I’m charlotte dobre, why don’t you hit that subscribe and stick around until the
end of the video where we respond to users comments.
Just a few days ago, the world economic forum warned that antimicrobial resistance is a
global health emergency more dire than climate change or war, and now it seems experts are
finding this to be true.
Samples that were taken from the soil in Svalbard and tested contained drug resistant genes.
Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the arctic circle.
Its north of mainland Europe, and half way between Norway and the north pole.Svalbard
is by all means inhospitable to humans, which is a good thing, considering a huge chunk
of the soil contains a the genes of a drug resistant superbug.
The genes are called blaNDM-1 and they are being carefully watched by experts because
they could potentially spread around the world and wipe out millions in the process.
This is because the bacteria appears to be completely resistant to antibiotics, the strongest
antibiotics we currently have called carpapenems.
Carpapenems are usually only used as a last resort, if nothing else works to treat an
infection.This is pretty concerning, because if this supervirus happened to make its way
out into the world, very little could be done about it.
I mean its pretty crazy to think about fact that a century ago, there were no such thing
as antibiotics.
You could die from the common cold or the flu quite easily, let alone a drug resistant
supervirus.
This is especially concerning for developing nations around the world where the health
care is not up to par with the rest of the globe.
This type of super gene were first observed in 2008, when a Swedish patient of indian
origin travelled to india in 2008.
The genes were then detected in surface water on Delhi streets two years later in 2010 but
they had never been found outside of clinical, controlled environments like hospitals, and
definitely not thousands of miles away in polar regions.
And yet, BlaNDM-1 was found In more than 60 percent of the soil cores in the study.
So how did this bacteria end up in the arctic?
Researchers at Newcastle university believe they know where the bacteria came from.
Instead of originating in northern areas like the arctic, they might have come from the
droppings of migrating birds that fell on the ice.
Svalbard is a breeding ground for many different types of seabirds.
The bacteria also could have come from humans.
Which is confusing…
Polar areas are some of the last areas on earth with minimal human impact.
Especially a place like Svalbard where you definitely wouldn’t want to go on vacation.
The islands of Svalbard were first used as a whaling base in the 17th and 18th cneturies,
but were then abandoned.
There are a few permanent communities, but there are no roads to connect them.
Residents have to travel by snowmobiles, aircraft and boats.
But that doesn’t mean its not possible for viruses to spread thousands of miles.
Poor sanitation in the developing world causes the spread of bugs to even the most remote
areas that are otherwise ‘sanitary’.
It actually might be the fault of humans that these superviruses are being created.
Antibiotics being used inappropriately are likely causing the rise of superbugs.
The use of antibiotics to fight infections in humans, on which they have no effect, and
also using antibiotics in livestock production, causes the antibiotics to enter the food chain
through runoff.
The superbugs are then created because they have had a chance to mingle with antibiotics
when they otherwise wouldn’t have, causing them to become resistant.
According to David Graham who led the research team that found the genes in Svalbard, What
humans have done through the excess use of antibiotics is accelerate the rate of evolution,
creating resistant strains that never existed before.
These findings have been published in the journal Environmental International.
Well guys, im not sure about you but im not letting anyone cough anywhere near me ever
again.
Im gonna carry around some Lysol wherever I go.
For now, its time to respond to some comments from our video Polar vortex returns but this
time it will be worse.
As and KS gacha – does this mean I can make fresh ice cream outside.
Sure just don’t use the yellow snow.
Super Gamer – noah the time traeller on apex tv said that in feruar there was a snow
storm that hit the Midwest that will be the biggest in history.
Wow.
Ok so apparently noah the time traveller is a real time traveller guys.
Marlar house – almost as cold as my wifes feet in the middle of the night.
True…I mean I have never felt your wifes feet but maybe you guys should get a thicker
blanket or something.
Tedious person charlotte im pretty sure io is in Toronto, so all of us will stick together.
Yes we are in Toronto, anyone wanna build an ingloo after work?
Kelly trac – this is nothing related to the video but I LOVE YOUR HAIR CHARLOTTE