AL AIN // Scientists at UAE University are investigating antibiotic-resistant bacteria in a bid to battle what is fast becoming a global problem.
Microbiologist Dr Tibor Pal said: “Antibiotic resistance, the capacity of pathogenic bacteria to resist treatment with drugs meant to kill them, is one of the most serious problems medicine is facing.
“A recent study predicted that if the trends continue at the current speed, by 2050 more people will die because of drug-resistant infections than cancer.
“And this is not only because cancer treatment is improving but because we are, and in the future increasingly will be, losing patients to untreatable infections whose cancer otherwise could have been controlled or even cured.”
He said that developing new drugs alone is not the answer. The problem stems from the imprudent use of antibiotics in agriculture, veterinary and human medicine.
Dr Agnes Pal, his wife, is also working on the research. She said: “We must understand that this is a global problem. However, due to the very nature of the problem itself, it can spread and not respect borders.
“This represents unique challenges for the UAE, but several countries in the Gulf face similar problems and challenges.”
She said infection control in hospitals must be improved and standardised.
The team hopes that in time there will be greater focus on antibiotic resistance.
Tibor Pal said: “As this work requires sophisticated molecular techniques, it far exceeds the capacities of hospital laboratories. This is not their job alone.
“Most countries with similarly developed healthcare systems as the UAE have established dedicated national reference laboratories to track these outbreaks, to fingerprint these bacteria.
“We hope that eventually such an institution will be established here, as well. It would be very much needed.”
mswan@thenational.ae
