Superbugs: The Race to Stop an Epidemic

Someone I know has recently had an operation. The protocol that they needed to follow prior to surgery was to use a special wash on themselves, and follow a specified regimen when washing clothes and items such as bedding and towels. I have not encountered this prophylactic approach before, and suddenly the war against superbugs was brought very close to home. It was clear to me that the medical staff was leaving nothing to chance, because sometimes, antimicrobial medicines no longer work.

In Superbugs, Matt McCarthy tells the story of the rise of the drug-resistant microbes that so threaten the future of medicine. We are often told that we should resist urging our doctors to prescribe antibiotics when we don’t need them such as for viral infections. However, the road that led to antimicrobial resistance isn’t as simple as patient demand. This story is also inextricably linked to the tale of the development of antimicrobial medicines such as antibiotic and antifungal treatments; rather like the dark alter ego of a beloved hero.