Plastics Do What?!
Topic # 117
Once again scientists are warning us about the insalubrious nature of plastics. However, this news may be as stunning a revelation as the fact that we have microplastics in almost every part of the human body. It has come to light that microplastics may attribute to the increase of drug-resistant bacteria and perhaps other microbials like fungi.
In an overview of antimicrobial resistance (AR) the Centers for Disease explains, “AR happens when germs like bacteria and fungi develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs are not killed and continue to grow. Resistant infections can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat.1” More than 2.8 million AR infections occur each year in the United States alone, killing more than 35,000 as a result. Further, multiple sources estimate that by 2050, around 2 million people could die from drug-resistant infections annually.
Muhammad Zaman, a Boston University College of Engineering professor of biomedical engineering who studies antimicrobial resistance and refugee and migrant health Boston University stated, “We’re demonstrating that the presence of plastics is doing a whole lot more than just providing a surface for the bacteria to stick—they are actually leading to the development of resistant organisms.2” The findings showed bacteria grew stronger when attaching to plastics, shielding bacteria from antibiotics or at least mitigating the affects.
You may ask, “What can I do?” This article is intended to provide readers with awareness. Therefore, the answer is for you to keep abreast of the AR and plastic research combined with authoritative recommendations. Scientists and medical professionals must determine and inform us how to respond appropriately.