Liu’s research investigates the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) and the increasing drug-resistant strains of TB that have been developing. Writer Liam Mitchell spoke with Professor Jun Liu of the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Molecular Genetics about the report’s findings. The report, titled Antimicrobial resistance: global report on surveillance 2014, is available on the WHO website. It also notes there are significant gaps in surveillance, and a lack of standards for methodology, data sharing and coordination. The report found high rates of resistance have been observed in every region of the world in bacteria that cause common infections, such as urinary tract infections, wound infections, bloodstream infections and pneumonia. Unless we take significant actions to improve efforts to prevent infections and also change how we produce, prescribe and use antibiotics, the world will lose more and more of these global public health goods and the implications will be devastating.” “Effective antibiotics have been one of the pillars allowing us to live longer, live healthier and benefit from modern medicine. Keiji Fukuda, WHO’s assistant director-general for health security. “Without urgent, coordinated action by many stakeholders, the world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill,” says Dr. A first-of-its-kind report by the World Health Organization details the worldwide spread of drug-resistant super-bugs. It reads like the plot of Hollywood’s next survival horror film, but it couldn’t be more real.

Super strain of tuberculosis