The Human Gut Microbiome and the Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistant Microbes

Abstract

As the impending danger of antibiotic resistance continues to rise, research into the largest reservoir of resistance genes is just starting to gain traction. The human gut microbiome represents a fundamental step in better understanding how antibiotic resistance develops, why it develops, and how it can be mitigated. Changing healthcare procedures and antibiotic prescriptions in pursuit of slowing down or outright preventing the arrival of a post-antibiotic era begins from infant’s care and that of their mothers, and extends long into their (hopefully healthy) lifetimes. It is not only healthcare procedures and prescriptions that require adjustment. The pharmaceutical industry’s response to resistant bacteria was to simply make more powerful, broad-spectrum antibiotics. While this strategy was effective in the short term, it is beginning to show two fatal flaws. The first is that it damages the gut microbiome, and encourages antibiotic resistance. The second is that it is beginning to become economically unviable to research new broad-spectrum antibiotics. Narrow-spectrum antibiotics seek to solve both of these issues simultaneously, by providing a targeted attack against pathogens while sparing other microbiota, and allowing for economic incentive. Finally, it is crucial to enhance education and outreach about the microbiome and antibiotic resistance. Since the topic is often excluded from school curriculums, not covered on exams, and lacks engaging learning material, many people lack understanding of basic concepts such as resistance and the roles of the microbiome. It is seen as a distant issue, one that does not directly affect the individual, and one the individual cannot affect. This cannot be further from the truth; by simply maintaining good gut health and using antibiotics responsibly, one is already contributing towards the solution.