The Growing Global Threat Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers Access

1. Ella’s infection was caused by a virus.

2. Colistin is effective against all resistant bacteria.

3. In the 2010s, most antibiotics were used for human medicine.

4. Phage therapy cured all patients who received it. chemotherapy for cancer

5. Routine hip replacements are now banned in the story’s future.

The implications extend far beyond difficult-to-treat pneumonia or urinary tract infections. Antibiotics are the backbone of modern medicine. Procedures such as caesarean sections, hip replacements, chemotherapy for cancer, and organ transplants rely heavily on the ability to prevent and treat bacterial infections. If these prophylactic antibiotics become ineffective, these life-saving interventions will carry unacceptable levels of risk. For example, a routine knee replacement could lead to an untreatable bone infection, forcing amputation. Cancer patients, whose immune systems are decimated by chemotherapy, would be vulnerable to otherwise harmless bacteria. As Dr. Margaret Chan, former WHO Director-General, stated, ‘A post-antibiotic era would mean the end of modern medicine as we know it.’

The acceleration of AMR is not accidental; it is primarily driven by human behaviour. The most significant factor is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. In many countries, antibiotics are available without prescription, leading to their use for viral infections like the common cold, against which they are completely ineffective. In agriculture, an estimated 70% of all antibiotics sold globally are used in farm animals – not only to treat sick animals but also to promote growth and prevent disease in healthy livestock. This sub-therapeutic dosing creates a perfect breeding ground for resistant bacteria, which can then reach humans through the food chain, water run-off, and direct contact. forcing amputation. Cancer patients