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Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

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41–50 of 192 posts

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#41
post #17
post #6

Rather than weakening the attacker (killing the bacteria) we could look for ways to strengthen the organism (boost the body's own defense mechanisms). The health industry as a whole, has been weakened by the discovery of antibiotics and designer molecules, and as a result now spends too many resources on looking for killer chemicals (antibiotics and other drugs). But there are other ways. One way is to follow the thr…

You are really overcomplicating this. The gut is about 70% of the immune system. Gut health and old fashioned lifestyle approaches that limit the transmission of germs is simple, easy, inexpensive and has been around for millenia. It also smacks of religion and "boring, uptight" lives. So, it is nigh impossible to sell the idea. Perhaps that will get easier as people start dropping like flies from horrifying diseases…

Tell that to the people who died en masse from bacterial infections before the discovery of penicillin.

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#42
post #14

Here's a novel thought: Monogamy. Wait to have sex until you're married, then have only one sexual partner your entire life. That'll deal with the problem, and every other sexually transmitted disease out there. It's almost too simple to work, but I've heard that over time - thousands of years in fact - it is a strategy humans have used to build not just safe sex, but many other benefits as well http://www.theglobean…

No, thank you.

That is not a novel thought. It is as old as religion.

Abstinence based sex education has been shown to be ineffective, leading to greater pregnancy and STI transmission. Evidence says your idea won't help. And, well, it's also boring. I'll take my chances with responsible non-monogamy.

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#43
post #15
post #2

And then there are these stories : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287745.php talking about how there are all sorts of Antibiotics we don't even know about (yet). Or drugs that also kill bacteria ( http://phys.org/news/2016-02-major-breakthrough-antibiotic-r... ) or even this ( https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/20/antibi... ) Basically as we get to understand exactly how cells work and how b…

No, what you're encountering is the rift between new-media science bloggery and the real rate of scientific progress. In new-media science land, a university news office press release is akin to a solved problem. Antibotics? Done! Quantum computing? Solved! Room temperature superconductors? No problem! The press releases are abominations compared to the underlying research, and the new media companies are embellishin…

Just yesterday (msn).

Headline: "Not a Drill: SETI Is Investigating a Possible Extraterrestrial Signal From Deep Space"

Actual SETI website statement: "The chance that this is truly a signal from extraterrestrials is not terribly promising, and the discoverers themselves apparently doubt that they’ve found ET."

The media reported literally the opposite.

At this point you're better informed not following the news, if you don't have the time to dig for yourself.

What hope does Average Joe have of having any clue wtf goes on in the world?

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#44
post #43
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, what you're encountering is the rift between new-media science bloggery and the real rate of scientific progress. In new-media science land, a university news office press release is akin to a solved problem. Antibotics? Done! Quantum computing? Solved! Room temperature superconductors? No problem! The press releases are abominations compared to the underlying research, and the new media companies are embellishin…

Just yesterday (msn). Headline: "Not a Drill: SETI Is Investigating a Possible Extraterrestrial Signal From Deep Space" Actual SETI website statement: "The chance that this is truly a signal from extraterrestrials is not terribly promising, and the discoverers themselves apparently doubt that they’ve found ET." The media reported literally the opposite. At this point you're better informed not following the news, if…

[deleted]

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#45
post #41
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are really overcomplicating this. The gut is about 70% of the immune system. Gut health and old fashioned lifestyle approaches that limit the transmission of germs is simple, easy, inexpensive and has been around for millenia. It also smacks of religion and "boring, uptight" lives. So, it is nigh impossible to sell the idea. Perhaps that will get easier as people start dropping like flies from horrifying diseases…

Tell that to the people who died en masse from bacterial infections before the discovery of penicillin.

Those folks also lacked the internet, where ordinary people can look up extraordinary things that previously could have only been learned by a select few privileged people, if at all.

We also have a global economy of a sort that did not exist previously. Things that would have been exotic not that long ago can be acquired readily by people who aren't wealthy by first world standards.

People used to routinely suffer scurvy, which is almost unheard of today because a) we know what causes it and b) ordinary people have no trouble getting citrus fruits. This was not true, say, 200 years or so ago.

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#46
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Um, not a fan of your sugar syrup in the bladder idea. Stuff I have read indicates that antibiotic resisatant infections basically terraform the body, like an alligator making swamps in the American South. One of the things they typically do is making the body more acid. So, if you can reverse the acidity, the biofilm starts breaking up and the infection becomes treatable again.

Mz: "...like an alligator making swamps in the American South..." Alligators don't make swamps - they live in swamps. They do dig "alligator holes" but that is hardly swamp-making. Perhaps you're thinking of beavers, who _do_ very significantly modify waterways and lakes by building dams and nests?

Finally, they alter the hydrology of wet areas in which they live, connecting existing water sources and separating others depending on their seasonal movement patterns.

https://bioventures.wordpress.com/2013/09/22/keystone-specie...

From what I have read, swamps tend to fill in over time and turn into solid land -- unless there are alligators.

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#47
post #3
post #2

And then there are these stories : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287745.php talking about how there are all sorts of Antibiotics we don't even know about (yet). Or drugs that also kill bacteria ( http://phys.org/news/2016-02-major-breakthrough-antibiotic-r... ) or even this ( https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/20/antibi... ) Basically as we get to understand exactly how cells work and how b…

So, basically, nothing to worry, technology will save us in the end. And it might -- long term. Only, as things are now, between an antibiotic stopping working and finding a replacement, there could be tens of millions of deaths... Aside from wishful thinking there's nothing that guarantees that we'll find the next cure as soon as an old one becomes obsolete.

Our very existence is as improbable as an asteroid, some 70,000 years ago.

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#48
post #6

Rather than weakening the attacker (killing the bacteria) we could look for ways to strengthen the organism (boost the body's own defense mechanisms). The health industry as a whole, has been weakened by the discovery of antibiotics and designer molecules, and as a result now spends too many resources on looking for killer chemicals (antibiotics and other drugs). But there are other ways. One way is to follow the thr…

>The health industry as a whole, has been weakened by the discovery of antibiotics and designer molecules, and as a result now spends too many resources on looking for killer chemicals (antibiotics and other drugs). What!? antibiotics are for the most part the most important discovery in medical history, period. They by far saved more lives than virtually any other treatment and make many other treatments possible.

And make implants possible as well.

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#49
post #14

Here's a novel thought: Monogamy. Wait to have sex until you're married, then have only one sexual partner your entire life. That'll deal with the problem, and every other sexually transmitted disease out there. It's almost too simple to work, but I've heard that over time - thousands of years in fact - it is a strategy humans have used to build not just safe sex, but many other benefits as well http://www.theglobean…

And then you find that you are sexually incompatible with the person you married.

> sexually incompatible with the person you married

That's as much of a myth as monogamy. Incompatible just means they're not attracted to you, or you to them. Call it what it is.

Re: Gonorrhea Is Becoming Untreatable, U.N. Health Officials Warn

#50
post #5
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, basically, nothing to worry, technology will save us in the end. And it might -- long term. Only, as things are now, between an antibiotic stopping working and finding a replacement, there could be tens of millions of deaths... Aside from wishful thinking there's nothing that guarantees that we'll find the next cure as soon as an old one becomes obsolete.

Everything is a probability right? I generally don't spend my days worrying about how I'm going to survive the next asteroid strike on the planet (guaranteed to to be an issue at some point). I also get in my car and drive on the highway between here and there even though I know there are people driving under the influence that can kill me if they hit my car at speed. There are people who are getting shot by other pe…

It's not all the same probabilities, it's all different probabilities. It's just as important not to let lack of fear lead you into action that is counterproductive.
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